The House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts met to study five reports from the Office of the Auditor General, covering the new fiscal relationship with First Nations, accessibility in seven federal organizations, flood hazard mapping, climate resilience of federal assets, and the federal response to avian influenza. Appearing were Auditor General Karen Hogan, Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development Jerry V. DeMarco, and Director Marie-Pierre Grondin.
Auditor General Karen Hogan testified that Indigenous Services Canada did not effectively implement, monitor, or assess its new fiscal relationship initiatives with First Nations, distributing over $6.5 billion in grants without knowing whether they were reducing socio-economic gaps. She noted that key commitments, such as a mutual accountability framework and support for First Nations financial management capacity, remain largely undeveloped, and recommended the department use better data for annual outcome assessments rather than relying on the infrequent community well-being index.
On accessibility, Hogan reported that all seven audited federal organizations had made progress in representation of persons with disabilities and had accessibility practices, but processes for delivering accommodations need improvement, with response times ranging from 24 to 310 days. She emphasized that employee networks were not consistently consulted and that inconsistent data collection limited the ability to identify systemic barriers, urging all deputy heads to learn from the findings.
Commissioner Jerry V. DeMarco stated that Natural Resources Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and Public Safety Canada were slow to produce and share flood hazard maps needed for climate adaptation, with many maps incomplete and not prioritizing higher-risk areas. He noted that Public Safety Canada's flood risk awareness portal does not integrate climate change projections or allow easy updates, limiting its utility for long-term planning decisions.
DeMarco also found significant gaps in the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat's oversight of the greening government strategy, with no public reporting on climate resilience in eight years, and that National Defence, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada made limited progress in translating climate risk assessments into action. He highlighted that only 3% of over 1,600 critical federal assets have resilience plans, and that accelerating efforts would save taxpayers money over time.
Regarding avian influenza, DeMarco reported that while the Canadian Food Inspection Agency successfully eliminated the virus from all sampled premises, there were weaknesses in documentation, and Environment and Climate Change Canada's surveillance of migratory birds may not be sustainable without dedicated funding. He noted that the Public Health Agency of Canada purchased 870,000 vaccine doses without sufficient analysis, leading to 95% expiring unused by February 2026, and recommended improved systems for vaccine stockpile management and data-sharing with provinces and territories.
In response to questions, Hogan explained that the removal of early levels of the default prevention policy was intended to give First Nations more control, but the promised replacement to build financial management capacity was not implemented. She clarified that no recommendation was made on the mutual accountability framework because the department already committed to co-developing it, and that the stalled progress stemmed from First Nations wanting to define their own outcome measures rather than accepting a one-size-fits-all approach.
DeMarco, when asked about budget cuts to climate adaptation, said the government is responsible for budget decisions but that investing now in resilience would lower future costs, noting that every dollar spent on adaptation can generate $13 to $15 in savings. He also emphasized that the flood hazard mapping program needs to incorporate climate change scenarios and that a coordinated national approach with minimum standards is essential for consistency across Canada.
The committee did not debate any motions or procedural matters during this meeting.
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