Public service watchdog calls for $14M budget increase amid 'steep' climb in complaints

The public sphere wholeness commissioner says her power needs a budget advance to call the growing pile of files on her desk, including hundreds being left unread.

Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner (PSIC) head Harriet Solloway, whose office investigates complaints mostly submitted by public servants, says she needs $14 million from the federal government, in addition to her office’s current budget of $8.2 million.

She says the funding boost is essential to keeping Canada’s whistleblowing and integrity system running in the wake of a massive increase in submissions to her office.

“Every single penny that I’m asking for can be justified by the workload that we currently have, and that we anticipate having," Solloway told As It Happens host Nil Köksal

Solloway's request was first reported by the Toronto Star.

She says PSIC has about 300 submissions that haven’t been reviewed, in addition to around 73 active investigations. Some of the 300 submissions are now over a year old.

In 2021, she says PSIC received 192 submissions and completed 157 of them. In contrast, the office received 680 and completed 558 in the 2025-26 fiscal year.

“We’ve been seeing a very steep, progressive climb over the last two to three years,” she said.

But she notes the increase in submissions isn't necessarily because of more wrongdoing in the public service.

“What I think is happening is that more and more public servants, and even members of the public, are becoming aware that PSIC exists."

PSIC was established in 2007 under the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act. The office can investigate submissions about potential wrongdoing in the federal public sector, as well as complaints about reprisal. The commissioner reports directly to Parliament, and her mandate covers most federal public sector organizations, including crown corporations. 

Solloway says her office's work isn't just about holding wrongdoers accountable.

"I can’t overstate the importance of deterrence," she said. "Knowing that there is an effective mechanism in place can help to avoid potential digressions."

Solloway pointed to recent investigations on harassment and mismanagement at the Parole Board of Canada and on a harmful leak at the Masqui Institution prison as examples of work her office does. PSIC can also investigate cases of financial mismanagement, she added.

She says PSIC used to be able to review disclosures of alleged wrongdoing within 90 days.

“People have submitted concerns to us, and we haven’t even been able to move past the stage to assess whether or not it falls within our mandate, much less to an investigation if warranted."

A pop-up notice on the PSIC website is telling potential tipsters to anticipate delays.

Solloway’s request for funding comes at a time of cuts to the federal public service.

"Canada’s government is committed to supporting the important work of the Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner," he said. "We recognize the important role the Office plays and will continue supporting its work."

He said the office's budget was increased in the 2024-25 and 2025-26 main estimates. The estimates went from approximately $6 million in 2024-25 to $7.9 million for 2025-26 and then just over $8 million for 2026-27.

"Additionally, to protect their independence, agents of parliament including the integrity commissioner were excluded from recent spending review exercises," he said.

The government may be hearing from Solloway soon, because she says she's not going to stay silent if her office doesn't get a funding boost

"Of course, the longer the period of time goes on where we don’t have that money, the more the load builds up, and the need becomes greater," she said.

"So I’m very, very hopeful that we will get the funds that we need, and if we don’t, I’m just going to have to ask again." 

Interview with Harriet Solloway produced by Leslie Amminson.

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