Federal audit finds Hockey Canada did not use public funds for legal settlements

An audit commissioned by the federal government has found that Hockey Canada did not use public funds to settle sexual assault cases or pay for related legal fees.

Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge called for the audit in June after several media outlets reported that Hockey Canada had settled a $3.55 million sexual assault lawsuit.

She requested the investigation to ensure that public funds had only been used to support amateur hockey.

A summary of the audit made several conclusions, including that funds disbursed by the federal government to Hockey Canada have been used for the intended purpose.

It also found that Hockey Canada had an adequate internal control framework and a budgeting process in place.

Some improvements were suggested, such as aligning the financial coding to the contribution agreements funded categories, reviewing the salaries recorded, and documenting financial processes.