TORONTO – Releasing his annual value for money report, Ontario’s Auditor General says the province continues to increase spending while not always watching where the money goes.
Among his investigations were Metrolinx’s new Presto card, which is on track to become one of the most expensive systems in the world, and the cost of the Ontario Provincial Police which is growing above the rate of inflation while crime rates fall.
Shortly after the report was released McCarter announced that he informed legislature that he’s stepping down and that this report would be his last.
In a statement Jim McCarter said governments need to “find more efficient and cost-effective ways of doing things” while providing the best possible service for money.
As an example McCarter points out that Ontario has doubled the number of Crown attorneys over the past two decades, but the total number of criminal charges handled in a year has barely changed.
Ontario also has the highest rate of stayed or withdrawn charges, 43% for Ontario and 26% for Canada, yet the government has no information about why.
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The Ontario Provincial Police continue to use a computer based model designed in the 1980’s to assign front line officers says McCarter. As a result fewer officers are needed than the current request of 500 new recruits called for by the OPP.
The report notes funding for the OPP has increased by 34% since 2005, while the number of criminal offences in Ontario is down 20% during the same time.
Turning his eye to Ontario’s aging population, McCarter notes that 15 per cent of clients waiting for a long term care bed in 2011/12 died before they could be placed in a home.
With the number of Ontarians over the age of 70 set to triple in the next decade, the problem is likely to get worse.
Looking at transportation issues, McCarter says that Ontario’s Drive Clean program, which is supposed to be revenue neutral will bring in $11 million to provincial coffers this year and $50 million by 2018.
This despite the fact auto emission standards have improved not because of Drive Clean, but due to better cars and cleaner fuel.
For those not in cars but on public transit, the Auditor points out the Presto fare card system is on track to be one of the most expensive in the world, while only a small percentage of riders are using it.
Metrolinx, the provincial agency in charge of transit in the greater GTA also comes under fire for overestimating demand for the new Air Rail link between Pearson and Union station.
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