Sask. ministry says it's been monitoring Lighthouse's financial situation 'very closely'
The Ministry of Social Services has been monitoring Lighthouse Supported Living "very closely for some time" since members of the Lighthouse board informed the ministry of their concerns last summer, according to a ministry spokesperson.
"The ministry is continuing to work directly with Lighthouse, as we do with all community-based service providers, to ensure services provided under contract with the ministry to vulnerable clients continue, and that those services continue to meet the requirements of the contract," Leya Moore said in an email to CTV News.
The ministry's response comes after the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal lifted a publication ban on a court-ordered investigation into the Lighthouse's finances, largely centred on executive director and board member Don Windels.
The investigation was sought by three Lighthouse board members after they became concerned by transactions uncovered during an internal audit.
The MNP report outlines how, according to Windels' own admission to investigators, a series of loans were issued by the Lighthouse to his family's corporation between 2008 and 2013 that added up to $287,000.
Although Windels is on leave, he remains the organization's executive director until the Court of Appeal decides whether Justice David Gerecke's decision last year to remove him will stand.
"As the case is before the courts, the Ministry of Social Services cannot comment on the specifics of the case," Moore said in her statement.
The ministry maintains six-month contracts with the Lighthouse to provide services and supports to people in Saskatoon and area totalling $1.04 million, Moore said. The Lighthouse also receives additional funding from other sources, she said.
The Lighthouse also receives about $2 million each year from the Saskatchewan Health Authority to provide health services including mental health and addictions services, according to the health ministry.
SASKATOON MAYOR WANTS 'ACCOUNTABILITY'
“The details that are coming out in the media today are concerning," Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark said in a statement.
"The Lighthouse provides very important services to a vulnerable population in our community. We are seeing an escalating crisis of mental health, addictions and homelessness within this vulnerable population and it is in the best interests of everyone involved and the community to ensure that a solid system of governance and accountability be established for this organization.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Large numbers of New York City police officers begin entering Columbia University campus
Large numbers of New York City police officers began entering the Columbia University late Tuesday as dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters remained on the campus.
Poilievre kicked out of Commons after calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko'
Testy exchanges between the prime minister and his chief opponent ended with the Opposition leader and one of his MPs being ejected from the House of Commons on Tuesday -- and the rest of Conservative caucus walking out of the chamber in protest.
Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
Freeland leaves capital gains tax change out of coming budget implementation bill, here's why
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
Sword-wielding man attacks passersby in London, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring 4 others
A man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and police officers in a northeast London suburb Tuesday, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring four other people, British authorities said.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
CSE says it shared information on Chinese hacking of parliamentarians in 2022
While several MPs and senators say they were only recently made aware of China-backed hackers targeting them, the Communications Security Establishment, one of Canada's intelligence agencies, says it shared information about the incident with parliamentary officials in June of 2022.
WATCH Arnold Schwarzenegger spotted filming in Elora, Ont.
The name of the project has not been officially released although it’s widely believed to be the Netflix series FUBAR.
Eviction for landlord's use was legitimate, despite owners' partial move, B.C. court rules
A B.C. judge has upheld the eviction of a family from their North Vancouver townhouse, finding that the landlords did not take an unreasonable amount of time to move into the home after the tenants vacated it.