Whereas the Financial Information Act requires that local governments submit an annual Statement of Financial Information SOFI Report to the provincial government after the end of each fiscal year; And whereas the Act requires the SOFI Report to include a schedule noting each employee earning more than a prescribed amount, the total remuneration paid to the employee and the total amount paid for the employees expenses; And whereas local governments, like many employers, are seeking to create safe and harassment-free spaces for their employees; And whereas criticism of public employees has become more aggressive and personal in the social media age, as have expectations of privacy and ability to control personal data; And whereas the public interest in knowing how local governments spend public money as compensation to employees would be duly served by publishing salaries linked to job position titles as opposed to personal names: Therefore be it resolved that the Financial Information Act be amended to permit local governments to report salaries and expenses in their annual SOFI report by job title as opposed to employee name.
Ministry of Finance Government acknowledges public servants, at every level of government, work every day to provide the services and programs that British Columbians rely on. Since 1961, the BC Government has supported the disclosure of employee names, remuneration and position at the provincial and municipal level. Reviews of this practice in 2017 and 2019 show that all Canadian provinces require the disclosure of an employees name and remuneration, and in many cases, they also disclosed the position. It is important that the people of BC continue to have trust in their government and the public servants who work on their behalf. And part of maintaining the publics trust is being accountable and transparent through proactive disclosure.