The City of Richmond has decided not to hold a holiday staff party this year after allegedly spending $120,000 on 2024’s party.
The cost included about $80,000 for catering, $7,000 on liquor, $10,000 on entertainment including minigolf, a photo booth, and a professional photographer, and more than $1,800 on McDonald’s burgers for a snack at the end of the party.
The Epoch Times attempted to reach the city but did not hear back.
Carson Binda, director for the BC branch of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said it was “good news” that the holiday party is off.
“It’s good news for taxpayers that the city of Richmond isn’t going to stick them with another six-figure bill for a boozy Christmas party this year,” he said.
He also noted that the city had another alleged incident with $300,000 worth of gift cards to high-end restaurants that the municipality purchased going “missing.”
B.C. RCMP confirmed to The Epoch Times they were conducting an investigation into the missing gift cards, but did not provide further details.
Binda noted that prior to 2021, there was an oversight body for municipalities—the auditor general for local government—but that the provincial government did away with it.
The website said the office officially closed in March 2021.
Binda said that the Canadian Taxpayers Federation had collected more than 10,000 signatures on a petition that called on the province to bring back the auditor general for local government.
