Gambling Awareness Foundation of Nova Scotia spends little on programs

A foundation that's supposed to spend part of the province's gambling revenue on awareness programs and problem-gambling researchdidn't give out a single grant last fiscal year, Nova Scotia's auditor general has found.

Michael Pickup is questioning whether the Gambling AwarenessFoundation of Nova Scotia is fulfilling its mandate.

"In the last two years, the entity has received over $1.2 million in funding, and has awarded grants totaling less than $200,000, none of which was awarded in the 2014-15 fiscal year," the auditor general's latest report says.

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Pickup said it is troublesome that his office learned of the moneyduring a routine audit review.

'A significant concern'

"It's not for us to question the policy behind why an organization exists,but when an organization exists and is given money to fulfil a certain mandate and an auditor raises the question about whether that's being done, I would say it's a significant concern," he said.

Pickup says it's up to the foundation and thegovernment to explain why money isn't going to what it is supposed to.

Interim NDP Leader Maureen MacDonaldsays the discoverycalls into question whether the governingLiberals really care about gambling addicts.

MacDonald says given the increase in video lottery terminalrevenue as a result of the elimination of the user-tracking My-Play cards, the province should be spending more on gambling help and research, not sitting on money.