Skip to Main content

17.99°^C Vancouver

News Entertainment Videos Shows Podcast Contact Us

May 30, 2023 9:20 PM - The Canadian Press

B.C. housing non-profit at heart of controversy names interim CEO

Share On

b-c-housing-non-profit-at-heart-of-controversy-names-interim-ceo

The housing provider says it's committed to rebuilding trust with the government, forming a task force to undertake a review of policies around real estate and conflicts of interest. (Photo: The Canadian Press)

The Atira Women's Resource Society says it has named a new interim CEO after former head Janice Abbott stepped down amid a conflict-of-interest controversy involving her husband, former BC Housing CEO Shayne Ramsay.

Atira says its new CEO Catherine Roome is an experienced leader in both the public and private sectors and will head the organization until a permanent replacement for Abbott is found.

Atira board chair Elva Kim says recruiting Roome is part of its effort to restore public confidence in the housing provider after Abbott's departure earlier this month.

The housing provider says it's committed to rebuilding trust with the government, forming a task force to undertake a review of policies around real estate and conflicts of interest.

It says it's supportive of an upcoming review by auditing firm KPMG, and has also returned nearly $2 million in funding to the provincial government after an investigation of BC Housing found Ramsay had improperly steered funding to his wife's organization.

Roome says in a news release that she looks forward to working to reset and renew the situation at Atira, and ensure its work to protect women, children and gender diverse people continues.

Latest news

rogers-wins-gold-sets-canadian-record-in-hammer-throw-at-world-championships

Rogers wins gold, sets Canadian record in hammer throw at world championships

Canada's Camryn Rogers defended her women's hammer throw world title in dominant fashion. Rogers, from Richmond, B.C., broke her own Canadian record with a throw of 80.51 metres on Monday to take the gold medal at the world athletics championships. Silver medallist Zhao Jie of China was well back of Rogers with a throw of 77.60 metres. Another Chinese thrower, Zhang Jaile, was third at 77.10 metres. The 26-year-old Rogers now has two world championship gold medals to go with her Olympic title at the 2024 Paris Games. It was Canada's second gold at the world championships after E

alberta-next-panel-seeking-input-on-federal-grievances-hosts-town-hall-in-airdrie

AlbertaSep 15, 2025

Alberta Next panel, seeking input on federal grievances, hosts town hall in Airdrie

Premier Danielle Smith's Alberta Next panel is in Airdrie tonight, as she marches through a final stretch of town halls surveying the public on the province's relationship with the federal government. It's the eighth of 10 in-person town halls scheduled for the panel, which has been travelling across Alberta since mid-July to address grievances Smith says are fostering separatist sentiment. The event in the Calgary bedroom community comes hot on the heels of a town hall in Lethbridge, where Smith met a mostly friendly crowd that cheered mentions of separation and widely supported th

boy-14-charged-after-report-of-student-with-gun-at-alberta-high-school

AlbertaSep 12, 2025

Boy, 14, charged after report of student with gun at Alberta high school

A 14-year-old boy is facing weapons charges after police were called to a high school near Edmonton for a report of a student with a gun. RCMP say a teacher called 911 on Thursday afternoon, after a student was seen with a gun in a classroom at a high school in Sherwood Park, a suburb community east of Edmonton. They say a suspect was taken into custody and Mounties recovered what they think is an imitation gun. No injuries were reported. Police say the boy, who can't be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, has been charged with assault with a weapon, possession of a

high-speed-rail-construction-could-begin-in-four-years-leblanc-says

CanadaSep 12, 2025

High-speed rail construction could begin in four years, LeBlanc says

Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc says the government's new major projects office will work to get construction underway on the Alto high-speed rail line within four years. He says the work would determine the final route for the planned high-speed rail project between Toronto and Quebec City. Former prime minister Justin Trudeau announced in February that the government had awarded a $3.9-billion, six-year contract to a consortium to design the project. The 1,000-kilometre high-speed rail network would take passengers from Montreal to Toronto in just three hours on trains travelling

g7-finance-ministers-meet-to-discuss-increasing-pressure-on-russia

CanadaSep 12, 2025

G7 finance ministers meet to discuss increasing pressure on Russia

Canada hosted a virtual meeting of G7 finance ministers today to discuss further measures to increase the pressure on Russia. John Fragos, press secretary for the minister of finance and national revenue, says the group also talked about ways to limit Russia's "war machinery." Fragos says the G7 is united in its opposition to Russia’s "illegal and unjustified" war on Ukraine. He also says Canada is deeply concerned by Russia’s escalation of the conflict in the wake of Wednesday's Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace. The G7 group is made up of Canada, the United States, France, Ger

Related News

Rogers wins gold, sets Canadian record in hammer throw at world championships

Rogers wins gold, sets Canadian record in hammer throw at world championships

Canada's Camryn Rogers defended her women's hammer throw world title in dominant fashion. Rogers, from Richmond, B.C., broke her own Canadian record with a throw of 80.51 metres on Monday to take the gold medal at the world athletics championships. Silver medallist Zhao Jie of China was well back of Rogers with a throw of 77.60 metres. Another Chinese thrower, Zhang Jaile, was third at 77.10 metres. The 26-year-old Rogers now has two world championship gold medals to go with her Olympic title at the 2024 Paris Games. It was Canada's second gold at the world championships after E

400 new affordable homes coming to Metro Vancouver

400 new affordable homes coming to Metro Vancouver

People living in Metro Vancouver will soon have access to more affordable housing with 400 new rental homes opening and breaking ground in Coquitlam, North Vancouver and Vancouver. “We’re taking meaningful action to deliver homes for people throughout Metro Vancouver that give people a place to build their futures,” said Christine Boyle, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “These latest 400 affordable homes will bring added stability and opportunity, helping even more people find a place to call home in the communities they love." The Province, through BC Housing, provided nearl

Victim identified in fatal Langley shooting

Victim identified in fatal Langley shooting

The victim of Friday’s fatal shooting in Langley has been identified as 24-year-old Taran Pandher. IHIT’s Integrated Gang Homicide Team (IGHT) has taken conduct of the investigation. Background: On September 5, 2025, at approximately 10:28 p.m. the Langley RCMP responded reports of a shooting around 200 Street and 53 Avenue, Langley. Frontline officers arrived promptly, located the victim and initiated lifesaving measures. Despite their efforts, the victim succumbed to their injures at the scene. The shooting occurred while the victim was inside a taxi and there is only one victim and no o

Legals

Journalism code of ethics

© 2021 AKASH Broadcasting Inc.

MANAGED BY STRATWIT

useful links

Accessibility Plan

BC Children's Hospital