WEST VANCOUVER, B.C.: Conservative MLAs are calling out the BC NDP government for standing by as Metro Vancouver quietly cancels its independent review of the disastrous North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant project, now ballooning to a staggering $4 billion.
“This is an outrageous failure of transparency,” said Lynne Block, MLA for West Vancouver – Capilano. “Metro Vancouver’s decision to shelve this review sends the wrong message to taxpayers, one that says accountability doesn’t matter. Premier David Eby has had a year to act, yet he continues to play political games instead of calling a public inquiry. The people footing the bill deserve clear answers.”
The troubled project was initially budgeted at $700 million when the contract was signed with Acciona in 2019. After costs surged to $1 billion, Metro terminated the agreement in 2021. The price tag has since skyrocketed to $4 billion. Acciona is suing Metro Vancouver, which in turn is countersuing.
Concerns are now mounting that a confidential settlement between Acciona and Metro could include non-disclosure agreements, blocking the public from ever knowing what went wrong.
Block stressed that the real problem is not the cancellation of Metro’s flawed internal review, but the BC NDP government’s refusal to use its authority under section 764 of the Local Government Act to launch a full public inquiry.
Tony Luck, MLA for Fraser-Nicola and Official Opposition critic for Municipal Affairs, signalled serious concerns about the potential that a non-disclosure agreement is being considered between Metro Vancouver and Acciona. “We do not want a non-disclosure agreement. The public deserves to know exactly what happened to get to this point. The provincial government has taken an entirely hands-off approach, and taxpayers deserve better.”
MLA Block concluded, “The BC NDP cannot allow Metro Vancouver to bury this mess behind closed doors. The Premier has the authority under the Local Government Act to call a public inquiry. It’s time to stop stalling and start acting.”
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Media Contact: Ryan Painter Director of Communications Conservative Caucus of B.C. ryan.painter@leg.bc.ca