Following an internal review and the termination of a city employee, the City of Richmond has reported nearly $295,000 in unaccounted-for gift cards, leading to a forensic audit and an RCMP investigation.
City spokesperson Clay Adams said the matter was referred to police after a routine review of the city’s gift card recognition program revealed inconsistencies.
The city has since ended the practice of awarding gift cards to employees.
Within two years, between Jan. 1, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2024, the city purchased approximately $446,000 worth of gift cards, according to its own records.
Around $120,000 was distributed for staff recognition, volunteer appreciation, and employee fundraising efforts, such as those supporting the United Way.
Another $31,000 in cards remains in the custody of the city’s human resources department.
That leaves approximately $295,000 in unreconciled purchases.
Following a personnel investigation, one employee was terminated.
Adams declined to provide further details but confirmed the city is continuing a forensic audit of all gift card transactions.
Additional information relating to the scale of the missing funds emerged after Global News obtained 493 pages of records through a freedom of information request.
The documents show the city spent far more on gift cards than previously reported: $156,000 in 2022, $218,000 in 2023, and $124,000 so far in 2024. Those figures contradict earlier claims by the city, which said it had spent $32,800 in 2022, $71,550 in 2023, and $71,300 in 2024.
Mayor Malcolm Brodie told CKNW radio he could not explain how the discrepancy went unnoticed for years.
“There are internal controls on everything at City Hall and how this could have, whatever happened, how it could have gone on for a number of years — I cannot, at this point, comment on,” he said. “I only assume that there’s been some kind of a breakdown.”
The city says its recognition programs are being restructured and will no longer involve the use of gift cards. “Recognizing and celebrating the contributions and achievements of individuals and teams remains an important part of the city’s employee recognition program,” said Adams.
The RCMP is currently investigating the disappearance of over a quarter of a million dollars worth of Richmond gift cards. The investigation is ongoing, and no charges have been laid at this time.