We’re big supporters of an Auditor General for Local Government. We think mayors and councils across BC need to be challenged on their spending, and a dedicated AGLG is a good way of doing that.

We were also the first supporters to raise concerns about the lack of production from former AGLG Basia Ruta.

It took more than two years to get her first two reports out, both on tiny Rossland. The first centered on an untendered $28,546 contract given to a company owned by a Rossland city employee. That employee left the city and eventually worked as a consultant for another company on another city project that was poorly managed by Rossland officials.

The second Rossland audit looked at millions in poorly-managed infrastructure spending, which resulted in a 7 per cent property tax increase.

But here’s what’s new today. Documents obtained by the CTF through a recent Freedom of Information request show the AGLG spent $394,452 to conduct these two audits.

Audit 1 cost taxpayers $223,338, including $4,998 in airfare and $3,937 in travel expenses.

Audit 2 cost taxpayers another $171,114, including $6,360 in travel costs.

Let’s hope the new AGLG is better at managing taxpayer resources than the last one. 

For the full documents, click HERE.