Ontario school board supervisors, appointed by the Ford government to instill order and financial restraint, are billing taxpayers vastly different amounts. One supervisor billed nearly $240,000 for just six months of work. New invoices obtained through freedom of information laws highlight a lack of uniformity in how these appointees are working and compensated.
The government stated that fee and work schedule variations are due to the "one-size-fits-all" nature of the work not applying to each board. Supervisors can bill up to $2,000 per day, capped at $350,000 annually, with some also charging an additional 13% in sales tax.
Three of the five supervisors appear to be billing through their companies, adding HST, while two do not. This practice could push total compensation closer to $400,000 per year, plus expenses.
Criticisms suggest the discrepancies indicate a political play rather than a genuine effort to improve school boards, pointing to the appointees as "Tory insiders" with limited education experience.
The supervisor at the Thames Valley District School Board, appointed earlier than others, billed over $100,000 more than any other supervisor, charging $236,170 including HST for 104.5 days of work.