Performance-based pay hikes for IH execs criticized by Kelowna MLA, Canadian Taxpayers Federation

It’s a situation that doctors have publicly blamed on mismanagement by IH, saying the staffing model has been failing for years and has resulted in physician resignations.

In 2023, seven pediatricians quit working at the hospital, the same year that a number of top executives received those performance-based pay hikes.

Through public documents, Global News has learned that in most cases, the executives received a 6.7-per cent increase including Interior Health CEO Susan Brown.

Brown’s total compensation, with that pay increase, jumped to $472, 607.

One executive received a 12-per cent increase that year from a promotion.

“It’s unacceptable for bureaucrats to be taking big performance-based pay raises when the healthcare system they’re supposed to be overseeing is in free fall,” Binda said.

“If this were the private sector, pink slips would be raining down. Folks certainly wouldn’t be taking big performance-based pay raises.”

In an email to Global News, IH’s board chair, Dr. Robert Halpenny, stated, “Interior Health salary levels and benefits, including executive compensation, follow guidelines set by the Health Employers Association of BC. These province-wide frameworks are used across all health authorities and allow for performance-based adjustments that reflect organizational targets and responsibilities, not the circumstances of individual departments.”

The statement goes on to say, “In 2023, we added a total of 4,433 new frontline staff across a range of roles — 843 full-time, 628 part-time, and 2,962 casual. We also continued to strengthen our physician workforce with 146 new doctors joining Interior Health that same year.”

Conservative MLA for Kelowna-Mission Gavin Dew also expressed concern over the pay raises.

‘Things are falling apart…and yet we are rewarding leadership for what looks to me like failure,” said Dew.

The issues at Interior Health are not exclusive to Kelowna, as there have been reports of staffing issues plaguing some operations at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops. The issues in Kamloops are also not new, in 2023 former Health Minister Adrian Dix said RIH was the “worst hit hospital in the province.”

There have also been numerous temporary closures at emergency departments in rural communities most notably in Lillooet, where the ER is currently in the midst of a 49-hour closure.

Calls for Susan Brown’s Immediate Resignation

Dew, who, along with two other Conservative MLAs, met with Brown Thursday (June 12), is also raising questions whether current leadership can provide a fix given Brown is set to retire at the end of the year.

“I am not convinced that we’re going to be able to restore Interior Health to balance, to restore it to function without very serious change,” Dew said.

In a subsequent statement Friday (June 13), Dew called on Brown to immediately resign as CEO of Interior Health, “so that we can reset an organization in crisis.”

“It has become painfully clear that the current leadership of Interior Health has lost the confidence of both the people who work there and the people it is meant to serve,” Dew said. “We are in a crisis right now, and we cannot wait six months for change.”

“A turnaround of Interior Health cannot happen without rebuilding trust and reopening communication with frontline healthcare workers.”

We need a reset at @Interior_Health.

It has become clear that can’t happen without a change in leadership.

Today I wrote to Health Minister @Josie_Osborne and urged her to take action now.

We can’t wait 6 months to stabilize services and rebuild public confidence.#bcpoli https://t.co/96Tn4IiMOU pic.twitter.com/OZSmykx1FV

— Gavin Dew (@gavindew) June 13, 2025

Dew suggested fast-tracking a leadership transition and urged B.C.’s health minister Josie Osborne to weigh in and “dismiss” Brown if she does not resign, and appoint an interim CEO.

“The Minister of Health cannot keep sitting silent on this,” Dew said. “She has to make a decision. She has to act. We cannot afford to wait.”

In response, Osborne issued a statement expressing her support for the current leadership team.

“I’ve communicated my full expectations and support to Interior Health’s board of directors and senior leadership,” Osborne said, adding that the Ministry of Health is prepared to provide a neutral mediator to assist with collaboration if needed.

“At all times — and especially times like this — it is vital that we all work together on solutions, both short-term and long-term. Attacking individuals publicly does nothing to help move us forward. We remain committed to supporting the dialogue and processes in place, and to building a stronger health-care system that works better for frontline workers and patients,” said Osborne.

Interior Health did not provide comment in time for publication.

– With files from Victor Kaisar/CFJC Today

by Klaudia Van Emmerik / Global News

Performance-based pay hikes for IH execs criticized by Kelowna MLA, Canadian Taxpayers Federation

Calls for Susan Brown’s Immediate Resignation

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