The Auditor General of Canada has released a scathing report revealing significant breaches of procurement rules by the federal government when contracting with GC Strategies, the company responsible for the controversial ArriveCan app. The report, released June 10th, highlights a pattern of negligence across multiple federal organizations.

The investigation uncovered a staggering $64.5 million in contracts awarded to GC Strategies between 2015 and 2024. This involved 106 professional services contracts spanning 31 different federal organizations. A shocking 33% of these contracts lacked sufficient evidence demonstrating that the contracted personnel possessed the necessary experience to fulfill their obligations.

The report explicitly criticizes the federal government’s failure to adequately monitor contractor performance. It states that “Federal organizations are required to monitor the work performed by contractors. However, we noted that federal organizations frequently disregarded government policies in this area.” This raises serious questions about accountability and oversight within the federal procurement process, particularly regarding the $59.5 million ArriveCan app, a project that faced widespread public criticism.

The Auditor General’s findings underscore a systemic issue within federal procurement, demanding immediate attention and comprehensive reform to ensure adherence to established rules and regulations and protect taxpayer funds.