Annual SOFI report highlights top SLRD earners

The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District's (SLRD) annual Statements of Financial Information report detailing the district's top earners, as well as payments made to suppliers in the previous year, is being presented to the SLRD board this week.

In 2021, the regional district spent $15,402,944 on wages for staff, elected officials and suppliers. 

The SLRD board is comprised of 10 elected representatives from the region's four member municipalities (Whistler, Squamish, Lillooet and Pemberton) and four electoral areas. 

Last year, the board accounted for $244,339 in wages and $9,634 in expenses, with one third of the expenses coming from Electoral Area D Director Tony Rainbow, who expensed $3,201. 

The number of SLRD employees making more than $75,000 also increased in 2021, from 15 to 18. 

The top five earners were chief administrative officer Melany Helmer ($207,513); director of legislative and corporate services Kristen Clark ($164,673); director of finance Suzanne Lafrance ($136,611); director of protective services Sarah Morgan ($135,574); and director of planning and development Kimberly Needham ($131,771).

The total remuneration for employees over $75,000 added up to $1,958,950. Including $883,459 for employees earning less than $75,000, the total spent on staffing in 2021 was $2,842,409—up from the $2,494,202 the SLRD paid to its staff in 2020. 

The SLRD also tallied $61,036 in staff expenses in 2021, with $42,752 coming from employees making over $75,000. The top expenses came from building official Jay A McEwen ($7,078), Needham ($6,237) and Clark ($5,045).

The SLRD also spent nearly a million dollars more on suppliers in 2021 than 2020, spending $8,233,487 in 2021 compared to $7,382,393 in 2020. 

The top supplier payments were to the Receiver General of Canada ($873,527—for policing costs), the Village of Pemberton ($611,169), and GFL Environmental ($551,963). 

The regional district also distributed $655,761 in grants in 2021. The top grant recipients were the District of Lillooet ($269,208), Minto Communications Society ($88,509) and the Bridge River Valley Community Association ($67,513). 

Find the full report here.