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Hamilton Spectator
17-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Glaring gap': Peel council appears set to establish new auditor general role to overlook $6B budget
Peel Region council appears set to establish an independent auditor general and add a new layer of oversight to the municipality's $6-billion operations. Mississauga councillor Dipika Damerla introduced a motion to create the position, and the motion was carried with no opposition at the June 12 meeting. However, a walkout later in the meeting, by Caledon and Brampton councillors over a separate issue, meant that the motion didn't formally receive final council approval. The motion is slated to be raised again at the June 26 meeting. The new position will operate independently of Peel's internal audit department and report directly to regional council. According to Damerla, the role is intended to strengthen transparency and identify cost-saving opportunities, not to critique staff performance. She noted that similar roles exist in Toronto, Vancouver and Hamilton, and pointed to their reported cost savings and return on investment as evidence that the model can deliver financial and operational benefits. 'Right now, we're the only major Canadian municipality of our size without an independent auditor general, and I think that's a glaring gap,' said Damerla. To help inform the debate, Vancouver's auditor general, Mike Macdonell, appeared as a delegate and shared insights from his experience establishing a similar office in 2021. Vancouver's auditor general operates independently of city management and reports directly to council under a bylaw passed in late 2020. Macdonell said the office initially faced pushback from city administration, which he attributed to misunderstandings about the role's purpose. 'My job is not about finding fault and assigning blame,' he told council. 'It's about providing fresh eyes and impartial perspective to improve operations.' He added that his office has since developed a positive and professional relationship with staff. Since its launch, the Vancouver office has produced 13 audit reports and made 50 recommendations, with about 30 per cent already completed. It also oversees the city's whistleblower program, receiving 173 complaints and 191 allegations in its most recent reporting year. Macdonell reported that the office has delivered an estimated return of $3.28 for every dollar spent, or $3.67 excluding startup costs. Over five years, the projected financial benefit amounts to $78 million, compared to a total investment of $5 million. During the council discussion, Mississauga councillor Joe Horneck, who chairs both the Peel and Mississauga audit committees, voiced strong support for the proposal. He described the new role as a sign that the region is evolving in its governance practices. 'An auditor general is a sign of the Region of Peel growing up,' Horneck said, adding that the office would help identify value-for-money opportunities while complementing the work of the existing internal audit team. Councillor Alvin Tedjo expressed support for the motion and outlined a possible hiring process. He suggested that staff could assist in securing an external firm to recommend candidates, with the Audit and Risk Committee vetting the shortlist before final approval by council in a closed session. Mayor Carolyn Parrish also voiced support for the motion, saying it would assist staff and help demonstrate that council is responding to public concern. 'We've had a rough budget year,' she said. 'I've never had so much backlash in my life.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
CBC
20-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Mississauga launches new campaign as hate crimes rise in the region
Social Sharing A new campaign launched in Mississauga this week uses eye-catching posters to call out common acts of racism and discrimination. This comes a year after Peel Regional Police reported a rise in hate crimes related to race, sexual orientation and religion. "Mississauga is a global city and so every time there's global conflicts, it sort of has impacts here," said local councillor Dipika Damerla, chair of the city's committee combating racism, discrimination and hatred. The One Mississauga campaign also wants to highlight the rich diversity of Mississauga and aims to foster curiosity, promote unity and build awareness. The posters show statements like "Speak Canadian I don't get you," with the response: "Sorry, English is my fourth language." WATCH | Police tackle rising hate crimes: How police are tackling the alarming rise in hate crimes 11 months ago Duration 15:44 Damerla says the campaign is meant to engage everyone, regardless of their background. "It's really important to remember that no matter who we are, we all have biases," she said. The city says One Mississauga isn't just a campaign, it's a call to action for residents, businesses and city staff to come together and shape the kind of city everyone wants to live and work in. Hate crimes on the rise, stats show According to an April 2024 Peel police report, there was a 32 per cent increase in reported hate-motivated crimes from 2022 to 2023. Of the 162 reported hate-motivated crimes, 35 resulted in charges. "We need to open up dialogue, and I hope that that would happen within the city," said Angela Carter, a member of the leadership team at Metamorphosis, a network of non-profits in Mississauga. "How can we get people to help each other and understand each other?" According to Statistics Canada, approximately 60 per cent of Mississauga's population identify as a visible minority and 53 per cent as immigrants. "The result of this is often rising tensions and conflicts among certain groups and potentially even leading to acts of racism, discrimination and hate," the city said in a statement. In the coming weeks, it will be collecting public feedback on the campaign in an effort to continue making improvements.
