OPP called in to probe ORNGE 'irregularities'
The Canadian Press
Posted: Feb 16, 2012 1:07 PM ET
Last Updated: Feb 16, 2012 7:16 PM ET
Ontario Provincial Police have been called in to investigate ORNGE, the province's troubled air ambulance service.
"The OPP is conducting an investigation into possible criminal activities on the part of ORNGE air ambulance service," police spokeswoman Cathy Bell said Thursday.
The police probe was launched at the request of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, she added.
A source said the ministry asked police to look into "financial irregularities" at ORNGE on the advice of forensic auditors who were examining the agency's books.
The police probe is being led by the Criminal Investigation branch, which takes on major cases, Bell said.
The criminal investigation is the latest blow to ORNGE, which receives about $150 million a year from the province to operate a non-profit air medical rescue and transport service.
It's been under a cloud of controversy for months over high salaries, questionable spending and business practices.
There were reports in recent days that the agency loaned its former chief executive officer Chris Mazza $1.2 million over the last two years, on top of his generous salary.
Province cleaned house at agency last month
Health Minister Deb Matthews cleaned house at the agency last month, replacing Mazza — who was paid $1.4 million a year — and the entire board of directors. ORNGE was also ordered to shut down its for-profit companies.
The agency said no severance payments were offered to Renzella and Mazza, who was paid more by Ontario taxpayers than any other public sector worker last year.
The clean sweep came after the auditor general and the Ministry of Finance sent in forensic auditors to take a look at ORNGE's books.
Ian Delaney, chairman of Sherritt International Corp., was appointed as chairman of the new ORNGE board on the recommendation of the governing Liberals.
Other new members include former Progressive Conservative attorney general Charles Harnick of Counsel Public Affairs, Patricia Lang, former president of Confederation College and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre CEO and president Barry McLellan.
The new board was appointed Jan. 25, just a day after Ornge axed 18 middle managers and shut down its charity organization, J-Smarts, which educates children about cottage country safety, in a bid to reduce costs.
The ministry's emergency health services branch is also investigating 13 incidents related to air ambulance transports, three of which involved deaths of patients.
Share Tools
Top News Headlines
- CP Rail union, Tories battle over collective bargaining
- The federal Conservatives defended their plan to force striking Canadian Pacific Railway employees back to work as a way to keep the economy on track, while the union representing 4,800 workers said their collective bargaining rights are under attack. more »
- Missing Winnipeg kids found in Mexico back with mom
- Two Winnipeg children who had been missing for nearly four years are back home, reunited with their mother, after they were located in Mexico late last week. more »
- Bullyproof: One classroom confession
- Chadia became physically scarred after incessant teasing. Her story is one of 150 gathered in a video confessional booth at a Quebec school. more »
- Hesjedal knew Giro win was no sure thing
- Victoria cyclist Ryder Hesjedal says his Giro d'Italia victory was never a sure thing, despite being the favourite going into the final stage of the three-week race. more »
Latest Health News Headlines
- 5 ways to prevent kids from getting poisoned
- Poison centres across Canada field about 160,000 calls a year about children exposed to medications and other household chemicals more »
- Dementia patients may not imagine their future
- Our ability to imagine our future depends on a part of the brain used to store general knowledge, which is affected by some forms of dementia. more »
- Eastern Health to cut hundreds of jobs, Liberals say
- Health Minister Susan Sullivan says spending cuts at the province's largest health authority will not hurt programs and services, despite a claim by the Opposition Liberals. more »
- Ontario knocked for special-needs student support
- The province should conduct a review of how it serves special-needs students and improve a policy to support connections between schools and the community, a new report urges. more »
FEATURED HEALTH
- Missing Winnipeg kids found in Mexico back with mom
- Canadian Everest climber's body recovered
- Thunder Bay flooding causes state of emergency
- Air Canada jet makes emergency landing in Toronto
- Vatican denies cardinal suspected in leaks scandal
- Evolution skeptics will soon be silenced by science: Richard Leakey
- CP Rail union, Tories battle over collective bargaining
- Remains found in bag on Cape Breton river ID'd
- Justin Bieber wanted for questioning in L.A. scuffle
