CEO of B.C. non-profit housing provider steps down following damning review
Janice Abbott, the CEO of British Columbia housing operator Atira Women's Resource Society, is stepping down.
Monday's announcement of Abbott's resignation comes after an audit released last week that found that Shayne Ramsay – Abbott's husband and the former CEO of BC Housing – had breached conflict of interest rules when it came to Atira.
A statement from the board of Atira said Abbott's resignation is effective immediately and thanked her for her 31 years of leadership.
"The focus for the board now is working collaboratively with the B.C. government and BC Housing, and restoring the public’s confidence in Atira’s integrity, vision, mission, purpose and values," the statement from board chair Elva Kim said.
"The board and staff at Atira are deeply committed to serving and protecting women and children and providing much-needed housing. We are confident that this path forward will allow us to focus on the essential work with fewer distractions," it continued.
Abbott has not spoken publicly since the report was released. She has not issued any statements or responded to requests for an interview.
At an unrelated news conference, Premier David Eby responded to the resignation. He pointed out BC housing asked for several things, like a financial audit, operational review and new leadership.
“We have to ensure that the public has confidence about where every dollar went, that the buildings are running as effectively as possible and that we're moving in a good direction before we can talk about any expansion of programs or Atira be eligible to bid on new contracts available through BC Housing,” added Eby.
The premier said KPMG would conduct the financial audit, and the inspections of Atira buildings had begun, though Eby didn’t have an update on any findings.
Atira’s board is cooperating with the province, a different tone than last week when they stood by the CEO and refused to fire her, despite pressure from the province and BC Housing.
The forensic review of BC Housing found that Ramsay had breached conflict of interest rules two dozen times, deleted text messages, and that meeting minutes had been altered after the fact to omit opposition.
Ramsay stepped down as CEO last year.
In 2016, Atira received $17 million from the province. In 2022, it received $74 million – $35 million more than the second-most funded provider, the review said, adding that it had identified serious concerns about the "rigour" and "diligence" exercised at BC Housing.
Funding to Atira has been frozen in the wake of the damning report and the province has said it will review the non-profit's books and inspect its buildings. The organization has also returned nearly $2 million in surplus funds to the province.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
World No. 1 golfer charged with police officer assault before PGA Championship second round
World number one golfer Scottie Scheffler was arrested and charged with the assault of a police officer in what he called a 'chaotic situation' before being released in time to start his second round at the PGA Championship on Friday.
LIVE @ 11:30 MT Four 1970s homicides linked to serial killer, Alberta Mounties to reveal Friday
A dead serial sexual offender and killer has been linked to four homicides in the 1970s in Alberta, RCMP say.
4 dead after Houston storms cause widespread damage, major blackouts
Power outages could last weeks in parts of Houston after thunderstorms with hurricane-force winds tore through the city, an official said Friday, knocking out electricity to nearly 1 million homes and businesses.
NEW What a wildfire survivor says she regrets not grabbing before leaving home
Carol Christian had 15 minutes to evacuate her home during the Fort McMurray wildfires in 2016. She ended up losing the house and everything inside. Now, she wants to share the lessons she learned.
WATCH Infectious disease expert warns measles 'a very real threat'
A Canadian epidemiologist is warning the measles presents a 'very real threat' to public health if Canada doesn't maintain a high vaccination rate.
With today's high rates, should you consider an interest-free halal mortgage?
A halal mortgage complies with the Islamic religious, or Shariah, law, which forbids the use of 'riba' (interest). Here's what mortgage experts say those considering 'no-interest' halal mortgages should know.
Wildfires are dampening against cool, rainy weather, but there's plenty left to contain
An opportune system of cool, wet weather Friday is dampening the spread of wildfires across Western Canada, but there's still plenty of work for responders and residents alike.
Newly mapped lost branch of the Nile could help solve long-standing pyramid mystery
Egypt’s Great Pyramid and other ancient monuments at Giza exist on an isolated strip of land at the edge of the Sahara Desert.
Ontario sees first measles death in more than a decade after young child dies
A young child has died of measles in Ontario, marking the first death in the province from the highly contagious virus in more than 10 years, a Public Health Ontario report confirms.