Summary
This Report of the Auditor General includes an annual summary of the recommendations of the Auditor General of Alberta since December 2023, the Audit of the 2023–2024 Consolidated Financial Statements of the Province of Alberta, an Annual Summary of Ministry Audit Work, and a Summary of the 2023 Financial Audit Results of School Jurisdictions in Alberta.
Audit of the 2023–2024 Consolidated Financial Statements of the Province of Alberta
The Auditor General of Alberta issued a clean audit opinion on the Province’s Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended March 31, 2024.
The audit focused on the following five key risks—or those matters that, in the Auditor General’s professional judgment, were of most significance—during the audit.
- Environmental Liabilities
- Pension Liabilities
- Private Equities, Inflation-sensitive and Alternative Investments
- Investments in and Toll Commitments Related to the North West Redwater Partnership (NWRP)
- Personal Income Tax Revenue
Annual Summary of Ministry Audit Work
During the audit, we issued 11 new recommendations dealing with improvements needed to financial information preparation and reporting, and grant management processes. We also repeated four recommendations, three of which relate to user access controls of information systems.
New Recommendations
- Improve financial information preparation and reporting processes (Agriculture and Irrigation, Forestry and Parks, Public Safety and Emergency Services, Transportation and Economic Corridors)
- Improve grant management processes (Public Safety and Emergency Services)
- Improve controls over liquor revenues (Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission)
- Improve asset accounting processes (Transportation and Economic Corridors)
- Improve process to record portfolio investments (Olds College)
- Improve process to account for conditional funding (Olds College)
- Regularly reconcile cash accounts and investigate differences promptly (Olds College)
- Regularly monitor the condition of tangible capital assets (Olds College)
Repeated Recommendations
- Improve financial reporting process (Olds College)
- Improve user access controls for all of its information systems (Children and Family Services, and Seniors and Community and Social Services)
- Improve user access controls (Technology and Innovation)
Since December 2023, we have issued 24 new recommendations to government departments. Many of these new recommendations focus on the need for better processes and effective and efficient monitoring of programs and services. During this same period, 15 recommendations were implemented, while 97 from previous audits remain outstanding.
Summary of the 2023 Financial Audit Results of School Jurisdictions in Alberta
This report summarizes the results of examination of audits performed by the independent auditors of all school jurisdictions in Alberta, as required under Section 19(4) of the Auditor General Act. The purpose of the summary of the financial information and recommendations made to school jurisdictions is to identify trends across the sector.