Metro Vancouver to ‘initiate’ independent review of North Shore treatment plant

After weeks of increasing pressure, the Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD) says it will begin an independent review of the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Last week, seven regional city councillors, representing five different cities, penned an open letter calling on B.C.’s Auditor General to conduct an independent review of Metro Vancouver and the ballooning cost of the plant.

Three months ago it was revealed the estimated cost of building the facility had jumped by $700 million to $3.86 billion.

George Harvie, chair of the MVRD, shared in a statement Tuesday that the board has heard the concerns about the cost blow-out.

“We are acutely aware of the concerns around how the updated costs to deliver the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant Program will impact residents of this region,” he explained.

“Since announcing the cost estimate for the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant Program, we have heard concerns about whether Metro Vancouver is managing costs effectively for the public. We take these concerns seriously and as such, as the Chair of the Board, I am initiating an independent review of the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant Program costs,” Harvie added.

The massive increase in cost was in part due to a switch in contractors, increased construction costs, and inflation. North Shore residents were previously facing possible increases to their annual utility bills of $725 to cover the excess costs. Under the new cost-sharing agreement, agreed to earlier this month, residents will now see an increase of $590 annually.

Residents living in areas serviced by the Vancouver sewerage area will see an increase of $150 annually, while those living in the Lulu Island and Fraser sewerage areas will see annual impacts of $80 and $90 respectively.

Earlier this week, the district’s spending caught the eye of B.C.’s premier. The latest talking point was focused on international trips, high salaries, and questions over sufficient oversight, and how much money the head bureaucrat makes.

Documents from the MVRD show Chief Administrative Officer Jerry Dobrovolny makes more than Premier David Eby and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, combined. Dobrovolny’s annual remuneration plus benefits topped out at more than $700,000 in 2023.

In a statement Tuesday, Dobrovolny shared that after he was hired in 2019, he and his team “immediately reviewed” the district’s practices, “which resulted in improvements.”

“The current environment for delivering major infrastructure projects is very challenging, and it’s important that we take a realistic approach to estimating the cost of these projects so that we can provide the region with enough lead time to plan for how the costs will be managed,” he explained.

“It is extremely important to me that the public trust the work that Metro Vancouver does — we pride ourselves on being the foundation of what makes this region livable by delivering world-class drinking water and by applying innovation to our wastewater system to protect human health and the Salish Sea, as well as adapt to climate change impacts.

“I am confident in the process improvements I have implemented and welcome an independent review of the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant Program costs as initiated by the Board Chair.”