Auditor General Tables Reports related to the City’s Pandemic Response, the Financial Structure of the Acquisition of Zero Emission Buses, and Carleton Lodge - Long Term Care Facility

Ottawa – Today, Auditor General Nathalie Gougeon tabled a number of reports – one related to the governance supporting the City’s response to the COVID-19- pandemic, another assessing the financial aspects of the City’s procurement of Zero Emission Buses (ZEB) and one that responded to complaints related to the Carleton Lodge Long Term Care Facility. 

The Audit of the Governance of the City’s Pandemic Response showed that the City has an established governance structure which allowed it to respond effectively to the pandemic. The success of the City’s pandemic response was due to the hard work, dedication, and commitment of senior leadership and staff across the City, Ottawa Public Health and other partners. The Auditor General provided four recommendations to strengthen practices for future emergencies, all of which management agreed with.  

The Auditor General also examined the financial details of the City working with the federal government to procure up to 446 Zero Emission Buses (ZEB). This includes a loan from the Canada Infrastructure Bank and a grant from Infrastructure Canada. The audit noted potential operational and financial risks with the loan. The City must meet the forecasted mileage and assumed electricity prices in order to fully benefit from the terms of the loan. The City must also develop the processes and mechanisms to meet the loan requirements before the first drawdown on the loan. The Auditor General provided four recommendations and management accepted them all. 

The Auditor General also tabled a report that responded to a number of calls to the Fraud and Waste Hotline related to the Carleton Lodge. She found that there was an opportunity to strengthen policies and practices, and that there had been a breach of privacy, related to staff’s health records being inappropriately distributed, that management was slow to respond to. Additional process improvements were also identified. The Auditor General provided three recommendations – all of which management agreed with. 

A full copy of these audits is available on the Auditor General’s website at www.oagottawa.ca. 

For more information: 
613 580- 9602 
OAG@ottawa.ca