Golden Goodbyes: Brampton Quietly Pays Millions to Ex-City Executives
More than four years after his departure from City Hall, former Brampton Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) David Barrick remains on the city’s payroll — and taxpayers have now paid him over $1 million since 2021.
According to Ontario’s annual Sunshine List, which tracks public sector employees earning $100,000 or more annually, Barrick has received a total of $1,075,568.61 in salary and $72,924.70 in taxable benefits since being let go from his role in February 2021. He was paid nearly $287,000 that year for just two months of work, followed by severance payouts of $288,000 in 2022, $267,000 in 2023, and another $232,000 in 2024.
Barrick’s total time at Brampton City Hall lasted less than 18 months. He was hired in October 2019 and removed in early 2021 by a council vote amid internal conflict and controversy. In 2023, the city issued him a public apology — the same year he was appointed as CAO of Thames Centre, a municipality outside London, Ontario.
Despite his departure, the City of Brampton has continued paying out his compensation while also employing a new CAO. Since November 2022, that position has been filled by Marlon Kallideen, who earned $346,626 in salary and $23,327 in taxable benefits last year. Paul Morrison, the city’s former bylaw director, served as interim CAO during the transition period.
Brampton residents may be experiencing déjà vu. Barrick’s predecessor, Harry Schlange, who was appointed CAO in 2016 under then-Mayor Linda Jeffrey, also received his full salary after his dismissal in 2018. As part of his original contract, Schlange continued to draw pay until 2022 — costing taxpayers nearly $1 million despite having exited four years earlier.
In total, between the payouts to Schlange and Barrick, Brampton taxpayers have shelled out more than $2 million since 2019 to former city executives who were no longer working for the municipality. Personnel and severance arrangements remain confidential under city policy, so it’s unclear how much longer Barrick will remain on the payroll.
Meanwhile, with Kallideen now at the helm and earning a full executive salary, the City of Brampton continues to manage the financial fallout of leadership changes made over two mayoral terms — decisions that taxpayers are still paying for.