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
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
BREAKING Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.