Alberta's Auditor General, Doug Wylie, has formally requested more than $3 million in additional funding from the provincial government. The request, presented to a committee of MLAs on Friday, is aimed at covering critical costs associated with auditing newly formed health entities, addressing mandatory staff salary increases, and replacing dangerously outdated office software.
Funding Breakdown and Justification
Wylie argued that his office requires just over $2.3 million in supplementary funding for the current fiscal year ending March 31. This is part of a larger need exceeding $3 million to manage new responsibilities and external pressures. He emphasized that these are not discretionary expenses but necessary responses to factors beyond his office's control.
"These elements are closely linked and cannot be considered in isolation," Wylie told the committee. "Each are driven by the need to respond to external factors, not by discretionary initiatives or nice-to-have projects."
Key Pressures Driving the Request
The funding appeal is driven by three primary pressures. First, the provincial government's restructuring of Alberta Health Services has led to the creation of eight new health care organizations. Wylie's office must audit these significant entities, which handle tens of millions of dollars, by a provincial deadline of June 30.
Second, recent increases to the provincial pay grid for public servants have strained the office's budget, despite adding no new staff. Third, Wylie highlighted that the office's core software is 25 years out of date and must be replaced to meet industry security standards and protect sensitive information.
Political Scrutiny and Defense
The request faced immediate scrutiny from United Conservative Party (UCP) committee member Scott Cyr. Cyr questioned the need for more money, comparing Alberta's per-capita funding unfavorably to Ontario and Quebec, and suggested the office was failing its core duties.
Wylie firmly defended the request, stating, "We are, and we will continue to meet our responsibilities." He explained that the funding variance between provinces reflects differences in auditor general mandates and the timing of their work cycles. "What we're presenting to you today is the reality of the funding that we need to meet the responsibilities that have been conferred to this office," he concluded.
This funding debate occurs amidst ongoing investigations by the auditor general's office into health care procurements and follows a recent committee vote to begin searching for Wylie's replacement, as his contract is set to expire in late April.
