Brampton has paid out a substantial $38 million in severance between 2010 and 2021, according to a city report. Remarkably, two of the city’s highest compensated individuals are former employees who no longer serve Brampton.
The Ontario Sunshine List, which details public sector salaries exceeding $100,000, includes two ex-City Hall workers who were dismissed but continued to receive high severance payouts. David Barrick, the city’s former chief administrative officer (CAO), dismissed in 2022, received over $267,000 in severance and additional benefits last year. Prior to Barrick, Harry Schlange, another former CAO dismissed in 2018, earned nearly $300,000 annually from 2018 through 2021 in severance payments.
Neither Barrick nor Schlange responded to inquiries regarding their severance packages.
An employment lawyer noted that such severance agreements are typical for high-stakes CAO positions, which are vulnerable to changes in city council and mayoral preferences. “These roles are highly susceptible to political shifts,” Athanasios Makrinos of Whitten and Lublin explained.
Mayor Patrick Brown has stated that the severance packages have been adjusted to align more closely with private sector standards since he took office in 2018. This change followed a city report indicating that a significant part of the $38 million spent on severance was due to a higher turnover of senior leadership after his election.
Council member Martin Medeiros acknowledged the financial burden of these payouts and emphasized ongoing efforts to reform City Hall’s severance policies to enhance fiscal management and promote long-term employee retention. ( Source CBC)