Green Fund Exec Admits to Awarding $400K in COVID Relief to Company in Which He Had a Direct Interest

Guy Ouimet says he voted on two occasions to award pandemic relief grants to his associates at Lithion Recycling Inc.

The Canadian flag flies near the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on June 17, 2020. Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press

The director of a federal foundation mandated to fund “green” environmental research and technology has acknowledged that he voted to award $393,805 in grants to a Quebec company in which he had a direct interest.

“We had a situation where there was $20 million for emergency COVID support and a program was set up,” testified Guy Ouimet at the House of Commons Industry Committee. “We all declared conflicts of interest. Well, not everyone. Not all directors are in conflicts of interest all the time. I don’t want to give that impression.”