Should Durham Region have its own auditor general? Here’s why one councillor wants residents to decide

A councillor in Durham Region is calling for a referendum asking residents if they would support the municipality creating its own external auditor general office. 

Whitby councillor Chris Leahy will put forward a motion at regional council next week, asking councillors to approve the placement of his referendum question on next year’s municipal election ballot.   

"Taxpayers deserve to know their money is being spent wisely,” Leahy told CBC News.

“An independent auditor general, really what it does is it shines a bright light into the corners of government where waste is high.”

If an independent office were to be created, it would put the municipality into a small number of large Ontario municipalities with their own independent auditor general office.

Most municipalities audit internally or contract the work out.

In 2020, the regional council endorsed the creation of its own internal audit division. The region also undergoes annual third-party audits of its financial statements and controls. 

But Leahy said having a full-time office of the auditor general would be a “worthwhile investment,” adding another layer of oversight.

“If you look at the feds, you look at the province, they're not always keen on the reports from the auditor general,