FREDERICTON –
New Brunswick’s child, youth and seniors advocate says there was a lack of accountability and due diligence in government funding of a private, faith-based drug rehab centre.
In a report published Thursday, Kelly Lamrock expresses concern about “politicized” decision-making by the provincial Regional Development Corporation. His report is titled, “Express Lane: How a Faith-Based Addictions Program Jumped the Queue During a Shortage of Services.”
Under the previous Progressive Conservative government, led by Blaine Higgs, the corporation gave $1.5 million in September to a Christian group, Village of Hope, to expand its services in Upper Tracy, about 45 kilometres south of Fredericton.
The Regional Development Corporation is a provincial Crown corporation that plans and implements economic development initiatives.
In his report, Lamrock said he was concerned that approval processes varied across different government departments. He said the development corporation …