At its regular meeting on July 20, Council approved a motion requesting a provincial review of the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant project under Section 765 of the Local Government Act.
The motion was added as new business to the Council agenda and, following discussion, was approved unanimously.
Council’s motion supports similar unanimous requests from the City of North Vancouver, the District of North Vancouver, and the City of New Westminster. It asks the Inspector of Municipalities to review the project and examine the factors contributing to the project’s significant cost increases and delays.
Council also noted that any provincial review should be completed in a timely way and avoid unnecessary delay to the project.
Motion approved by Council
WHEREAS the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant (NSWWTP) project was originally budgeted at approximately $700 million and scheduled for completion in 2020, and is now projected to be completed in 2030 at an estimated cost of approximately $3.86 billion;
AND WHEREAS North Shore residents are expected to bear a disproportionately higher share of the project's costs than residents in many other Metro Vancouver municipalities;
AND WHEREAS Metro Vancouver has initiated an independent review of the project, while a review under Section 765 of the Local Government Act would provide an independent statutory process with powers unavailable to a non-statutory review;
AND WHEREAS Section 765 of the Local Government Act authorizes the Inspector of Municipalities to review matters relating to a regional district;
AND WHEREAS a review under Section 765 would provide an independent and transparent examination of the project, help strengthen public confidence, and enhance accountability in the governance and delivery of major regional infrastructure projects;
AND WHEREAS any provincial review should be undertaken in a timely manner while avoiding unnecessary delay to the project;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Council of the Corporation of the District of West Vancouver endorse the unanimous July 6 requests of the City of North Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver and the July 13 unanimous vote from the City of New Westminster to formally request that the Inspector of Municipalities exercise the authority provided under Section 765 of the Local Government Act to commence a review the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant project;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Inspector of Municipalities be requested to examine the factors contributing to the project's significant cost increases and delays, and provide recommendations to strengthen governance, transparency, accountability, financial oversight, and public confidence in the delivery of major regional infrastructure projects;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT copies of this resolution be forwarded to the Inspector of Municipalities, the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, Metro Vancouver, the City of North Vancouver, the District of North Vancouver, and all Metro Vancouver member municipalities.
Copies of the resolution will be sent to the Inspector of Municipalities, the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, Metro Vancouver, the City of North Vancouver, the District of North Vancouver, and all Metro Vancouver member municipalities.
Once the letter has been sent, a copy will be posted on the District’s website.
Watch the Council meeting video here.
For more information and background, visit westvancouver.ca/NSWWTP.