Three Quebec nurses earned a record salary of more than half a million dollars last year thanks to lots of overtime and generous bonuses in place since the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Laval nurse, whose identity is being kept secret, collected a record salary of $530,680 in 2022-2023. Of that amount, $300,268 was paid for overtime, more than four times his base salary.
Two other nurses (from Montreal and Outaouais) also reached the spectacular half-million dollar milestone.
The highest salaries in 2022
Clinical nurse in Laval
- Total salary: $530,680
- Base salary: $67,461
- Overtime: $300,268
- Bonuses: $132,302
- Other benefits: $30,649
Nurse at the CISSS de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal
- Total salary: $516,762
- Base salary: $158,483
- Overtime: $268,325
- Bonuses: $87,836
- COVID bonuses: $2,118
Nurse in Outaouais
- Total salary: $508,228
- Base salary: $71,261
- Overtime: $267,169
- Bonuses: $152,941
- Benefits: $16,018
- Other fees: $840
Nurse in Outaouais
- Total salary: $497,913
- Base salary: $71,078
- Overtime: $278,645
- Bonuses: $117,295
- Benefits: $30,279
- Other fees: $615
Nurse at the CISSS de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal
- Total salary: $428,904
- Base salary: $106,162
- Overtime: $254,622
- Bonuses: $65,273
- COVID bonuses: $1,788
- CNESST: $1059
Nurse at the CISSS des Laurentides
- Total salary: $423,841
- Overtime: $194,707
- Bonuses: $126,296
“I hope these carers are doing well […]. It’s almost inhumane to work so many hours,” fears Julie Bouchard, president of the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé (FIQ), the union that represents the majority of nurses in Quebec.
Courtesy of FIQ
Unmatched salaries
For more than 15 years, Le Journal has been collecting data on the high salaries of nurses in Quebec, thanks to the Access to Documents Act. Such amounts have never been recorded before.
The Journal also found that 95 nurses earned more than $250,000 in 2022-2023. This is once again a record. However, the data does not indicate whether the overtime was voluntary or forced. According to FIQ, nurses who reach these levels do so of their own free will.
Montreal’s East Island Integrated Health and Social Services Center (CISSS), which is suffering from a severe staff shortage, ranks first with 34 nurses who have exceeded this threshold.
“These are people who always raise their hands, who have very little private life. “We are not far away from working six or seven days a week and putting in 16 hours,” explains Denis Cloutier, president of the local nurses’ union. You shouldn’t have too many children, otherwise they won’t recognize you anymore. »
According to the latter, this compilation also shows the poor distribution of nursing staff.
“We are one of the CISSSs that have the fewest nursing staff in relation to the population to be cared for. Nurses are required to work overtime much more often than in other hospitals. »
Photo MARTIN ALARIE
Quadruple your salary
On this subject, the management of the CISSS points out that the salaries for 2022 include the vacation deferred since COVID, which has been paid, which may inflate the data.
In addition, auxiliary nurses and residents also received record salaries, quadrupling or quintupling their base salaries thanks to overtime.
Auxiliary nurse in Outaouais
- Total salary: $347,426
- Base salary: $49,351
- Overtime: $183,615
- Bonuses: $86,134
- Benefits: $27,496
- Other fees: $829
Assistant nurse in Abitibi
- Total salary: $305,355
- Base salary: $46,597
- Bonuses: $76,967
- Overtime: $139,340
- Social Security benefits: $21,612
- Benefits: $20,840
Beneficiary supervisor at CISSS Chaudière-Appalaches
- Total salary: $223,081
- Base salary: $51,234
- Overtime: $126,650
- Bonuses: $31,082
- Benefits: $14,115
Beneficiary supervisor at the CISSS Centre-sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal
- Total salary: $204,000
- Base salary: $43,585
- Overtime: $130,459
- Bonuses: $18,328
- Benefits: $11,629
Obviously, these high salaries are not the norm. A nurse’s base salary ranges from $50,000 to $90,000, depending on seniority and education.
But since the pandemic, the government has introduced all kinds of bonuses to encourage nurses to work more (deferred vacation, bonuses for night shifts, etc.). Under certain circumstances, overtime is even paid twice.
Despite these attractive salaries, FIQ remains convinced that improving working conditions is essential to retain nursing staff in the public network.
“We cannot maintain this pace for long,” believes Ms. Bouchard. These amounts are bonuses only […] Getting people to do more. It works for some, but in a career it is fleeting. »
Last week FIQ deplored the fact that the government abolished certain bonuses from September 30th.
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