2020 Fraud and Waste Hotline Annual Report and New Charter Audit Report

25 May 2021
2020 Fraud and Waste Hotline Annual Report and New Charter Audit Report

Auditor General Tables the Annual Fraud and Waste Hotline Reports and a New Audit Charter Report

Ottawa – Today, Auditor General Nathalie Gougeon tabled her 2020 Fraud and Waste Hotline report (FWHL). There were 204 anonymous reports from employees and the public. This volume is down slightly from 2019’s 224, with over three-quarters of the reports received via the internet. More than half of the reports came from employees.

"The Fraud and Waste Hotline is an important component of a mature ethics management framework,” said Mme Gougeon. “The Hotline continues to help improve the ethical culture at the City and helps change attitudes to deter fraud and waste."

The report details the results of the investigations completed in 2020, including:

  • Three terminations;
  • Three suspensions without pay.

Compared with 2019: violation of laws, regulations, policies, procedures – down 45%; theft, embezzlement, fraud – up 35%; and unauthorized use or misuse of City property, information, or time – about the same. They again were the top 3 categories.

Thirty percent of the reports were either not applicable or related to Social Assistance – which will no longer be reported through this mechanism but passed on to management in this area for their review. The Auditor General also tabled her Audit Charter. This, new, formal document defines an audit function’s purpose, authority, and position within an organization. As required by the Institute of Internal Auditors’ (IIA) International Standards for the Professional Practice of Auditing this includes principles and requirements for undertaking professional auditing and evaluating audit performance.

“The Audit Charter can also be used as a standard, against which the Audit Committee can measure the effectiveness of the Office of the Auditor General, (OAG)” explained Mme Gougeon. “It sets out a clear understanding of the role, purpose, and function of the OAG.” This document is meant to complement the existing Auditor General By-law No. 2021-05 and the Terms of Reference for the Audit Committee.

A full copy of the 2021 Fraud and Waste Hotline Report is available on the Ottawa Auditor General’s website under the Fraud and Waste Annual Report tab.

For further information, contact:
(613) 580-9602
OAG@ottawa.ca

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