B.C. Housing audit found conflict of interest between ex-CEO and non-profited headed by his wife

The forensic audit into the province’s troubled public housing agency has found “mismanagement related to a conflict of interest” between B.C. Housing’s former CEO and his wife, the head of a non-profit housing agency which has received tens of millions in taxpayer dollars.

During a speech in the Legislature Monday morning, Premier David Eby said Shayne Ramsay, who resigned in August after 22 years as CEO, was “actively breaking the conflict of interest agreement” that he was not to be involved in decisions related to Atira Women’s Resource Society, which was led by his wife, Janice Abbott.

Atira is a Vancouver-based non-profit that has received more than $120 million in B.C. Housing funding since 2018 to finance dozens of non-market housing programs and social services.

Eby said it was “profoundly concerning” that Ramsay had sent text messages to staff directing that Atira receive government funding, which violated the conflict of interest screen that barred him from discussing those projects because of his relationship with Abbott.