A review from British Columbia’s ombudsperson finds the province’s whistleblower law is falling short in some key areas.
Jay Chalke released four reports Tuesday as a special committee of the Legislative Assembly conducts a mandatory five-year review of the Public Interest Disclosure Act (PIDA).
The act, adopted in 2018, allows employees in provincial government ministries to report wrongdoing that is potentially unlawful or dangerous to the public. That could range from serious misuse of public funds to risks to health and safety.
The ombudsperson is an independent official who investigates complaints from the public about unfair government administration, as well as allegations of wrongdoing and reprisal from current and former government employees.
One of the reports said the ombudsperson received 382 reports between December 2019 and March 2025. About 100 of those were about a public body not covered by PIDA or from a person not eligible to make a disclosure.
The most common issue raised was alleged gross or systemic mismanagement, cited in more than 60 per cent of reports.
Of those disclosures, 44 were investigated. Eight led to recommendations from the ombudsperson to address identified issues.
“PIDA has worked well in many respects,” said Chalke in a statement.
“At the same time, my office’s analysis of five years of experience highlights where the law is falling short…This review is an opportunity to build on what’s working and fix what’s not,” he said.
Chalk...
New York-based partner Frank A. Mazzagatti is scheduled to present at the 2025 Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys (IAHA) 43rd Annual Health Law Symposium on November 6, 2025, in Chicago, ...