Skip to content

Auditor General’s 2025 Annual Report on the Fraud and Waste Hotline

Read The Full Report
Photo of Toronto skyline

Benefits of the Fraud and Waste Hotline Program

  • Protect City assets
  • Reduce losses
  • Deter fraud, wrongdoing, and waste
  • Strengthen internal controls
  • Improve policies and procedures
  • Increase operational efficiencies
  • Identify trends and emerging issues, make results-oriented recommendations to management, and inform our Audit Work Plan

What’s New

  • One major investigation resulted in issuing a public report: Fraud Investigation Involving Multiple City of Toronto Electricity Accounts
  • Over the past few years, the Hotline received an increased number of complaints that are complex in nature.
  • Emerging risk related to change order fraud where City contractors were altering subcontractor documentation to inflate their fees and overbill the City.

Responsibility to Report Wrongdoing

The Disclosure of Wrongdoing and Reprisal Protection policy, part of the Toronto Public Service By-law, outlines the responsibility for employees to report wrongdoing.

All City employees who are aware that wrongdoing has occurred are required to immediately notify their manager, their Division Head, or the Auditor General’s Office. All of us play a crucial role in upholding our organization’s integrity and everyone’s vigilance helps keep the City of Toronto transparent and accountable.

By the Numbers – 2025 Annual Results

This is an infographic that provides key statistics for the Fraud and Waste Hotline program for 2025. In 2025, we received 697 complaints comprising approximately 1,150 allegations this year.

  • Almost 15,350 complaints received since 2002
  • Approximately 1,210 allegations received annually over the past five years
  • 33% of the 697 complaints reported were anonymous
  • Approximately 50% of all anonymous complaints were received through the secure online complaint form
  • 87 out of the 697 complaints resulted in an investigation by the Division, Agency, Corporation, or the Auditor General’s Office
    • 22 complaints investigated were substantiated
    • 13 complaints investigated were unsubstantiated
    • 52 complaints are pending an investigation outcome as the investigation is in progress
  • $4.5M actual loss, $38K potential loss, and $9K recovery from 2025 complaints substantiated and closed. These amounts are expected to increase as outstanding complaints are completed in the future.
  • $565K actual loss, $5.2M potential loss, and $381K recovery for previous year’s complaints substantiated and closed in 2025.