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Michael Pickup says there were “minor inconsistencies” with the otherwise well-designed and implemented destination development grant program that handed out more than $41 million in 2021 and 2022.Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion delivered straight to your inbox at 7 a.m., Monday to Friday.By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
Pickup says 12 of the 106 projects that received money were missing notes from reviewers detailing the rationale for their decision and while due diligence was done, it wasn’t well defined. He found some issues with how the program was monitored because the required progress reports didn’t have details of how much money had been spent, meaning if a project was delayed, the government wouldn’t have that information.Article content
Pickup made four recommendations that have been accepted by the Tourism Ministry, including a call for a formal due diligence process, that staff document their rationale for decisions on funding, and that improvements are made to the monitoring system.20,000 new hotel rooms needed in Metro Vancouver by 2050: Destination VancouverOur in-depth journalism is possible thanks to the support of our subscribers.