Greg Marshall has been revealed as the highest-paid public sector coach in Ontario last season, taking home $205,990 CAD for his role as head coach of the Western University Mustangs football team.
Since 1996, all organizations receiving provincial government funding in Ontario must disclose the names, positions, and salaries of anyone earning more than $100,000 as part of the annual Sunshine List. That includes most university coaches and athletic directors.
Marshall topped University of Windsor women’s basketball coach Chantal Vallee for the title of highest-paid coach, besting her $181,564 salary by nearly $25,000. Only Toronto Metropolitan University athletic director Louise Cowin made more while working in university sports, earning $210,981.
Electricity Crown Corporation CEO Kenneth Hartwick was the top earner on this year’s list with a $1.7 million salary. Ontario Premier Doug Ford sits just above Marshall on the financial rankings, taking home $208,974 — less the $3,000 more than the leader of the OUA powerhouse program.
A former Hec Crighton-winning running back at Western, Marshall returned to his alma mater to coach in 1984 following a three-year CFL career. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 1992 and called plays for five seasons, before taking over as head coach at McMaster University in 1997. He later spent parts of three seasons as head coach of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 2004 to 2006.
After being fired by the Ticats four games into the 2006 season, Marshall returned to Western as the offensive coordinator and took over as head coach the next year. The Mustangs have consistently been the best team in the OUA in the 16 years since, winning the Vanier Cup in 2017 and 2021.
Including his time as a player, assistant, and head coach, Marshall has won four Vanier Cups and 22 Yates Cups. He is a seven-time OUA coach of the year winner and has received the national award three times in 2000, 2018 and 2019.
Western won the Yates Cup in 2022 with a perfect 10-0 record but failed to repeat as Vanier Cup champions after losing to Laval in the Mitchell Bowl national semi-final.
Other head coaches trailing Marshall on the list include McMaster’s Stefan Ptaszek ($144,405), Toronto’s Greg Marshall ($138,140), Guelph’s Ryan Sheahan ($134,481) and Queen’s Steve Snyder ($133,747). Fired York University coach Warren Craney made the list at $136,129.
