Health Minister Lela Evans strongly criticized the billing practices of a company that supplied travel nurses to the province during a press conference on Tuesday. Describing the situation as “egregious,” Evans expressed deep concern over the revelations that had come to light. The minister’s comments came in response to a recent CBC Investigates report that raised questions about the billing of electric vehicle rentals to taxpayers by a nursing agency.
Evans, speaking from Confederation Building in St. John’s, addressed reporters just hours after the CBC report was published. She described the new information as “disturbing” and “upsetting.” According to documents obtained by CBC Investigates through access to information, Canadian Health Labs (CHL) submitted invoices to the local health authority in 2023, indicating charges for an electric vehicle rental for a travel nurse, in addition to billing for taxi services, a separate car rental, and flights out of the province for the same nurse.
Moreover, charges for EV rentals were reportedly billed in the names of at least five other nurses even after they had already been billed for airline tickets to leave Newfoundland. The extent to which these multiple expenses were allowed under the agency’s contract with the health authority remains unclear. Notably, the auditor general had previously highlighted concerns about the lack of oversight, as health authority staff approved the invoices without reviewing the contract, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the billings.
In response to the allegations, CHL stated that they had conducted an internal review and were confident that the billing to the health authority was accurate. The issue of electric vehicle rentals had previously been flagged in a report by the auditor general, which suggested potential billing fraud. Subsequently, health officials initiated a forensic audit to examine all payments made to Canadian Health Labs, totaling $73.6 million over the period from 2022 to 2024. The audit is currently ongoing as authorities aim for a thorough investigation.
Minister Evans emphasized the importance of a comprehensive audit process to ensure accuracy and transparency. The release of the audit report to the public is pending the completion of the investigation, with legal considerations being taken into account. Evans expressed a commitment to sharing the findings with the public once any legal matters are resolved to shed light on potential mismanagement of funds in the past. She also hinted at the audit potentially uncovering mismanagement during the previous Liberal government’s tenure.
In response, the Opposition Liberals defended their actions, stating that they promptly addressed the concerns raised by the auditor general during their time in office. The situation continues to evolve as the investigation progresses, awaiting further details to be disclosed to the public.