Manitoba auditor general calls for better provincial finance reporting, health cybersecurity

Posted on December 19, 2024 by Peggy

Manitoba’s auditor general is calling for better cybersecurity at the province’s main health-care planning body and better financial reporting from the provincial government.

In the first of two reports, Tyson Shtykalo says Manitoba Shared Health has a process to respond to cyberattacks but has not been running tests for scenarios such as ransomware or data theft.

He says because no tests were performed, it’s hard to determine whether Shared Health’s response plan is effective.

The report recommends annual testing and more training for cybersecurity team members.

The second report looked at the provincial government’s financial report for the 2023-24 fiscal year, which included a deficit of just under $2 billion.

The report says there was an unprecedented number of errors in the financial information prepared for the audit, as well as a lack of supporting documentation for calculating the government’s contractual obligations and rights.

The report calls on the government to boost the number of trained financial personnel who prepare the financial statements.