B.C. housing provider's interim CEO plans to rebuild trust after conflict-of-interest controversy

The Atira Women's Resource Society says it has named a new interim CEO after former head Janice Abbott stepped down amid a conflict-of-interest controversy involving her husband, former B.C. Housing CEO Shayne Ramsay.

Atira says Catherine Roome is an experienced leader in both the public and private sectors and will head the organization until a permanent replacement for Abbott is found.

The supportive housing provider's board chair Elva Kim says recruiting Roome is part of its effort to "restore public confidence'' in the housing provider after Abbott's departure earlier this month.

Roome says she looks forward to working to "reset and renew'' the situation at Atira and ensure its work to protect women, children and gender-diverse people continues.

"I realized that Atira is so important to this community of vulnerable people that this was a time to step up," Roome said Tuesday on CBC's On The Coast.

She said Atira's board of directors has tasked her with specific goals, including getting the organization's financial house in order and working on "operational excellence" with a focus on tenant safety.

Roome said the board is also instigating a whistleblower policy so employees can come forward if conflict issues arise. 

"We are on the right path. This is the beginning of resetting that break in trust that is so clear to everyone," said Roome.

Atira says it's committed to rebuilding trust with the government, forming a task force to undertake a review of policies around real estate and conflicts of interest.

It says it's supportive of an upcoming review by auditing firm KPMG and has also returned nearly $2 million in funding to the provincial government after an investigation of B.C. Housing found Ramsay had improperly steered funding to his wife's organization.