The annual Sunshine List of Ontario government employees making more than $100 000 a year was released Friday. More than 130 000 names are on the 2017 list, over 8 000 more than last year and their salaries and benefits total almost $17 billion.

Jeff Lyash, of Ontario Power Generation, tops the 2017 public sector salary list making more than a million and a half dollars.

Twentieth on the list is the highest earning public worker local to Hamilton and Niagara Kevin Smith, CEO at both St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and Niagara Health. He made more than $660 000 last year.

Shortly after Smith and 24 names down on the list is Hamilton Health Sciences CEO Rob Macisaac, who made just under $630 000.

Another hospital executive, St Joseph’s President David Higgins is fifty-fifth on the list at a salary of just over half a million dollars.

The highest earner on the city of Hamilton payroll is the Medical Officer of Health, Elizabeth Richardson, who made almost $290 000. Followed by City Manager Chris Murray, who made almost $270 000 and the Chief of police Eric Girt, who made more than $250 000 last year. Which is comparable to Niagara police Chief Bryan MacCulloch’s salary but far less than Halton police Chief Stephen Tanner’s salary, at almost $360 000.

Hamilton’s Mayor Fred Eisenberger earned more than $180 000. While Mayor Rick Goldring in Burlington made just over $175 000 and Oakville Mayor Rob Burton made a couple thousand dollars less than Goldring. Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati and St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik didn’t make the list of employees earning six figure salaries.

The Premier’s salary remained unchanged at about $209 000. Kathleen Wynne said today that she was opposed to adjusting the $100 000 threshold for inflation.

Many of the six-figure earners on the list are police officers, including officers who are suspended with pay like Craig Ruthowsky, suspended in 2012 and now standing trial on criminal corruption charges. He collected more than $104 000 last year.

The city of Hamilton had more than 1500 people on the Sunshine List, Halton and Niagara have similar numbers when you add up the regional and the town and city staffs.