Government audit of B.C. Lottery Corp. makes 25 recommendations

VICTORIA – B.C.'s finance minister says the province's Crown-owned lottery corporation needs to do a better job of managing its operations.

Mike de Jong's assessment was prompted by a Finance Ministry review of the B.C. Lottery Corp. that makes 25 recommendations for improvement, including calls for better business practices and saving money.

The minister says the report identifies a human-resources management failure at the corporation over a voluntary retirement program designed to save money that ended up costing the corporation $25 million. He says the plan was not a shining example of execution because 142 people took the departure option rather than the 68 the corporation estimated.

The review also comes after a $125,000 severance package given to former lottery boss Michael Graydon sparked intense debate in the legislature earlier this year.

The evaluation wasn't set off by Graydon's departure, de Jong says it is simply part of the government's commitment to review operations of all of its Crown corporations.

The lottery corporation says it has accepted the government's 25 recommendations and has already made improvements to its business planning and cost-saving practices.