B.C. NDP leaves spring legislature sitting facing turmoil in public housing management
CTV
The New Democrat government in British Columbia started the spring legislative session promising more affordable homes for vulnerable people, but ended the sitting Thursday amid turmoil over its public housing agency.
The New Democrat government in British Columbia started the spring legislative session promising more affordable homes for vulnerable people, but ended the sitting Thursday amid turmoil over its public housing agency.
An Ernst and Young audit released Monday found mismanagement and risk to public dollars at the Crown corporation BC Housing, and has the government facing sharp criticism as it left the legislature pledging tighter controls.
The audit concluded there was mismanagement related to a conflict of interest between Shayne Ramsay, the former chief executive officer at BC Housing, and his spouse, Janice Abbott, who is CEO at Atira Women's Resource Society, the corporation's largest housing operator.
Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said Thursday the government will continue to provide housing to people who need it most, but for now has halted new funding to Atira and will launch another audit.
“We will not be providing any new dollars,” he said. “We will be doing an audit on where the dollars are going and making sure that they are spent according to what they were sent to them for.”
Opposition BC United Leader Kevin Falcon said the report uncovers a scandal that points toward Premier David Eby, a former housing minister.
“My friends, this has been a continued pattern with this premier, and frankly the public's not being served well when they're not being transparent and honest about just how big this scandal at BC Housing really is,” he said.
