Maclean’s exposes size of Canadians’ paycheques

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TORONTO (NEWS1130) – A new Maclean’s magazine cover story takes an in-depth look about who earns what in Canada.

The cover story, “The Last Dirty Secret: How Big (or Small) is Your Paycheque,” is all about money, according to the magazine’s senior editor Jason Kirby.

“Everybody wants to know how they stack up to everybody else, and at a time when we just share so much about our lives, it’s the last dirty secret what’s in our paycheque, so it’s just something people are naturally curious about,” Kirby said.

Maclean’s calls it the first-ever guide to what Canadians earn.

Kirby said he was shocked to learn how much police chiefs in Canada make.

“We look at police chiefs in Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg, and compare them to their counterparts in Chicago, Portland and Memphis, and it’s almost two to three times the salaries chiefs up here get versus in the States,” he said.

The article compares a lot of other Canadians’ salaries from politicians to pop stars.

In terms of the “Justins,” federal Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau earns $245,000, while superstar Justin Bieber makes $55-million.

For those thinking about a career change, a skydiving instructor can make up to $20,000 in just six months.

It’s also lucrative to be Santa — a rental Santa, that is — who can earn up to $10,000 over the six-week Christmas season. Shopping mall rates can vary, but the big money comes from corporate events.

Kirby also said the salary ranges depend on a person’s place of residence.

“If you really want to be a heart surgeon, the place to do it is in Saskatchewan because a heart surgeon in Saskatchewan earns about $800,000 compared to $500,000 in Toronto,” he said, adding that demand likely has a lot to do with it.

The highest paid teachers are in Vancouver, earning $98,800. Also, real estate agents in Vancouver make $26,000 more a year than their counterparts in Toronto.

Below is a quick look at what some prominent Canadians earn:

  • Gerry Schwartz & Heather Reisman, behind Onex and Indigo Books and Music — $16-million
  • Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins captain — $12-million
  • Russell Peters, comedian — $3-million
  • Don Cherry, hockey commentator — $800,000

Below is a list what other careers pay:

  1. Cirque du Soleil acrobat, contortionist or trapeze artist — $40,000-$70,000/year
  2. Courtroom sketch artist — $30,000/year
  3. Private investigator — $60,000 to $100,000/year
  4. Reality-TV director — $150,000/year
  5. MLB umpire — $120,000-$350,000/year

The latest issue of Maclean’s magazine is on newsstands Thursday.

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