Committee receives audits of City’s road renewal and bus maintenance practices

Today, the Audit Committee received reports from the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) on the City’s approach to road renewal and its maintenance practices for OC Transpo buses.  The audit of the road renewal program examined the City’s approach to rehabilitating its more than 6,000 kilometres of roads, and specifically how road renewal is planned, designed, constructed, and monitored.  The report by the OAG found that the City has implemented many best practices into this work, while also identifying opportunities for the City to improve its use of data when making decisions about how to prioritize projects.  The report also recommended the City investigate the potential use of different materials and to improve its oversight of quality assurance work performed by contractors. City staff agree with the report’s findings and are in the process of implementing the recommendations.  In its investigation of OC Transpo’s bus maintenance practices, the OAG examined concerns raised through the City’s Fraud and Waste Hotline.  Key recommendations from the investigation include enhancing supervision of apprentices working on safety systems, establishing standardized processes for outsourced work, and implementing a risk-based inspection program.   City staff agree with the recommendations and have already taken steps to formalize processes and improve the apprentice supervision system.   The Audit Committee also received the OAG’s semi-annual report on follow-up procedures for various ongoing audits. Additionally, the committee received the OAG’s Audit Work Plan for the Ottawa Police Service (OPS), which relates to an ongoing, multi-year audit plan for OPS that was initiated by the Ottawa Police Services Board.  The reports will rise to City Council on October 2, 2024.  For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca, call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or 613-580-2400 to contact the City using Canada Video Relay Service. You can also connect with us through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.