Vancouver Coastal Health caught breaking access to information laws
An audit by British Columbia Information and Privacy Commissioner Michael Harvey has exposed Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) for routinely flouting access to information laws during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Harvey's damning report, titled Vancouver Coastal Health Authority’s Duty to Assist, reveals an organization crippled by delays, misuse of time extensions, and failure to even acknowledge many of the requests it received.
VCH, chaired by Premier David Eby’s special health adviser Penny Ballem, was unable to process a staggering 75% of freedom of information requests between April 2020 and March 2023. The organization hasn’t even posted its 2023 financial information, despite paying its CEO, Vivian Eliopoulos, over $400,000 in 2022.
The pandemic was used as an excuse to explain these delays, but Harvey pointed out that compliance with the law is not optional — even in challenging times. Transparency is critical, especially when the government imposes life-altering public health restrictions. Yet VCH chose to operate behind a veil of secrecy, eroding the public’s trust.
To make matters worse, VCH was slow to adopt basic measures like e-transfer payments, which weren’t accepted until May 2023, adding unnecessary frustration to an already broken system. Meanwhile, key documents such as financial statements and health inspection reports were hidden from public view.
Harvey’s report notes some improvements in response times after escalating freedom of information matters to the executive level.
Sheila Gunn Reid
Chief Reporter
Sheila Gunn Reid is the Editor-in-Chief, Alberta Bureau Chief, member of the board of directors, and host of The Gunn Show at Rebel News. Sheila also serves as President of the Independent Press Gallery of Canada. A mother of three and longtime conservative activist, Sheila is the author of bestselling books, including her most recent release, Independence Blueprint: What Alberta Can Learn From Quebec.
https://mybook.to/sheila
