Annual Reports by Subject

FREDERICTON (GNB) – Auditor General Paul Martin tabled a report today in the legislative assembly that includes an audit of the Mental Health Trust Fund.

The audit found that, while the Department of Finance and Treasury Board has effectively fulfilled its obligations pertaining to the trust, the Department of Health has not.

“We found the Department of Health did not have the mechanisms in place to allow for timely use of the trust, as intended,” said Martin.

The trust fund was established in 1977 from a bequest made to the Province of New Brunswick and designated for specific treatment of deserving New Brunswickers.

The Department of Health is to draw funds for treatment, with the responsibility to determine which cases are most deserving based on an individual’s mental health condition and financial resources. The Department of Finance and Treasury Board is responsible for administration of the trust. As of March 31, 2023, the trust’s value was $1,635,256.

The audit found that Department of Health officials had little knowledge of the trust and its history. Martin concluded that the department has not made sufficient effort to give effect to the terms of the Mental Health Trust Fund and fulfil the donor’s wishes.

The auditor general made one recommendation to the Department of Health. The report is available online.

FREDERICTON (GNB) – Auditor General Paul Martin tabled a report today in the legislative assembly that includes an audit of NB Housing Strategy: Housing for All.

The audit found that, while the New Brunswick Housing Corporation established targets and measurable actions within the housing strategy, there are improvements to be made regarding linkages, transparency, and monitoring and reporting on progress.

“The targets are well presented, easy to understand and measurable. However, the strategy does not document what actions are linked to specific targets,” said Martin. “This means that New Brunswickers will not know which actions are driving success.”

The strategy was released on June 29, 2023, and documents a vision, guiding principles, goals, targets and actions for the first three years of the 10-year plan. The strategy highlights 22 actions intended to support and enable the achievement of four targets. While the strategy states it has identified $500 million over three years in new and previously committed funding, Martin noted many actions were missing information on costing.

The audit found public performance reporting mechanisms have not been established and there has been no public reporting on the achievement of the four targets.

The auditor general made a total of seven recommendations to the New Brunswick Housing Corporation. The report is available online.

FREDERICTON (GNB) – Auditor General Paul Martin tabled a report today in the legislative assembly that includes an audit of pupil transportation.

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development establishes policies and guidelines for pupil transportation, and Martin concluded the department lacks oversight to ensure compliance with key requirements.

The audit found several instances of non-compliance with legislation and policy.

“Of utmost concern to us, is that despite our office’s extensive audit of pupil transportation in 2001, several gaps in levels of compliance remain,” said Martin. “We see little improvement in the area of departmental monitoring and oversight.”

These gaps include drivers not meeting appropriate licensing and training requirements and the department failing to ensure compliance with vehicle maintenance schedules.

Martin said the key areas of concern related to insufficient evidence of required licensing for bus drivers, criminal record checks, driver training and bus maintenance. The audit noted 63 buses with overdue motor vehicle inspections.

The audit also found that few strategies were in place to recruit and retain bus drivers.

The auditor general made a total of 12 recommendations to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. The report is available online.

Travel Nurse Contracts – Department of Social Development, Horizon Health Network, Vitalité Health Network

Mental Health Trust Fund No.9 – Departments of Health and Finance and Treasury Board

NB Housing Strategy: Housing for All – New Brunswick Housing Corporation

Pupil Transportation – Department of Education and Early Childhood Development