Ontario agencies’ expense secrecy continues

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CTF Federal and Ontario Director Kevin Gaudet said, “it’s been over a year and still taxpayers are in the dark as to how their money is being spent by appointees to these organizations.” On September 16th, 2009, in response to a series of spending scandals in government of Ontario agencies and crown corporations, Premier McGuinty announced a new policy of expense disclosure. Effective September 1, 2009 expenses on travel, meals, and hospitality for Ontario’s 22 largest agencies were to be made public. This policy became law on November 30th, 2009. As of today, 13 months later, 20 of 22 agencies and crown corporation have made no public disclosures. The other two have only a total of six employees or board members with public information.

Agnecy and their Disclosures

1. Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario--None
2. Cancer Care Ontario--None
3. eHealth Ontario--4
4. Hydro One--None
5. Independpent Electricity System Operator--None
6. Liquor Control Board of Ontario --None
7. Metrolinx--None
8. Metropolitican Toronto Converntion Centre--None
9. Ontario Clean Water Agency--None
10. Ontario Educational Communications Authority--None
11. Ontario Energy Board--former not current
12. Ontario Financing Authority--2
13. Ontario French-language Educational Communications Authority--None
14. Ontario Human Rights Commission--None
15. Ontario Infrastructure Projects Corporation--None
16. Ontaro Lottery and Gaming--None
17. Ontario Power Authority--None
18. Ontario Power Generation--None
19. Ontario Pension Board--None
20. Ontario Racing Commission--None
21. Ontario Realty Corporation--None
22. Workplace Safety and Insurance Boards--None

To speed up this process the CTF recommends that expenses be made public with receipts within 30 days after they are incurred. The Integrity Commissioner should play no role in vetting or approving them. Currently, they will not be posted until they are vetted, changed and approved by her office. “How hard is it to put these receipts up online? Surely someone working at these crown corporations knows how to use a scanner,” concluded Gaudet.

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