Annual Report on Operations for the Year Ended March 31, 2024

Read our 2024 Annual Report

This Annual Report completes the accountability cycle that began when the Office tabled its 2024 Business and Financial Plan in November 2022. 

It compares actual results to planned results (e.g., budget, targets) for the year ended March 31, 2024.

The Office achieved eight of its 12 performance targets in 2023–24.

In 2024, the Office continued to experience more staff turnover than anticipated. The market for CPAs and those training to become professional accountants remains extremely competitive. This impacted the Office’s ability to meet agreed upon audit deadlines and planned audit project costs. Given the increase in the number of new staff hired throughout the year, the demand for ongoing training, supervision, and coaching was higher than expected, increasing the amount of effort required to complete quality audits. We also had to increase the use of contract staff to address the rise in staff turnover.

We did prioritize our work to make sure we provided legislators with timely audited financial information, as required by law, for the vast majority of government agencies we audit. We also worked hard to meet the needs of legislators and the public for information about government programs and services. Through our 2023 Report – Volumes 1 and 2, the Office gave legislators and the public the results of quality, relevant audits. These Reports contained the results of the annual integrated audits of approximately 260 different agencies, nine performance audits, and 34 follow-up audits.

The Standing Committees on Public Accounts’ and on Crown and Central Agencies’ high rate of agreement with our audit recommendations shows the recommendations we make reflect areas that are important to improve public sector management. The Government’s implementation of audit recommendations also shows the Office’s work contributed to better management in the public sector.

Key deadlines for delivering our  audit opinion on the Government’s Summary Financial Statements were met. We were the first province to provide an audit opinion on the Government’s financial statements in June 2023. We could not have done this without the great collaboration between our auditees and our professional and engaged staff. In February 2024, the Office reported on the audit results of the 2023 Summary Financial Statements to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts. This meeting helped fulfill the Government’s duty to be publicly accountable and transparent, including providing accurate financial reporting.

The Office continued to manage its finances carefully. The unqualified independent external audit reports on the key aspects of the Office’s operations, finances, and controls gives legislators and the public confidence in the reliability of the Office’s administration.

In closing, I appreciate the cooperation and support of legislators, government officials, and appointed auditors. In particular, I thank the Standing Committee on Public Accounts for its attention to and support of the Office’s work. Its fulsome, public review of our Reports helps to ensure the work of the Office is making the Government of Saskatchewan effective, open, and accountable to the public.

Tara Clemett, CPA, CA, CISA Provincial Auditor

Read: Annual Report on Operations For the Year Ended March 31, 2024

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