Project type: Performance audit
Last audited: Never
Department: Community Planning
Proposed time frame: Q1 2026
Budgeted time: 105 hours
Audit Committee
The City of Burlington's Audit Committee is a standing committee of Council which studies and reports to Council on:
- Matters relating to financial reporting, accounting policies and practices, risk management, and internal control processes and systems
- Annual financial statements
- All external and internal audit matters, including selection of the external auditor, the annual audit of the City's financial statements and matters recommended by the external auditor and internal auditor
View the Audit Committee's Terms of Reference.
Meetings, agendas and minutes
The Audit Committee meets, as scheduled, on Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m.
Check out our Council and Committees Calendar for meeting dates, agendas and minutes for upcoming and past meetings.
Committee members
The committee is made up of both Council and community members.
- Councillor Kearns
- Councillor Sharman
- Mathew Moore
- Etienne Durafour
- Michael Di Iulio
- Kartik Gupta
- Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, an ex-officio voting member of the Committee
2026 Audit plan
Development Applications Review (carry-forward)
Municipal Election Security audit
Project type: Operational and Cyber-security audit
Last audited: Never
Department: Legislative Services, HR, BDS
Proposed time frame: Q2 2026 & Q4 2026
Budgeted time: 245 hours
Use of External Consultants audit
Project type: Performance audit
Last audited: Never
Department: Corporate-wide
Proposed time frame: Q3 2026
Budgeted time: 315 hours
Project type: Performance audit
Last audited: Never
Department: BDS
Proposed time frame: Q4 2026-Q1 2027
Budgeted time: 315 hours
Whistleblower Program Implementation
A new Whistleblower policy was approved by the City's Executive Leadership Team in 2025. In June 2026, the City Auditor, in conjunction with Human Resources, introduced a Whistleblower program for City employees. The program is intended to help employees report wrongdoing in situations where they are concerned about reprisal. An online and telephone reporting service are available seven days a week, 24 hours a day. The Whistleblower program is co-managed by the City Auditor and the Chief Human Resources Officer.
View the approved Audit Plan for the Office of the City Auditor.
Recent audit reports to Audit Committee
Aquatics Space Allocation audit
Date to Audit Committee: March 4, 2025
Summary: This audit was performed at the direction of Audit Committee from motion memorandum COW-15-25. The objective of the audit was to obtain an independent audit of the documentation, decision making and compliance to the Council approved Procurement By-law.
Audit Results: The RFP submission by Burlington Aquatics Devilrays (BAD) swim group was appropriately disqualified under the terms of the RFP. The RFP included a mandatory requirement of a “certificate of incorporation” which was not submitted by the BAD swim group by the RFP closing time.
View the Aquatics Space Allocation Audit report.
Automated Vehicle Location (AVL) audit
Date to audit committee: Dec. 3, 2025
Summary: An audit was conducted to evaluate the performance of the AVL system to determine whether City departments are obtaining value from utilizing the new tools and capabilities.
Audit results: The AVL system was successfully implemented and achieved most of its stated objectives. The Corporate Fleet Services team utilize many but not all functionality of the AVL system whereas Management outside of RPF rarely utilize the system and therefore have realized limited benefits or value from the AVL system.
View the Automated Vehicle Location (AVL) Audit.
Date to audit committee: March 5, 2025
Summary: A compliance review of the portfolio of City grant programs (Arts/Culture, Love my Hood, Heritage, Community Development Fund etc.).
Audit results: Five Low Risk Audit findings that focused on operational efficiency and structural improvements.
View the Community Grants audit full report.
Cyber-Security audit (Detect and Respond)
Date to audit committee: March 5, 2025
Summary: The objective was to review the City’s cyber-security controls with a particular focus on the “Detect” and “Respond” security functions in version 7.1 of the CIS CSS (a total of 41 technical controls).
Audit results: Six audit findings reported to Audit Committee confidentially in order to protect the security of the City's IT environment.
Date to audit committee: September 11, 2024
Summary: To ensure procurement transactions for goods/services under $50,000 are compliant to the City’s Procurement By-Law and applicable corporate policies and procedures.
Audit results: Three low risk findings that focused on policy improvements, better training compliance and data analytics.
View the Procurement audit full report
Cyber-security audit (protect controls)
Date to audit committee: March 6, 2024
Summary: This audit focused on the controls found within the ‘Protect’ area of the CIS CSS framework version 7.1 (97 technical controls related to firewalls, security configurations, anti-malware etc.).
Audit results: Eleven audit findings reported to Audit Committee confidentially in order to protect the security of the City's IT environment.
Environmental Stewardship Strategies audit
Date to audit committee: December 6, 2023
Summary: To assess the performance of the implementation plans of Council’s approved ‘Corporate Energy and Emissions Management Plan’, ‘Climate Action Plan’, and ‘Climate Resilient Burlington’. The performance measurement approach, funding/resourcing and communication tools was also conducted.
Audit results: Three medium risk audit findings were reported that identified improvements with detailed workplans, KPI's, aligning financial resources.
View the Environmental Stewardship Strategies audit full report.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) project audit
Date to audit committee: December 6, 2023
Summary: To review the major IT project ERP implementation prior to 'go-live'.
Audit results: This was not a traditional audit, but findings and recommendations were identified in the report related to: project reporting.
View the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) project audit full report.
Cyber-Security Audit (‘Identify’ controls)
Date to audit committee: March 8, 2023
Summary: This audit focused on the controls found within the ‘Identify’ area of the CIS CSS framework version 7.1 (20 technical controls related to asset inventory, discovery tools, tracking tools/assets/software etc.).
Audit results: Seven audit findings reported to Audit Committee confidentially in order to protect the security of the City's IT environment.
Other reporting to Audit Committee
Whistleblower Policy and Program update
Date to audit committee: December 3, 2025
Summary: The report provides Council with a progress update towards the implementation of a Whistleblower Policy and Program. Major progress and milestones were achieved in 2025 and the Whistleblower Program is scheduled to go-live in Q2 2026.
View the Whistleblower Policy and Program update.
Status of Management Action Plans
Date to audit committee: March 4, 2026
Summary: A quarterly report identifying the Quarterly Dashboard for Office of the City Auditor.
View the Quarterly Dashboard full report.
Performance management process for the City Auditor
Date to audit committee: March 4, 2026
Summary: Annual report to Audit Committee detailing performance evaluation process for City Auditor, goals, KPIs.
View the Performance management process for the City Auditor full report.
Anti-Fraud Information and Education Program
Date to audit committee: December 4, 2024
Summary: Recap of the anti-fraud initiatives, training and information sessions delivered to staff in 2024.
View the Anti-Fraud Information and Education Program full report.
Date to audit committee: September 11, 2024
Summary: Approval by Audit Committee of the formal policy describing the mission, values, scope of work, independence and authority of the Office of the City Auditor.
View the Internal Audit Charter full report.
Audit Committee Terms of Reference
Date to audit committee: June 12, 2024
Summary: A periodic review and update of the Audit Committee's Terms of Reference.