Auditor General Finds Weaknesses in Oversight of Tourism, Heritage and Culture’s Grants

Auditor General Finds Weaknesses in Oversight of Tourism, Heritage and Culture’s Grants

Fredericton (GNB) Auditor General Paul Martin has identified weaknesses in how the Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture manages and oversees its grant programs.

Martin’s audit examined 32 application-based, discretionary grant programs administered by the Department and found insufficient processes are in place to ensure responsible investment of public funds or the achievement of intended outcomes. Key issues included inconsistent evaluation processes, limited public information about available grants, weak monitoring, and a lack of performance measurement, including baselines and targets.

"Grant spending represents a significant investment of public money, and departments must be able to clearly demonstrate that these funds are being awarded, monitored, and evaluated in a consistent and transparent way," said Paul Martin, Auditor General of New Brunswick. "Our work found gaps that limit accountability and make it difficult to assess whether grant programs are achieving their intended results."

Among the audit’s findings were instances where grants were paid without documented evaluations, more than half of reviewed projects lacked signed agreements, and some recipients were paid above established funding limits. The report also found that monitoring practices were inconsistent, with missing or incomplete final reports in several cases.

"Without clear evaluation criteria, signed agreements, and effective monitoring, there is an increased risk that public funds will not be used as intended or deliver value for New Brunswickers," said Martin. "Addressing these weaknesses will strengthen oversight and support better outcomes from grant programs."

The Auditor General made a series of recommendations aimed at improving transparency, consistency, monitoring, and performance measurement across the Department’s grant programs.