Metro Vancouver area councillors urge more provincial oversight of municipal spending

Four city councillors in the Metro Vancouver area have launched a petition asking the B.C. government for closer oversight of municipal spending in the province, amid a police investigation into alleged misuse of a city hall gift card program.

Richmond's Kash Heed, New Westminster's Daniel Fontaine and Paul Minhas, and Burnaby's Richard Lee say in an open letter to Premier David Eby that the province needs to either reinstate a specific office to oversee municipal spending or expand the auditor general's mandate to cover it.

The councillors cite media reports that hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent on gift cards in Richmond, B.C., with little oversight, as well as multiple instances of "questionable expenditures" at the Metro Vancouver Regional District.

Richmond RCMP says its serious crimes section has opened an investigation into the gift card case reported by Global News, which says Richmond spent more than $400,000 on the cards in three years.

"Speaking generally, when the Richmond RCMP receives a report or a complaint an investigation will be opened," the Richmond RCMP said in its statement. It added that an assessment of whether a matter involves elements of criminality "does not imply that an offence has occurred."

In a written response, provincial Municipal Affairs Minister Ravi Kahlon said B.C. is "not considering adding an additional oversight body at this time" but is committed to improving local "financial transparency and accountability."

"We are committed to a strong fiscal partnership with local governments, and we want public financial reports to be easy for people to access and understand," Kahlon said.

Along with the letter, the councillors have also launched an online petition on the issue, asking for public comment on what they would like to see from the province in terms of municipal spending oversight.

"Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident," the letter says about the Richmond gift card case. 

"Over the past year, Metro Vancouver has also faced public scrutiny over questionable expenditures, including lavish business-class travel, unnecessary sponsorships, and other spending that appears disconnected from the priorities of local taxpayers."

The letter also criticizes cost overruns and delays at the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant as another example of the need for provincial oversight of municipal spending.

"These examples reflect a broader systemic issue: the absence of consistent, independent financial oversight at the municipal and regional levels," the letter says.

The councillors said in the letter that they are looking to meet with Eby or his staff to discuss possible ways to oversee municipal spending in the province.

The petition website launched by the councillors said the office of the municipal auditor general was abolished in 2019, and oversight on spending has since become limited, with "inconsistencies in budget allocations" beginning to emerge.

"Reinstating this office or expanding the B.C. Auditor General's powers would provide a much-needed layer of oversight," the petition said. "It would help uncover mismanagement and ensure that public funds are utilized efficiently and responsibly." 

The petition said any increased oversight would both "enhance accountability" and "rebuild public trust in local governments across Metro Vancouver."