Nova Scotia auditor general questions government commitment to her recommendations
HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s auditor general says the provincial government has been so lax in acting on her office’s recommendations that she questions whether it is committed to following through.
In a report published today, Kim Adair says the government has implemented just 60 per cent of the recommendations from audits done in 2019, 2020 and 2021 — a rate she calls unsatisfactory.
Adair is particularly critical of the Department of Public Works, which has completed just one of seven recommendations made in 2019 to improve the management of bridge projects.
She says when the audit was released, the department promised to achieve all seven of the recommendations within two years, including conducting bridge inspections as required and prioritizing bridge repair and replacement with consistent criteria.
Adair says the department now says it will have all of the recommendations completed this month, and her office plans to check back next year to confirm that’s the case.
Her report also says six recommendations are still outstanding from a 2021 audit on the province’s pre-kindergarten program, including ensuring that all background checks for staff be completed as required.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2024.
The Canadian Press
