North Shore residents shouldn’t have to foot the ballooning bill for the sewage plant project, especially if they don’t know why it went so high over budget.
That’s the opinion of District of North Vancouver Coun. Herman Mah, who says the “unfair” surcharge applied to local homeowners should be suspended until the independent review into the project’s massive cost overruns has been released.
Last year, Metro announced an independent review into why the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant has gone $3 billion over budget. The review was intended to be an accountability measure when the updated project triggered a flood of backlash for the regional authority.
But on Friday afternoon (July 25), Metro issued a statement stating it wouldn’t undergo the review until after its lawsuit with former contractor Acciona wraps up. That trial is scheduled to begin in March 2027.
Mah said the delay is unacceptable.
“Public trust and confidence in Metro Vancouver has been severely damaged and eroded by this debacle, and suspending the independent review now only makes it worse,” he said.
After news of the delay broke on Friday, Mah said he’s received emails and calls from fed up residents.
“Being asked to pay when we don’t know what happened and we don’t know the final amount … who would do that?” he said. “That’s a big ask that Metro Vancouver is asking of us.”
The update has increased the frustration level for North Shore homeowners, whose sewage bills are set to go up by an average of about $590 per year for the next 30 years, Mah said.
“If Metro Vancouver is not going to reinstate the independent review now, I think it’s only fair that Metro Vancouver also suspends the surcharge that the North [Shore] residents have to pay.”
Metro says it has shared 'substantial' information on cost overruns
While some information related to the new plant has been kept in closed meetings due to the ongoing legal action, Metro said it has shared “substantial” information on the cost increases.
Those reasons include alleged design and construction deficiencies from the previous contractor, inflation, volatile market conditions and the large number of infrastructure projects competing for resources in B.C., said Metro spokesperson Jillian Glover.
“The decision to pause the independent review does not change our intent to ensure full accountability and learning once the timing is appropriate, which will be after the court case concludes,” she said. “The litigation is a public process, and once the dispute with the former contractor has been resolved, the Metro Vancouver board and the reviewer would be in a better position to complete a review on any outstanding questions.”
Following Metro’s announcement of the delay, Premier David Eby said his provincial government would look over the justification for the delay.
The province will have more to say when that analysis is done, said a spokesperson from the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs.
“We know people want clarity on the situation with North Shore wastewater treatment plant,” the spokesperson said. “Elected officials are accountable to their community and constituents, and people expect them to be transparent.”
The ministry said it’s looking forward to discussing a “positive path forward” with the Metro Vancouver board.
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