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Ontario auditor Shelley Spence conducted an annoying assessment of two provincial departments on Monday and criticized the Ford administration’s ineffective procedures, underfunded services and lack of oversight.
In her latest report, independent nonpartisan auditors have studied the province’s children and youth mental health (CYMH) programs and water quality standards. These are some of the key gains from two performance review reports.
Children’s Mental Health Program
Doug Ford’s first move as Ontario Prime Minister in 2018 was Transfer of responsibility for children’s mental health services From the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services to the Ministry of Health (MOH). However, in her latest report, the Auditor General found that the services were still supervised by two entities: MOH and Ontario Health.
“MOH does not have a fully effective process to fund and plan and monitor mental health services provided by CYMH service providers in the community under legislation, agreements and policies,” the report states.
The report said that between 2023 and 2024, MOH made more than $530 million in transfer payments to more than 220 organizations through its CYMH program. Some of these organizations include institutions that provide mental health services to children and young people under the age of 18, such as counseling, treatment and intensive therapy.
The Auditor General’s report said that the services “are not always provided in an evidence-based, timely, equitable and coordinated manner” and that the allocated funds “do not fully reflect the current needs of people in different parts of Ontario, or in areas with the highest demand.”
The report also found that the Ministry of Health “has not routinely measured or publicly reported on the results and effectiveness of these services in achieving their intended goals.”
The Ministry has agreed to adopt the 22 recommendations made in the report.
Water quality standards
According to the government, 98% of all samples collected from non-non-non-sewage drinking water systems meet the province’s drinking water quality standards. However, the Comptroller said the guarantee was not extended to all non-poverty drinking water, as not all water was tested.
“Private wells and air intakes are not considered drinking water systems, there are no testing requirements and are not included in the above test results,” the report states. “People wells and air intakes are not usually required to test drinking water systems for all contaminants. In addition, not all system owners test their water as needed.”
The auditors found that the Ministry of Environment, Protection and Parks (MECP) and MOH “do not have effective processes and systems together” to oversee all non-non-non-non-non-decay drinking water systems, including “checking the systems at the frequency required and ensuring that they comply with applicable regulations, regulations and policies.”
The report said ministries failed to “educate users of private wells and understand the availability of water testing and the risks of not testing or treating drinking water” and “identify and manage all health risks associated with non-poverty drinking water.”
The auditors also found that MECP “had no complete data on private wells” and MOH “had not fully measure, evaluate and publicly report progress on the outcomes of its drinking program.”
Both ministries and commissions accepted 17 suggestions from auditors.
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