Opposition says BC NDP ‘blames’ housing; nonprofit sees no wrongdoing – BC News

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Photo: The Canadian Press

Minister for Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation, Ravi Kahlon, takes questions from members of the media following the Speech from the Throne in the Legislative Assembly in Victoria, Monday February 6, 2023. A supplier British Columbia Non-Profit Housing Authority says an independent report that saw the NDP government impose financial restrictions on the organization and found no evidence of financial irregularities. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

A BC housing provider who was featured in a report citing risks to public funds and criticism of its management says it is not abandoning its leaders, despite Premier David Eby’s suggestion that a change at the top should be an option.

The board of directors of the nonprofit Atira Women’s Resource Society responded to the forensic audit in a statement on Tuesday, noting that Ernst and Young’s report contained no allegations of financial impropriety.

“It is important to understand that neither Atira nor its management staff have benefited financially from the expansion and construction of new buildings,” the statement said. “We are not surprised by the primary finding of the review that there was no evidence of financial irregularities in Atira’s operations.”

Janice Abbott, chief executive of Atira, which is the largest housing operator for state-owned BC Housing, was not immediately available for comment.

The audit released Monday found mismanagement related to a conflict of interest between former BC Housing CEO Shayne Ramsay and Abbott, who is his wife.

Asked about Abbott’s future in Atira on Monday, Eby said the government expected the housing provider to take steps to ensure public confidence in its operations, which could include a change in management.

Eby’s handling of the housing issue and the medical-legal report were debated in the Legislature during Question Period on Tuesday, which the premier did not attend.

“Nothing to see here, folks,” BC United Leader of the Opposition Kevin Falcon said. “That’s the message the Prime Minister and the NDP have given to the public. It’s an overwhelming pattern of evasion and dishonesty with the public.”

BC United has accused Eby, a former housing minister, of burying early warning signs of financial mismanagement within Atira while overseeing increased provincial funding for the housing provider.

“The shocking misrepresentation, the evasion, the handing over by this Prime Minister illustrates what is happening and why we have no housing for the most vulnerable in society,” Falcon said. “No wonder this government is nowhere near meeting its housing targets.”

Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said the government would launch an inspection and audit process to ensure public housing money is being spent properly.

He said he was waiting for Atira to respond to the report, but the government must now take immediate action.

“It would make things a lot easier if the council took action on the findings, but that being said, we have made it clear that we need to ensure that public taxpayers’ money is spent on supporting the most vulnerable people in the community. province is spent in the best way possible,” Kahlon said.

Atira’s statement said the report’s recommendations “will be closely reviewed with the assistance of independent professionals and action will be taken to resolve them.”

Atira operates 2,969 housing units for women, children and gender-diverse people in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.

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