Ontario Auditor General Releases Four Special Reports

TORONTO, May 12, 2026 /CNW/ - The Auditor General of Ontario today released four Special Reports: Family Responsibility Office; Large Commercial Truck Driver Licensing; Special Education Needs; and Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Ontario Government.

"These Special Reports make recommendations for improvements to strengthen oversight, consistency, and service delivery in programs that matter to Ontarians," said Auditor General Shelley Spence.

Family Responsibility Office

The report on the Family Responsibility Office (FRO) examined how effectively the Office enforced child and spousal support orders, accurately accounted for and disbursed court‑ordered payments, utilized its human resources and applied enforcement actions on behalf of families.

The audit found that families waited eight and a half months, on average, for a court order to be registered and for recipients to receive their first support payment through FRO.

The report also found that payment enforcement actions were not applied consistently. As of March 31, 2025, payors owed recipients with active cases almost $2.1 billion.

Finally, we found that 43 former employees of FRO still had access to databases containing Ontarians' personal information.

Large Commercial Truck Driver Licensing

The Large Commercial Truck Driver Licensing report examined whether Ontario's systems provide adequate oversight of large commercial vehicle driver training, testing, and licensing. 

Large commercial trucks accounted for 12% of vehicles involved in fatal collisions in Ontario from 2019 to 2023, despite representing only 3% of vehicles on the road.

The audit found weaknesses in the inspection and oversight of training providers. The Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security had never inspected 25% of the registered private career colleges that were actively offering Entry Level Training (ELT).

We found that some students at registered private career colleges obtained ELT Certificates without completing all mandatory training hours and elements. 

The report details inconsistencies in road testing practices across DriveTest Centres, as well as not restricting drivers with past infractions from receiving a licence or requiring a waiting period after obtaining a Class G licence.

Special Education Needs 

The Special Education Needs report examined whether the Ministry and school boards have adequate procedures to ensure special education programs and services comply with requirements and fulfill those students' needs.

The audit found that many students waited months for specialist assessments, with about one third of students waiting for over a year to be formally assessed. 

We also found that there was an absence of standard criteria and guidelines for identifying and supporting students.

Individual education plans often lacked measurable goals, were not sufficiently individualized, and did not consistently document input from parents or guardians. 

Educational assistant absences and vacancies went unfilled by a qualified substitute between 49% and 72% of the time, reducing available instruction and support. 

We found that students with special needs were sometimes sent home, or asked to stay home, without formally tracking the number, documentation, or rationale. 

Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Ontario Government

The report on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Ontario Government examined how AI systems are being used and procured across the Ontario Public Service (OPS).

The audit found OPS staff were accessing unsafe and unsecured AI websites, creating risks of potential unauthorized data exposure. Only three percent of OPS staff completed the responsible use of AI training, and it is not mandatory.

The OPS-approved generative AI tool, which provides a secure environment for data, was used 6% of the time that staff made use of generative AI.  

The report also identified weaknesses in procurement practices, including limited validation of vendor testing, as well as security assessment reports, bias testing, and live demonstrations of the AI Scribe systems for health care.

In addition, the audit found that The OPS AI strategy lacked many key components compared to other jurisdictions.

Across all four reports, the Auditor General emphasized the importance of clear oversight, consistent practices, and effective monitoring to help public programs and systems achieve their intended objectives. The Office will follow up on the implementation of these recommendations in two years' time.

Read the full reports at www.auditor.on.ca

SOURCE Office of the Auditor General of Ontario

For more information, please contact: [email protected], 416-504-1981