The Auditor General of Québec issues the conclusions of her audit concerning the processing of applications by the Régie du logement - Press Release no. 4

QUÉBEC, May 25, 2016 /CNW/ - Today, Ms. Guylaine Leclerc makes public the report entitled Value-for-Money Audit (spring 2016). In Chapter 4, she makes known the results of her audit at the Régie du logement.

The Régie has not implemented procedures to minimize processing times. It does not calculate the average total processing time per application or the time required to clear inventories. The 40,000 or so applications included in the inventory influence the expeditiousness and accessibility of the tribunal.

The scheduling process does not allow an optimal use of hearing time. For the 28‑month period ending on November 30, 2015, the actual average duration of the 17,400 hearing sessions held was 125 minutes, while commissioners were available for 180 minutes. Thus, a proportion of this time (31%) was not used for hearing cases, which had a definite impact on waiting times for the parties who had submitted an application to the Régie.

The Régie has not adopted means to minimize the effects of hearing reschedulings, in particular by improving the timeframe for sending notices of hearing. For the period analyzed, these notices were sent an average of 29 calendar days before the hearing date, including the 7 days necessary for sending and delivering the mail. This leaves little time for the parties to prepare for their hearing or notify the Régie of a change.

Little use is made of the conciliation process. The Régie's efforts to integrate it into its operations are insufficient. Indeed, it has not determined the cases that would be more appropriately settled through this process or the situations and time when it would be relevant to contact citizens.

The Régie has put in place a time bank that is not in compliance with the regulation. As at November 30, 2015, 882 days had been accumulated in this time bank as a result of additional hearing sessions held by commissioners. This bank represents an amount of more than 500 000 dollars. Moreover, the Régie has not clearly defined certain rules to oversee hearing schedule, among other things.

The management information produced by the Régie is insufficient. This information does not allow the Régie to determine the elements requiring improvements (hearing time, for example) and does not make it possible to properly assess performance in processing applications.

The full report is available only in French.

Source:	Lucie Roy, Director
	Cabinet, communications et affaires stratégiques
	Auditor General of Québec
	Tel.: [phone]

SOURCE Vérificateur Général du Québec

Lucie Roy, Director, Cabinet, communications et affaires stratégiques, Auditor General of Québec, Tel.: [phone]