More professional, non-political oversight needed for Metro Vancouver, says review

Justin McElroy · CBC News

· Posted: May 21, 2025 2:40 PM EDT | Last Updated: 8 hours ago

An anticipated reappraisal into Metro Vancouver's governance is recommending much oversight of the determination government— but not by elected politicians. 

Consulting steadfast Deloitte has made 49 recommendations to amended the district's operations, the largest of which calls for a caller hybrid committee for the h2o and sewage committees, overseen by appointed directors who person absorption and taxable substance expertise.

"Metro Vancouver has outgrown its Board governance structure," reads the report, which was commissioned pursuing months of quality stories astir the oversight, outgo overruns and remuneration of the district's directors and elder staff.

"A caller Board and Committee operation is required to supply much effectual governance and oversight, to present a equilibrium of nonrecreational experience, and heighten decision-making and hazard management."

The reappraisal did not see questions related to Metro Vancouver's $4-billion wastewater attraction plant, which is much than 4 years down docket and has much than quadrupled successful fund since it was announced. 

WATCH | Metro Vancouver awaits governance review:

Provincial support required

Under the imagined reforms, which would necessitate provincial authorities approval, Metro Vancouver's patchwork of dozens of representatives from its 21 municipalities would clasp last oversight connected the wide board.

However, the boards overseeing the h2o and sewage functions that marque up much than 80 per cent of Metro Vancouver's fund would beryllium smaller and person appointed directors, akin to "a Crown oregon backstage assemblage inferior Board structure."

Those chairs, successful summation to the wide Metro Vancouver chair, could beryllium autarkic and should beryllium appointed to a four-year term, according to the report. 

The study acknowledges "this whitethorn make immoderate summation successful remuneration costs, but this could beryllium offset by the reduced size and improved governance and hazard management."

Deloitte besides had a fig of recommendations it called "quick wins that connection high-impact, low-effort solutions good wrong the scope and mandate of the Board," including amalgamating committees, eliminating the other compensation fixed to directors erstwhile a gathering goes implicit 4 hours long, and putting a headdress connected further meetings per year. 

The afloat report, which tin beryllium recovered here, volition beryllium presented to the Metro Vancouver Regional District connected Friday.

Metro Vancouver Chair and Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley did not perpetrate to pushing for immoderate circumstantial changes astatine an lawsuit connected Wednesday, but said helium would proceed to advocator for reforms.

"There's a agelong ways to spell yet," helium said, adding, "the changes that request to beryllium made volition beryllium made."

Initial reaction

While astir mayors CBC News reached for remark said they were inactive speechmaking the study and considering its implications, New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone, who stepped down from his relation connected the Metro Vancouver committee past year, posted connected BlueSky that "this is simply a bully report, connected archetypal review."

"A hybrid committee operation wherever we person taxable substance experts helping with oversight of the 'big money' discarded and wastewater files with autarkic chairs, portion a trimmed-down Metro Board continues its governance relation and practice is simply a promising idea."

Daniel Fontaine, a New Westminster councillor and a persistent Metro Vancouver critic, said the study validated galore of his concerns implicit the past year.

"The information that, incredibly, determination were 47 recommendations ... speaks volumes to simply however breached Metro Vancouver has been," helium said, portion pushing the provincial authorities to enactment rapidly to enact immoderate of the broader reforms. 

"They're lone going to beryllium capable to hap with the enactment of Premier Eby and the authorities successful Victoria. And to date, determination hasn't been a batch of involvement connected the portion of the premier to dive into this file."