Report clears MNP of conflict-of-interest allegations in the administration of public funds
A report from B.C.'s Auditor-General has cleared the accounting company administrating public funds of conflict-of-interest allegations.
B.C.'s provincial legislature in April unanimously tasked Pickup to review MNP's role in the administration of the Advanced Research and Commercialization and the Commercial Vehicle Innovation Challenge programs, funded through the carbon tax. The review came after Merritt-based Edison Motors — B.C.’s only company manufacturing electric semi-trucks — had first raised concerns about MNP’s role in the process.
Pickup said MNP did not write grant applications for any of the 71 companies that had responded to his office's outreach, including Edison Motors. MNP did not write or offer to write Edison's applications, he added. "Our main complaint was that we felt pressured into signing up because of how much power they had in the program and that wasn't even talked about," Barber said. "They control absolutely everything and told us we would have better chances of receiving funding if we were with them."
"It's very re-assuring that the integrity of the program is re-affirmed, that MNP had no role in evaluating grant applications, that the funding decisions were made by the ministry, all based on recommendations from an independent technical review panel." Of course, this catch also means that any concerns about MNP's involvement might ultimately boil down to a communication failure.
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