The government has been spending millions of Ontario tax dollars on iPads, smartphones and cameras after discovering that some contractors were not being entirely truthful, CTV News Toronto has learned.

The contractors, hired by the province for winter maintenance, were not submitting accurate information about weather and road conditions, according to the auditor general’s latest report. The government’s solution was to purchase equipment so they could have proof.

The government relies on the private winter contractors to report on whether they’ve laid enough salt, plowed enough snow and have completed the job they’re expected to do. But the auditor found that the contractors were giving inaccurate information while continuing to be paid millions.

“A contractor needs to recognize that they're a taxpayer too," Ontario auditor general Bonnie Lysk said at a news conference about highway contractors earlier this week.

Lysk’s report revealed “over 200 instances of contractors submitting inaccurate information to the ministry.”

The government decided that in order to “help obtain information required to verify road conditions reported by patrollers,” they would buy 70 dashboard cameras, 69 smartphones and 12 tablets. Millions more in tax dollars were also spent on new surveillance systems to keep an eye on contractors.

They installed 66 stand-alone roadside cameras, 16 weather cameras, 20 new oversight staff to monitor conditions and 19 inspectors.

"It was clear from last year’s audit that we had work to do. So the direction I gave to the ministry was use all the tools available, use all the resources available to responsibly deliver on the kind of winter maintenance program that the people of Ontario expect and deserve. And I believe we’ve made great progress, but I know we still have more work to do,” Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca said.

Del Duca was the one who asked the auditor to look into the issue last year. His ministry has implemented 84 per cent of the recommendations to fix winter road maintenance issues, he said.

“Fundamentally, it’s my responsibility as minister of transportation, to make sure that we have a winter maintenance program that’s functioning and that’s functioning appropriately and that’s what I’ve been focused on,” Del Duca said.

But the opposition was quick to pounce on the findings.

“It’s unfortunate that we’re having to shell out money for phones and tablets and dashboard cams for things that should have already been reported. Again, it’s another example of Liberal mismanagement costing you and I tens of thousands, if not millions of dollars,” Progressive Conservative MPP Michael Harris said. “The Liberal government rewards this kind of behavior … this is what they do with your money.”

However, Del Duca said it’s better to buy the extra equipment to make sure the roads are being cleared properly than to have a motorist in Ontario injured because of icy roads.

While the minister said the contractors bear some responsibility, he said he was the one ultimately responsible for the road conditions. The auditor, however, said there should be better behaviour from contractors hired by the taxpayers.

- With files from Paul Bliss.