North Shore coalition rises over concern of skyrocketing wastewater treatment plant costs

Seven community associations on the North Shore have joined forces in a bid to secure funding and demand transparency amid skyrocketing cost projections for Metro Vancouver’s Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Uniting under the banner of the North Shore Neighbourhoods Alliance (NSNA), a spokesperson for the coalition says it was established to gather “valuable” perspectives from community organizations operating across North and West Vancouver.

“There’s a lot of concern,” Daniel Anderson told CityNews. 

“People are looking at their futures and the rising cost of living … recognizing … this is a problem because it sets a precedent for how Metro Vancouver deals with future projects.”

Anderson says the NSNA has two large objectives.

The first is to secure increased financial contributions from federal and provincial governments to alleviate the some of burden facing taxpayers.

“When the cost was pegged to the $700 million mark, early on the project, the commitments from both those government partners amounted close to 60 per cent of the cost.”

With projected costs now ballooning to over $3.86 billion, the NSNA would like to see those financial assurances “keep pace.”

“Otherwise, North Shore residents are looking at massive bills over the next thirty years,” he said.

Under a revised cost-sharing agreement finalized earlier this month, North Shore residents are looking at paying an additional $590 annually. Residents living in areas service by the Vancouver sewerage will see an increase of $150, and property owners in the Lulu Island and Fraser sewerage areas face $80 and $90 upticks.

The NSNA’s second objective is to join growing calls for an independent public-led inquiry into what led to the cost overruns.

“This is one project, and Metro Vancouver is going to continue operating. If such errors are made again, it might not just be North Shore residents who are on the hook.”

“It’s not like a giant earthquake hit this wastewater treatment plant. This is the result of human error and we need to figure out what went wrong.”

Last week the Metro Vancouver Regional District said it would begin conducting its own independent review.

Anderson also highlights that Metro Vancouver’s current $3.86 cost estimate appears to exclude expenses related to decommissioning the existing Lions Gate Sewage Treatment Plant and potential soil remediation.

“We also have to consider the operational costs once the site is up and running, and that also does not appear to be represented in the figure that we are now seeing,” he explained. “We don’t really know the price tag.”

In the coming weeks, NSNA representatives plan to engage with elected officials and candidates at both federal and provincial levels to advocate for assistance. The coalition has ensured the responses, or lack thereof, will be made public.