Are sunshine lists shining the light on the wrong people?

Under the Rachel Notley NDP government in Alberta in 2015, and in response to public outcry over excessive compensation and benefits for public sector senior executives, the Public Sector Compensation Transparency Act (PSCTA) was introduced. With the Act came “sunshine lists” which outlined the compensation of all public sector workers whose earnings exceeded a certain threshold.

In a blogpost by the Parkland Institute, Jason Foster explains the act and lists were originally created in hopes that disclosing names, salaries, and benefits would “curb tendencies toward financial excess by senior executives.” 

He continues: “Whether it has worked as intended is an open question. What is clear is that it is something of a blunt tool.” And this blunt tool may not be the best solution. 

This week on rabble radio, rabble labour reporter Kiah Lucero joins Foster to discuss the design flaws and shortcomings of the Public Sector Compensation Transparency Act and sunshine lists in Alberta. 

About our guests 

Jason Foster is the director of Parkland Institute and an associate professor of human resources and labour relations at Athabasca University. He is the author of Gigs, Hustles, & Temps (2023) and Defying Expectations: The Case of UFCW Local 401 (2018), as well as co-author of Health and Safety in Canadian Workplaces (2016). His research interests include workplace injury, union renewal, labour and employment policy, and migrant workers in Canada. Foster is committed to sharing research to as broad an audience as possible, so that it might contribute to policy change and making people’s lives better.

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