Nova Scotia’s Auditor General says the province is falling behind on recommendations made four years ago.
In his follow-up report for 2015-2017, auditor general Michael Pickup said the provincial government only completed 70 percent of his 2016 recommendations, leaving one third yet to be completed.
Pickup said those recommendations focused on improving homes for special care, species at risk, licensed child care, school capital planning and critical infrastructure resiliency.
“This is disappointing,” he said, “and after three years since the audits were completed the completion rate should be higher.”
Pickup said those audits cover subjects not only important to Nova Scotians, but also critical areas of how government operates.
The audits included Species at Risk, School Capital Planning, Homes for Special Care, Licensed Child Care, and Critical Infrastructure Resiliency.
In the report, Pickup said three of eight recommendations for improvements to special care homes weren’t completed.
Those included recommending the Community services department sign agreements with service providers and complete its planned projects related to future demand for services, and that the Health and Wellness department establish clear responsibilities and accountability for service provider performance and reporting requirements to ensure these activities are carried out.
“By not completing this recommendation, there is a risk that Health and Wellness may not be adequately monitoring and managing homes for special care,” he said in the report.
Recommendations pertaining to species at risk also took a big hit in 2016, as the Lands and Forestry Department only completed one of five recommendations. School Capital Planning only saw 50 per cent of recommendations completed.
“The audits and recommendation identify risks, so completing the promised actions is very important.” said Pickup in his report.
“Legislators holding government accountable could consider giving these audits and their recommendations more attention.”
Outside of 2016 though, he says government completed 93 per cent of recommendations for 2015 and 81 per cent for 2017, figures he is much happier to see.
Those interested in reading the report can find it here.
