Value-for-Money Audit: Bereavement Authority of Ontario (2020

6 OVERALL RESPONSE FROM ering high quality services to the public and the THE BEREAVEMENT AUTHORITY bereavement sector, and to that end, we will be OF ONTARIO undertaking all of the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report. [...] of Ontario), the Ministry of the Environment, The Bereavement Authority faced a number Conservation and Parks, and the Ministry of of early challenges after its creation, such as Labour, as well as Public Health Units, in its combining incompatible computer systems and consideration of each of the recommendations databases, locating and contacting cemeter- where the Auditor General has recommended. [...] • met with the Board of directors of the We have complied with the independence and Bereavement Authority and conducted more other ethical requirements of the Code of Profes- in-depth interviews with the current and for- sional Conduct of the Chartered Professional mer Chairs and three members of the Board; Accountants of Ontario, which are founded on • interviewed senior management and ana- funda. [...] 277 cemetery operators: MINISTRY RESPONSE • 207 have not renewed their licences nor filed any reports since the inception of the The Ministry of Government and Consumer Bereavement Authority in 2016; and Services will collaborate with the Bereavement • Of the 207, 51 have neither renewed their Authority of Ontario to develop options to licences nor filed the required reports with a increase the tr. [...] Without complete and up-to-date information on the status of the care and maintenance funds, the 4.2.2 Bereavement Authority’s Oversight Bereavement Authority cannot be sure of the exist- of Cemetery Care and Maintenance ence of those funds or accurately assess whether Funds Ineffective operators are making the required contributions, mandated by the Act, for the future care and main- As shown in.