The highest paid 100 CEOs on Canada’s TSX Index had reason to cheer the New Year: By noon January 3, they had already pocketed $44,366 – what it takes the average wage earner an entire year to make.

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ (CCPA) annual look at CEO compensation reveals Canada’s Elite 100 CEOs pocketed an average $8.38 million in 2010 – a 27% increase over the average $6.6 million they took in 2009.

Check out the Clash for Cash on the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives website.

The richest of the rich have gained more ground in Canada, and are now making 189 times the average Canadian wage, according to a new report.

The 100 highest paid chief executives whose companies are listed on the S&P/TSX composite index made an average of $8.38-million in 2010, according to figures pulled from circulars by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, a left-leaning think-tank.

That's 189 times higher than the $44,366 an average Canadian made working full time in 2010, the report says.

And it's a 27 per cent raise from the $6.6-million average compensation for the top 100 CEOs in 2009, the report says.

VICTORIA - Premier Christy Clark says she doesn't want to be the premier who gives up leadership on the environment, but the promise of jobs and revenues is testing her green resolve.

Clark admits her government is wrestling with a conflict when it comes to creating jobs in the energy sector while sticking to British Columbia's legal commitment to the toughest greenhouse gas emission cuts in North America.

In a year-end interview with The Canadian Press, Clark said a team of advisors inside and outside of government are looking for ways to meet the targets without losing the potential to create thousands of jobs in Kitimat, Fort Nelson and Dawson Creek through natural gas projects.

Clark has promised the development of three liquefied natural gas terminals in northwest B.C. by 2020, eight new mines by 2015 and development of huge natural gas fields in northeast B.C., endeavours requiring huge amounts of energy, but also potential emitters of greenhouse gases.