The Board of Directors for CBC/Radio-Canada approved bonuses for some staff while others were let go. A spokesperson did not divulge how much would be paid out.

The broadcaster cut 141 jobs this fiscal year and eliminated 205 vacant positions, reported The Canadian Press.

The Board of Directors quietly filed a document June 25 that “confirms it will respect its commitment to the 1,194 employees eligible for the current Short-Term Incentive Compensation Plan (SRRICT)” regarding authorized “premiums.”

Members met on June 13 to discuss the authorization of “premiums,” reported La Presse. Catherine Tait, the broadcaster's CEO and president, did not rule out executive bonuses this year.

Broadcaster spokesperson Emma Iannetta earlier said Tait “has not yet received a bonus and has no idea of the amount” for the past two fiscal years. 

Her total compensation ranges from $472,900 to $623,900, while vice-presidents earn between $282,000 and $686,500, according to CBC/Radio-Canada disclosures. 

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is launching a legal challenge against the CBC for not disclosing senior executive bonuses.

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— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) May 30, 2024

The broadcaster previously told Rebel News the term “bonuses” has been used to describe performance pay. “It is in fact a contractual obligation owing to eligible employees,” said a spokesperson.

“Should the CBC cut bonuses and other performance-based pay out of respect for taxpayers?” asked Rebel. “Government departments, Crown corporations, and most private companies use performance pay (or “at-risk pay”) as a portion of employee compensation to help ensure delivery on specific targets approved by the Board of Directors,” reads an emailed statement.

Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge has not commented on the appropriateness of possible bonuses. “It's up to them to answer questions about internal compensation,” she said last December. 

An inquiry earlier tabled in the Commons confirmed the corporation has an “at-risk incentive pay system” and “does not pay bonuses.”

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) filed a complaint with the Office of the Information Commissioner after the CBC refused immediate disclosure of bonuses for senior executives.

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— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) May 8, 2024

Last year, the network handed out $15 million in ‘bonuses’ to 1,143 staff despite laying off hundreds of staff and requesting even more money from taxpayers.

On May 10, the network detailed that seven senior executives took home $3,793,000 in total compensation. It did not reveal how much bonus pay each executive received.

CBC/Radio-Canada refused disclosure of their bonus details, according to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF). “As a matter of principle, the CBC owes transparency to the taxpayers who pay their salaries,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. 

All 46 network executives received bonuses worth $3,020,021, while another 1,140 managers on the payroll received bonuses worth $11,883,734 last fiscal year. Figures were disclosed at the request of Opposition House Leader Andrew Scheer.

Despite an unfavourable financial situation last year, the broadcaster is believed to have made progress in achieving its performance indicators.

"We want a strong public broadcaster for decades to come": Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge defends the Trudeau Liberals' decision to increase CBC's funding despite firing employees and doling out almost $15 million in bonuses last year.https://t.co/7sRrlShnQP pic.twitter.com/L4uRFGOLxN

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) April 18, 2024

The Forum for Research and Policy in Communications (FRPC) analyzed the broadcaster’s reports from 1937 to 2019, uncovering significant “inconsistencies in [the] presentation” of its data, leading to difficulties tracking performance.

The annual reports provide “little objective information” about the fulfillment of CBC/Radio-Canada’s mandate and “so little consistent historical financial information” that Parliament's support for its operations “cannot be easily assessed.”

"CBC provides little, if any, detailed information about the availability of its services in Canada and their use by the public, or about the programming that it produces each year," reads the analysis.

The FRPC estimates CBC has cost Canadian taxpayers approximately $80 billion since 1937.

The board continues to review performance-pay for future years, citing widespread concerns that bonuses shouldn’t be awarded during times of financial pressures and layoffs.