After an investigation into the one-month-old global news on the purchase of restoration gift cards by the city of Richmond, there are new bombs developments.
The city confirmed that $ 295,000 in gift cards did not remain reconciled. In addition, he indicates that an employee has been terminated and that the RCMP is investigating while a forensic audit continues.
Richmond previously said that most restaurant cards in restaurants were for service prices, retirement or recognition of volunteers.
Richmond said that the cards cost taxpayers $ 32,800 in 2022, $ 71,550 in 2023 and $ 71,300 in 2024.
But the results of global freedom of information produced 493 pages showing that the cards totaled $ 156,000 in 2022, $ 218,000 in 2023 and $ 124,000 in 2024.
Get national news
For news that has an impact on Canada and worldwide, register for the safeguarding of news alerts that are delivered to you directly when they occur.
An employee we interviewed, whom we agreed not to identify, said he had concerns about the cards.
“Why do we get them? We are very well paid to do our job, and we are not a private organization, so these are all taxes,” they said in a previous interview.
Asked about the lack of financial responsibility, Mayor Malcolm Brodie told CKNW Radio: “There are internal checks on everything at the Town Hall and how it could have, whatever happens, how it could have happened for a number of years. I cannot comment at this stage. ” »»
“I can say that there are controls on. I only suppose that there was a kind of breakdown. ”
Another $ 31,000 in cards is held by the city’s human resources department.
At this stage, it is not clear if criminal charges will be deposited.
& Copy 2025 Global News, A Division of Corus Entertainment Inc.