City's Fraud and Waste Program
The Program
Ottawa’s Office of the Auditor General (OAG) administers the City’s Fraud and Waste Program, established in 2005. The Program allows employees and the public to confidentially and anonymously report suspected instances of fraud, waste or serious wrongdoing involving City personnel, resources, operations, or vendors. The automated reporting system operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Program is governed by the City’s Fraud and Waste Policy, which sets out the responsibilities of the Auditor General, and of all City staff including managers.
The Program and Policy do not apply to the following:
- The Mayor
- City Councillors
- employees of the Ottawa Police Service and its Board
- employees of the Ottawa Public Library (OPL) and its Board
- employees of Ottawa Public Health (OPH) and its Board
- employees of Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (OCHC) and its Board.
While this Policy does not apply to OPH and OPL employees, reports concerning these entities can be submitted through the Fraud and Waste Hotline. Such reports will be directed to the respective entity for their review, investigation and reporting. Other reports may be redirected to the appropriate reporting entity at the discretion of the Auditor General, or their designate.
Should the Auditor General receive reports related to Elected Officials, the Auditor General shall refer the complainant to the Integrity Commissioner, who shall determine the appropriate course of action.
Strengthening the City’s commitment to integrity
The Fraud and Waste Program empowers all City of Ottawa employees and members of the public to support our municipal government in ensuring high levels of honesty and integrity in its operations. It is just one component of the City of Ottawa’s ongoing efforts to ensure all City employees and the public have a mechanism to express ethical concerns. The Fraud and Waste Program, Policy, and Hotline help strengthen the City’s commitment to honesty and integrity.