B.C.’s auditor general finds no conflict in CleanBC grants program after claim from Merritt-based truck maker

The Office of B.C.’s Auditor General says he found no conflict of interest in MNP’s administration of the CleanBC grant program.

In a statement issued Wednesday (Aug. 28) morning, Michael Pickup says the auditors’ examination was guided by three questions about the professional services firm carrying out the Advanced Research and Commercialization grant program.

The auditor general was directed by the B.C. government to examine a potential conflict of interest after Edison Motors, a Merritt-based electric-hybrid truck maker, claimed MNP was both administering a CleanBC grant and offering to provide services to aid businesses in applications.

The auditors say they heard from 71 respondents who submitted 109 applications for the CleanBC grant program: 29 applications received funding, 19 had decisions pending and 61 were unsuccessful.

In its report, the auditors say none of the 71 respondents reported that MNP wrote their CleanBC applications.

Of the 71 respondents, the auditors say 13 has reported that MNP provided advice or support for their application but that it was the firm’s grant administration team answering general questions.

Additionally, 13 say they were or had been MNP clients, but 12 of them used MNP for services other than grant writing while the other acquired grant-writing services for grants not administered by MNP.

However, three of the 71 respondents reported MNP had contacted them about grant-writing services.