“Simply put, this project is a mess, years in the making, and has been driven by a complete lack of financial discipline and transparency”
CITY of North Vancouver Mayor Linda Buchanan on Wednesday in a statement on behalf of the City Council in response to Metro Vancouver’s announcement of an independent review of the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant (NSWWTP) project demanded “an independent and public review.”
The statement said: “The Metro Vancouver Regional District has come to a crossroads. Major infrastructure projects are getting too big, too expensive and the funding model is unsustainable for the region’s taxpayers who are already facing growing financial pressures.
“North Shore residents will pay a disproportionate share of a disaster they did not cause. The cost allocation formula created decades ago never contemplated a cost overrun of this magnitude. Analysis of the impacts this project was going to have on people and household budgets, or meaningful conversations with municipalities to enable them to make informed decisions on their own budget planning, never took place.
“Too many decisions have been made behind closed doors, away from the public. Projects of this magnitude that we know will have a serious economic impact on people should be discussed in public whenever possible. The culture of silence must end. This organization has not upheld the level of transparency and fiscal responsibility that people who call our region home deserve. Multi-billion dollar projects should be discussed in open, should have oversight from experts reporting directly to the Board, and should be tied to specific budgets and asset management plans. This is critical in establishing accountability.
“On Monday June 17 City of North Vancouver Council unanimously supported a resolution that calls for an independent and public review as it relates to the NSWWTP. Further, it directs the Mayor on behalf of Council to submit a formal complaint to Metro Vancouver in regards to the cost and process surrounding the NSWWTP.
“Simply put, this project is a mess, years in the making, and has been driven by a complete lack of financial discipline and transparency. Yesterday the organization released a statement announcing that they would be initiating an independent review. This statement, however, is vague and falls short in committing to doing the hard but necessary work of examining the systemic issues within the organization that has brought us to this moment. Until this work is done all other major capital projects should be paused and the additional $2.8B for the NSWWTP should be found within the current budget.
“Any review or audit of Metro Vancouver must be independent, and report directly to the Board of Directors and be fully removed from any direction and influence of the organization. It should be accessible to the public. Yesterday’s announcement does not commit to this and is yet another distraction from the sweeping independent review of governance, process, and financial framework that is desperately needed.
“I hear the frustration from people as it relates to the Metro Vancouver Regional District, its spending, its governance, and its lack of transparency. I hear them, and I share their concerns, which is why I have pushed for the past 6 years for improved transparency, strengthened fiscal responsibility and increased collaboration between Metro Vancouver and municipalities.
“Our priority is to restore public trust and ensure every taxpayer is seeing good value for their dollar. I am confident that members of this Board, the public, and the many stakeholders who rely on us can come together and advance the systemic change we need to see in this organization. The time is now to shake up the status quo and begin a new chapter.”
