Ontario ombudsman Paul Dube will conduct an investigation of procurement practices in Brampton under new powers vested in his office. ( Star wire services )Following years of scandal and a preliminary probe by Ontario’s ombudsman, Brampton city hall will be subjected to the first ever “systemic” investigation of a municipality by the province. It’s the only way the city can move forward with so many unresolved questions that we cannot get answers to. Between 2007 and 2014, the city broke its own procurement rules 302 times, including one $854,000 job in 2013 to renovate city hall offices that was handed to a company without any bidding process. Councillor Elaine Moore says she is disappointed that Dubé’s investigation will not include the downtown development deal, but she welcomes the probe.

Source: thestar May 25, 2016 21:15 UTC