Ontario's auditor general must investigate all year-end spending after Thursday's findings of sloppy practices in $32 million of grants by the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, John Tory said Friday.

"Over the last two years, Dalton McGuinty has rushed $2.7 billion out the door at the end of the fiscal year," the Progressive Conservative leader said in a news release calling for the wider review.

On Thursday, Auditor General Jim McCarter found that in the last two years grants from the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration were given without proper application procedures or accountability checks. He rejected suggestions that the grants were given to groups based on party affiliations.

The minister, Mike Colle, resigned Thursday and was replaced by Gerry Phillips.

"If the auditor's limited investigation of what went on in Citizenship and Immigration revealed this level of misconduct, then he should go in and review every single other dollar that went out in these end-of-year spending orgies," Tory said.

The initial review, involving more than 100 grants, discovered that at least one group received far more money that it had requested and that some of that money has yet to be spent.

New minister to review unspent grants

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty said Friday he has asked Phillips to examine if unspent grants should be repaid. Phillips continues as minister of government services as well. 

Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration Year-End Grants, $500,000 and greater 
Group Fiscal Year Amount
United Jewish Appeal Federation 2006/07 $15,000,000
Brooklin Community Centre 2005/06 $3,000,000
Centre for Information and Community Services of Ontario 2005/06 $1,000,000
Greek Community of Toronto 2005/06 $1,000,000
Ontario Cricket Association 2005/06 $1,000,000
Frontier College - Literacy Camps for First Nations 2005/06 $814,927
COSTI-IIAS Immigrant Services 2005/06 $600,000
Armenian Community Centre 2006/07 $500,000
Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum 2005/06 $500,000
Casa dos Acores of Ontario 2006/07 $500,000
Islamic Institute of Toronto 2006/07 $500,000
O'Connor Community Recreation Centre 2005/06 $500,000
Settlement and Integration Services Organization 2006/07 $500,000
St. George Arab Cultural Centre 2005/06 $500,000
Toronto Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care 2005/06 $500,000
Source: Ont. auditor general's special review of year-end grants   

Responding to reporters' questions, McGuinty said Phillips will report back "as soon as he can."

In one instance highlighted in the report, the Ontario Cricket Association (OCA) requested $150,000, but received $1 million. The association says it continues to have $500,000 of the money in an investment account.

OCA president Mike Kendall said the additional money surprised the association, but that it is needed to upgrade fields and develop new players. He said the association has co-operated with auditors, and is able to account for all the money received.

There is currently no information on how many other groups have leftover grant money.