The City thanks the Auditor General for the work undertaken in preparing the Land Sales audit. We appreciate the comprehensive review and acknowledge the value of several recommendations that will help support continued improvements to our processes and practices.

The Real Estate team has reviewed the report in detail and agrees with many of the proposed enhancements. However, we note that some findings do not fully reflect the operational context or the information provided by staff during the audit. Land transactions, particularly those involving complex Community Amenity Contribution (CAC) negotiations require careful consideration of market conditions, financial feasibility, and the City’s long term policy objectives. These negotiations often involve balancing multiple interests to achieve fair and sustainable outcomes for both the public and development partners.
 
We believe that greater consideration of this complexity would provide a more complete picture of the work undertaken by staff. The Real Estate team remains committed to transparency, continuous improvement, and constructive collaboration with the Office of the Auditor General to ensure future reporting reflects both operational realities and the high standards expected of our programs.”

About the Office of the Auditor General 

The Office of the Auditor General was established by Vancouver City Council on November 4, 2020, with the mandate of assisting Council in holding itself and City administrators accountable for the quality of stewardship over public funds, and for achievement of value for money in City operations.