Metro Vancouver says change coming after damning report

The Metro Vancouver Regional District has taken its first steps toward reform following a scathing audit that called for sweeping changes at the troubled organization.

At a board meeting Friday — the first since the report was made public — members voted to eliminate some costly perks and strengthen internal oversight.

Among the initial changes are the elimination of double meeting fees for board members, a scaling back of travel-related expenses, and a commitment to beef up Metro Vancouver’s auditing systems.

Board Chair and Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley said Friday’s meeting was about charting a path forward, even as opinions in the room were divided.

“With 41 people around the table… some felt the report didn’t go far enough, others thought it went too far,” Hurley told 1130 NewsRadio.

“That’s my job as chair — to bring those views together and ensure we’re moving in the right direction.”

The governance report, conducted by accounting firm Deloitte, came after public outcry over the ballooning costs of key infrastructure projects — most notably, the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant, which has soared to an anticipated price of nearly $4 billion, from an initial $700 million estimate.

The audit flagged Metro Vancouver’s board structure as “unwieldy,” criticized a lack of transparency, and recommended more than 40 changes, including the creation of a more streamlined governance model.

Hurley says Friday’s decisions will be formalized through a new bylaw at the board’s next meeting.

Meanwhile, work is already underway to form a Governance Committee that will begin reviewing the full list of recommendations.

“We’re taking applications now… and we hope to have that committee up and running by July,” said Hurley.

Hurley adds the goal is to have all meaningful changes in place before the next municipal election.

While the most immediate changes focus on compensation and oversight, broader reforms — like potential amendments to board composition — will likely require provincial legislation.

Hurley acknowledged that work will take time but insisted the board is moving “quickly.”