Peel Region establishes independent Office of the Auditor General

BRAMPTON, Ont. - July 17, 2025. Peel Regional Council has approved the establishment of the Office of the Auditor General, a significant step toward strengthening transparency, and accountability in respect of regional programs and services across Peel Region.

Following Council’s approval of By-law 39-2025 on July 10, 2025, the Auditor General will serve as an independent officer reporting directly to Peel Regional Council. Under the Municipal Act, 2001, the Auditor General is responsible for assisting Regional Council in holding itself and its administrators accountable for the quality of stewardship over public funds and ensuring value for money in municipal operations. Through independently developed annual audit plans, the Auditor General may conduct financial, compliance, and performance audits of Peel departments, local boards, grant recipients, and Peel-controlled corporations (Peel Living). The new office is also tasked with operating a confidential fraud and waste hotline.

Peel joins other large Canadian municipalities like Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver in adopting an independent Auditor General model to ensure accountability, strengthen financials controls and optimize efficiencies. This historic initiative reflects Peel’s commitment to good governance, value-for-money, and public accountability.

Key features of the new office:

• Independence The Auditor General will be fully independent from the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), senior leadership, and internal audit functions.
• Direct reporting: The Auditor General will report to Council and is required to submit an annual audit plan and an annual report on activities.
• Appointment process: The Auditor General will be appointed through a Council-led recruitment committee comprised of the Regional Chair and 8 members of Regional Council.
• Term: The term of office is set by Council (up to 7 years).
• Peer review: The AG’s office will undergo an external peer review every three years and a compliance audit annually.

To learn more about the Office of the Auditor General, access By-law 39-2025.