Neglected heritage buildings flagged in Montreal auditor general report
Preservation of the city’s heritage buildings was a top issue for Auditor General Michele Galipeau in her report for 2022.
She found the city doesn’t have full knowledge of its heritage buildings or their conservation status and notes not enough money is being invested into their maintenance.
Waiting too long can mean restorations are more costly or lead to buildings being demolished. The city has committed to a heritage action plan.
The president of the executive committee Dominique Ollivier said there will be an inventory by 2026, adding that a new bylaw gives city inspectors more tools to do their jobs.
"It's going to help improve the protective and monitoring measures that we have for vacant buildings," she said, adding it will give them a better idea of what they need to do moving forward.
The auditor general is also raising a red flag over how the city awards grants to non-profit organizations, a process she believes is poorly managed.
She couldn’t find documentation in many cases showing the funds were granted impartially and found the city doesn’t closely monitor what happens to the money.
"The non-profits do reporting, but they don’t analyze the reporting from non for profit organizations," Galipeau said.
Ollivier noted most of the months audited were during the pandemic.
"NGOs are giving services to more than 80,000 people who were in danger of being left behind. So it was very important for the city to make sure the processes were there," she said.
Moving forward, the city said it will make sure the use of public funds is properly documented.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
ArriveCan contractor to be admonished by MPs in extraordinarily rare parliamentary display
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Gas prices across Ontario expected to climb to levels not seen since 2022, analyst says
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.