The provincial government has responded to the latest Auditor General’s Report.

AG Denise Hanrahan has slapped government on the wrist for not following process and doing all the checks and balances regarding funding over a 3-year-period. As a result, some businesses should have been declared ineligible for COVID.

She office found seven applicants that received total excess funding of $40,000 by applying for and obtaining funding from two support programs. As well, six applicants received $2,500 each, even though their total sales losses were, for example, as small as $77. Hanrahan wants the province to collect.

The Department of Industry, Energy and Technology says they fully intend to collect on those payments and has agreed to implement all six of her recommendations.