Insurance Corporation of B.C. has released the findings of an independent investigation into the sale of vehicles repaired at its Burnaby, B.C. research and training facility.

PricewaterhouseCoopers was retained by ICBC to conduct an independent, external investigation into concerns that some vehicles repaired at the facility were sold with a repair history that was incorrectly documented and not disclosed to buyers.  The probe was launched while ICBC was conducting its own investigation.

Pricewaterhouse found that:

Concerns about practices at the research and training facility were reported on three previous occasions, but were not appropriately investigated and not escalated to the chief executive officer level.

A total of 55 vehicles repaired at the research facility were purchased by ICBC employees and connected parties.

Internal policies on purchasing salvage were contradictory.

B.C.'s acting solicitor-general John Van Dongen recently apologized on behalf of the government, the ICBC board, and ICBC workers not involved in the scheme, to anyone who may have purchased wrecked vehicles that had been rebuilt at an ICBC research facility in Burnaby.

ICBC says the PwC's report substantiated ICBC's initial findings that there was a general lack of controls and conflicting policies and procedures regarding the appropriate vehicle designation and around employee purchase of vehicles repaired at the facility.

ICBC said the report found that appropriate actions were not taken by the management responsible when concerns were raised about the facility prior to January, 2008.

"PricewaterhouseCoopers has thoroughly investigated the issues at our research and training facility," said ICBC interim president and CEO Geri Prior. "We are committed to implementing all the recommendations in their report."

For more information, please click on http://www.icbc.com/