Reports in progress

We are conducting two audits related to the 10-year ChildCareBC plan, introduced by the provincial government in 2018.

The plan committed government to, among other things, increase the capacity of B.C.’s five regional health authorities to license new child care spaces, conduct investigations, and monitor compliance with minimum health, safety, and quality requirements set out in the Community Care and Assisted Living Act and the Child Care Licensing Regulation.

Our first audit focuses on the Ministry of Education and Child Care. We’re seeing how effectively it worked with health partners to increase the capacity of health authorities for child care licensing, investigation, and monitoring. We’re examining whether the ministry:

• coordinated with health partners to implement the capacity commitment;
• established targets, timelines, roles and responsibilities; and
• monitored and reported on progress.

Our second audit will determine whether Vancouver Coastal Health Authority has assessed its capacity to license, monitor and investigate child care facilities. We are looking at whether it:

• set program targets and timelines;
• undertook short-term and long-term resource planning; and
• monitored program performance.
• We plan to report on our two audits in early 2025.

We are conducting an audit of the legal representation services provided by Legal Aid BC.

The Crown corporation works to help people – who are among some of the province’s most vulnerable and marginalized – overcome barriers to the justice system and find solutions to their legal problems. Their barriers can include a lack of financial, educational, social or health resources.

Legal Aid BC provides information, advice, and free (or reduced-cost) legal representation to eligible clients who need assistance with matters related to family law, child protection, immigration, or criminal law.

Our audit will determine whether Legal Aid BC ensured clients received timely, high-quality legal representation services. We will examine whether Legal Aid BC:

• determined the financial and human resources it requires;
• monitored how its staff process applications for services; and
• monitored the quality of its legal representation services.

We plan to release our audit report in 2025.

We are examining the Province of British Columbia’s role in Lytton’s ongoing recovery from the Lytton Creek wildfire that started on June 30, 2021, and destroyed most of the village. More than 100 properties were lost and 80,000 hectares of land burned. Surrounding communities were also affected.

The Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness coordinates the provincial response to emergencies and disasters by working with other ministries to help local governments repair and restore affected communities. For example, recovery efforts may support environmental rehabilitation, infrastructure repairs, the return of evacuees, or the reopening of businesses and services.

Our examination focuses on three areas:

• The Province of B.C.’s roles and responsibilities for disaster recovery.
• The Province of B.C.’s support for Lytton, including the funding it contributed.
• The challenges faced in rebuilding Lytton, and the Province of B.C.’s opportunities for improvement.

We expect to issue our report in early 2025.

We are conducting an audit of how board members are appointed to B.C. public sector organizations.

Crown corporations, health authorities, post-secondary institutions, advisory boards and other public sector agencies manage numerous B.C. government programs and services. Boards help ensure those organizations are properly governed and meet their mandate.

The Crown Agencies and Board Resourcing Office (CABRO) leads the government’s board appointment process. Its role is to recruit board members who are qualified, experienced, and reflect B.C.’s diversity.

CABRO oversees the selection process and recommends candidates to government for appointment.

Our audit will determine whether CABRO provides effective oversight of government’s public sector board appointment process. Key aspects include CABRO’s work to ensure:

• identification of board needs and gaps in competency or diversity;
• conflict of interest mitigation;
• timeliness of board appointments; and
• monitoring and reporting on board member diversity.

We plan to release our audit report in early 2025.