Metro Vancouver asks for provincial help with governance review
Beleaguered water-and-waste-treatment provider facing questions over finances
The leader of the Lower Mainland's regional government will ask for provincial help with a governance review following scrutiny over a five-times over-budget wastewater treatment plant along with how it spends money on remuneration, expenses and travel.
"I think it's important that the government are working with us and making any suggestions that they have to changes," said Burnaby Mayor and Metro Vancouver Board Chair Mike Hurley on Friday.
"And that's why I'm very convinced that we need to have the provincial government involved in a governance review."
Hurley became the chair of the Metro Vancouver board last June with a promise to improve transparency and has since paused all international travel for board and committee members, pushed forward with a performance of the now $3.86 billion North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is five-times over budget and seven years late.
The additional governance review is meant to "explore the way the Metro Vancouver Board makes decisions, receives and shares information, and any potential efficiencies that could be explored through provincial legislation."
No timelines have been confirmed by Hurley about when results would be realized.
On Friday, Minister of Municipal Affairs Minister Ravi Kahlon said he has been keeping an eye on Metro Vancouver since assuming his additional role in Victoria in October and has met with the regional government "several times."
He confirmed his ministry will participate in Metro Vancouver's governance review but not cover costs.
"As long as it includes pay transparency and stipends as part of the transparency overview, then we will send a representative to make sure that there's full transparency for the public and that we're able to get good outcomes for the public," he said.
Kahlon also said the ministry would probably also include someone from outside government to participate as well "to give us a clear picture from the outside and also keep an eye on the entire review."
Ken Sim boycott
There are 41 board members for Metro Vancouver. On top of their municipal salaries, they earn $547 for Metro meetings of up to four hours and $1,094 for meetings longer than four hours. Daily remuneration is capped at $1,094.
Vancouver has seven of the 41 director seats, the most of the 21 member municipalities. This week, Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said he would boycott Metro Vancouver meetings.
"Metro Vancouver's governance is broken," he said in a statement from his office. "Moving forward, I will not be attending Metro meetings and supporting a system that lacks accountability."
Sim also applauded Richmond Coun. Kash Heed who told the media he wanted to decline meeting stipends.
"Metro Vancouver's costs to taxpayers and Vancouverites are out of control. We need real, meaningful change more than ever," said the Sim statement.
In response, Hurley told CBC News on Thursday that he was "very surprised" by Sim's public comments, considering he has never brought up the concerns at the "few" meetings he's attended.
"So that's why I'm rather surprised that you don't try to fix things from within first before you have to run out and make statements like that in the media," said Hurley.
Of the 39 possible meetings Sim could have attended in 2023 and 2024, he was present for 11, less than 30 per cent, according to meeting attendance records from Metro Vancouver.
"Vancouver has a lot of votes … and they can really make a big difference," said Hurley about Vancouver's influence on the board.
Heed was not appointed to any Metro committees in 2023 or 2024 and did not attend any board meetings in that time as an alternate, said Metro. For 2025, he is an alternate for Richmond's Coun. Chak Au.
Port Coquitlam director wants cuts
Also on Friday at the monthly Metro Vancouver Board meeting, Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West provided a lengthy notice of motion that, if approved by the board, would reduce the meeting stipend by 50 per cent and put in place other savings measures.
West's motion will be presented at the next board meeting on Feb. 28.
As well as potential cuts to meeting stipends, West's motion calls for a reduction in the number of Metro Vancouver committees by 50 per cent and an exploration of how the regional government could be reduced where there is municipal, regional, provincial and federal regulation overlap.
Metro Vancouver's budget for 2025 is $3.2 billion. On average, residents will pay $875 for all of Metro Vancouver's services ($73 per month) in 2025.
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