The latest Canadian Taxpayers Federation investigation uncovered access-to-information records showing the state broadcaster employs more than 250 directors, 450 managers, and 780 producers — all making over $100,000 per year.

“The CBC’s own records show it has a bloated bureaucracy full of highly paid managers and bureaucrats,” said CTF Federal Director Franco Terrazzano. “Canadians need tax relief, not a bunch of managers managing managers at the CBC.”

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The 65-page salary list reveals:

• 180 managers

• 277 senior managers

• 124 directors

• 106 senior directors

• 28 executive directors

• 493 producers

• 168 senior producers

• 86 executive producers

• 36 technical producers

More than 200 other roles were redacted, but still, six-figure salaries were doled out to 130 advisors, 81 analysts, 120 hosts, 80 project leads, and even 30 “lead architects” — at what is supposed to be a media organization, not a software firm.

In total, 1,831 CBC employees earned six figures in 2024–25, up from just 438 in 2015–16 — a 318% explosion in less than a decade. The year-over-year increase alone was 17%, with the average six-figure salary clocking in at $131,060.

“This proves the CBC has fat to cut,” said Terrazzano. “If Prime Minister Mark Carney is serious about saving money, he needs to force the CBC to trim its bureaucratic bloat. Or better yet, Carney should defund the CBC.”

Pay hikes are also soaring. CBC staff received $37.7 million in raises in 2024–25 — more than triple the $11.5 million in raises from the year prior. The corporation scrapped its bonus scheme earlier this year after a public backlash but simply inflated base salaries to make up the difference.

“The Board of Directors, with the advice and concurrence of the President and CEO, has decided to discontinue individual performance pay,” the CBC announced in May. “To keep overall compensation at the current median level, salaries of those affected will be adjusted.”

In other words: same payout, different name.

The state broadcaster will cost taxpayers over $1.4 billion this year, and the Carney government has ordered it to find up to $198 million in cuts over the next three years.

“Taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay for an office full of middle managers pretending to be reporters,” said Kris Sims, CTF Alberta Director and former Parliamentary Press Gallery member. “The government should stop giving taxpayers’ money to the CBC and force the broadcaster to raise money on its own merits from willing donors and subscribers.”