Audit Committee reviews investigation into OC Transpo hiring practices

The City of Ottawa’s Audit Committee met today to receive an investigation report from the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) concerning recruitment and staffing practices at OC Transpo. 

The investigation reviewed the use of direct appointments to fill non-union positions following reports received through the City’s Fraud and Waste Hotline. To enhance fairness, and transparency, the OAG issued three recommendations: 

• Ensure all job vacancies exceeding 12 months are posted for competition. 

• Improve the formal documentation of recruitment and staffing decisions. 

• Conduct periodic reviews of education and experience requirements for non-union positions to ensure they remain current. 

OC Transpo leadership confirmed their agreement with all three recommendations and outlined their plans to implement the recommended changes. The committee heard that two of the recommendations are expected to be complete before the end of this year. 

The Committee also received the OAG’s Semi-Annual Report on Follow-up Procedures, which tracks the City's progress in addressing past audit findings. 

The report indicates that of the 514 recommendations issued since 2019, 397 have been successfully assessed and closed. The remainder of the recommendations are past due, not yet due, or awaiting final assessment by the OAG. 

The OAG then presented its 2025 report of the Fraud and Waste Hotline. In 2025, 302 reports were made to the OAG via the hotline, compared to 328 reports in 2024. 

The Committee also formally received the OAG’s 2025 Annual Report and a notice regarding a budget reallocation.