Auditor general declines NPCA audit
The province’s auditor general won’t be conducting an audit of Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority.
NPCA confirmed in a news release Friday that the auditor was unable to accommodate the board’s April request for a valuefor-money audit.
“We are disappointed the board’s motion could not be accommodated, but we respect the auditor general’s decision,” NPCA board chair Sandy Annunziata said in a statement.
“We know the auditor general does outstanding work on behalf of the residents of Ontario. We know her time is precious and we appreciate the energy and resources she has given us in consideration of the board’s motion.”
The Auditor General of Ontario told Postmedia in an email that the office is focused on other audits. “Unfortunately we are unable to assist NPCA at this point in time,” it said.
NPCA’s board voted to engage the auditor general on April 21 after increased public and municipal pressure to hold an audit.
An unsigned citizen’s report circulated last fall was critical of the way NPCA operates and accused the agency of being rife with conflict of interest issues.
A majority of Niagara’s municipal councils, Hamilton’s city council and all four Niagara MPPs — NDP Cindy Forster and Wayne Gates, Liberal Jim Bradley and Progressive Conservative Sam Oosterhoff — called for an audit of the agency.
In January, after months of denying the need for an audit, NPCA’s board reversed course and ordered a thirdparty audit of its practices. It voted to start the process and bring in a consultant.
Ontario’s auditor general then offered to do an audit for free, but the board initially declined the offer.
It changed its mind in April after concerns were raised that a request for proposal process to hire a consultant had been corrupted.
NPCA said in its Friday statement that it will now turn its attention to conducting additional audits beyond its annual financial audits.
At its meeting on Wednesday, the board selected KPMG as its new financial auditor. KPMG audits the City of Hamilton, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Conservation Ontario and others.
NPCA is undergoing an independent, third-party review of its 2014-17 strategic plan and said part of that process will include recommendations forwarded to the audit committee for consideration of additional audit requirements.
We are disappointed the board’s motion could not be accommodated, but we respect the auditor general’s decision.” NPCA board chair Sandy Annunziata