Canada’s auditor general, Karen Hogan, will conduct a full audit of all government contracts awarded to GC Strategies, the company involved in the ArriveCan controversy. This audit will include contracts given to GC Strategies, its predecessor Coredal, and other companies tied to the co-founders, along with related subcontracts.
Canada’s Auditor General Launches Full Audit into GC Strategies Contracts Amid ArriveCan Controversy
The investigation follows concerns raised by parliamentary committees about the ArriveCan app, which was used during the pandemic for border measures and has been criticized for its high cost, estimated at $59.5 million. Hogan’s earlier report indicated that GC Strategies received $19.1 million for the project, but there is poor record-keeping on the total costs.
Since 2011, GC Strategies and Coredal have been awarded 118 contracts totaling $107 million. Hogan’s report pointed out that there was insufficient documentation on how GC Strategies was selected for the ArriveCan project, and it received a sole-source contract despite other firms expressing interest.
Concerns have also been raised about the competitive nature of a $25 million contract awarded to GC Strategies, with findings suggesting that the selection criteria were biased in favor of the company. The RCMP is investigating GC Strategies, with allegations of resume tampering and possible “ghost contracting,” which the company denies.