Head of North Bay used card for cigarettes, golf memberships, dog treats: report
The mayor of an Ontario city is under scrutiny after a Freedom of Information (FOI) request revealed he charged a range of personal expenses—including cigarettes, golf memberships, and dog treats—to the city’s corporate credit card.
The documents revealed that North Bay Mayor Peter Chirico spent $16,000 on personal items in 2023 and 2024, all paid for with the city’s corporate card, CTV News reported.
Expenses included gas, car washes, more than $3,200 in seasonal golf memberships at Osprey Links, golf carts, snacks, soft drinks, dog treats from PetSmart, North Bay Battalion hockey tickets, beer and wings at a hockey game, and Du Maurier Select cigarettes. Other charges included car repairs, meals with community representatives, and gifts for city officials.
City resident Nicole Peltier obtained the documents through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, according to the CTV News report.
“On the back of one of the LCBO receipts from December for Christmas, Peter Chirico wrote John S., Gord Y. and Linda, his assistant,” Peltier said, according to the report.
“So he bought them almost $50 bottles of alcohol each.”
The documents are available here.
Expenses 'under review' by integrity commissioner
John Severino, the city’s chief administrative officer, verified all expenses through the city’s travel and expense policy, according to the documents.
“Out of respect for the process, I will not be commenting at this time, as the matter is currently under review by the integrity commissioner,” Severino wrote in an email to CTV News.
Meanwhile, city council has voted not to hire an independent auditor to probe Chirico’s expenses, according to the report.
The article noted that the city’s travel and expense policy reads, in part:
“In order to qualify as a reimbursable expense, it must be demonstrated that the expense is in line with council policies, is justified as a city business requirement, is documented on appropriate city forms with clear receipts attached, and is reasonable and conservative and in line with public sector norms.”
Previously, a former Apple employee was sentenced to three years in jail for his role in a $17 million fraud scheme.
‘He should resign’
Chirico has since repaid the expenses. However, Peltier said that he should no longer be holding his position.
“Do not use the city’s credit card as your personal line of credit or to make your public image more elevated,” Peltier said, according to the CTV News report.
“He should resign, or at the very least council needs to vote to suspend him and dock his pay.”
SaskPower previously lost $27,000 to employee theft. Meanwhile, one British Columbia hotel worker was previously fired for a $14 theft.
How to deal with possible employee theft
CaseIQ, provider of secure and anonymous whistleblowing solutions, notes that employers can properly respond to employee theft by taking the following steps:
- Ensure your evidence of employee theft is strong.
- Consider immediate termination of the employee for theft.
- Notify authorities after discovering employee theft.
- Keep the theft incident confidential among employees.
- Have a backup plan to contact authorities if the employee leaves immediately.
