Taxpayers group calls for TransLink salary roll back

The Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation says TransLink needs to roll back on the salaries of its top brass before it can ask for more money from British Columbians.

TransLink's salary disclosure shows nearly 15 percent of its staff received wage increases last year that bumped them into the six-figure salary bracket.

The figures include raises for the company's four top executives, who earned between $273,889 to $394,730. The federation says CEO Ian Jarvis took home $438,000 once you figure in pension contributions and other benefits.

Fifty-eight of the 166 Transit Police officers took home more than $100,000 last year.

The numbers represent an 18 per cent increase in staff wages for the highest paid employees, with TransLink dishing out $6-million more in wages over the course of a year.

“The executives keep getting richer at TransLink, while taxpayers are being hit up for even more taxes for transit,” said Jordan Bateman, the CTF’s B.C. Director.

“We say not another nickel for TransLink – their leadership has completely lost touch with the people they are supposed to be serving.”

News of the wage increases come as public outrage grows over TransLink's plans to upgrade to the new Compass Card system this fall.

The changes would mean cash-paying bus riders will be charged twice when they use two different modes of transportation, like transferring from a bus to a SkyTrain. It happens because the paper transfers will no longer work between buses and trains.

The bus drivers' union isn't a fan of the idea either, saying this new protocol essentially splits the transit system in two.

TransLink says only 6,000 transit users a day who will encounter the problem. If all of them double pay, TransLink will get an extra $6-million a year.