Ontario’s Integrity Commissioner has launched an investigation into Northumberland Peterborough South MPP David Piccini.
Piccini, who is also the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development oversees the Skills Development Fund.
He has come under fire at Queen’s Park in recent months for his handling of the $2.5-billion fund.
Both the provincial New Democrats and Liberals have asked Integrity Commissioner Cathryn Motherwell to investigate Piccini, alleging he has breached ethics rules in handing out skills training funding.
The Skills Development Fund provides financial support for projects that boost workforce training, address labour shortages, and support economic growth in key sectors like skilled trades, tech, and healthcare.
Various media reports have said some beneficiaries of the fund are unions that endorsed the Progressive Conservatives in elections and people who have donated to the party.
One Skills Development Fund recipient, Keel Digital Solutions, which the minister has said received a lower score, is being closely scrutinized by critics, as media reports say one of its lobbyists is a close friend of Piccini’s.
The auditor general found that more than 60 of the lower-scoring applicants were approved after they hired a lobbyist, which had the opposition crying foul over what they call preferential treatment.
Piccini’s office says it is working with the integrity commissioner.
The minister has repeatedly defended his handling of the fund at Queen’s Park.
Motherwell’s office says it is investigating under the provisions of the Members Integrity Act.
“The requests asked the commissioner to determine whether David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development contravened sections of the act and Ontario parliamentary convention in selecting applicants to Rounds 4 and 5 of the Skills Development Fund training stream,” Motherwell’s office said in a statement.
Piccini spoke to Quinte News this week about the fund. His comments do not accept blame for wrongdoing.
Minister Piccini’s office says they are cooperating with the Integrity Commissioner on the investigation.
