North Vancouver councillor calls for audit of skyrocketing wastewater plant costs

A North Vancouver city councillor is calling for an audit into the massive cost escalation for a new wastewater treatment plant serving the North Shore.

On Friday, the Metro Vancouver Regional District revealed the project’s cost had ballooned to a total of $3.86 billion, and that the project won’t be done until 2030.

The new price tag will leave North Shore households on the hook for about $725 each per year for 30 years.

District of North Vancouver Coun. Catherine Pope said details about how the project spiralled so far out of control have been kept confidential, something she wants to see change.

“It’s all on lockdown and total secrecy … we’ve all been kept in the dark except for the people who are on those committees, the Metro board of directors, the wastewater treatment plant people, committee and the special task force,” she told CKNW’s The Jas Johal Show.

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“I think there should at least be some sort of independent investigation with a very short turnaround time.”

Pope said she was not implying anything illegal happened, but said something went wrong and the public deserves to know how the project more than quadrupled in price.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has also called for an investigation into the project.

Metro Vancouver’s chief administrative officer told media Friday that there were multiple reasons for the cost overrun.

“Not only were there inflation challenges and labour challenges, and challenges as a result of COVID, there were also a tremendous number of deficiencies that needed to be corrected,” Jerry Dobrovolny said.

The new cost to complete the project puts it in the same ballpark as the $4.15-billion Massey Tunnel replacement project and the $4.01-billion Surrey-Langley SkyTrain project.

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North Vancouver NDP MLA and Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma said she would be reaching out to the regional district for more details on the “shocking” numbers.

“These numbers are very high. They could build a SkyTrain to the North Shore,” she said.

“I am incredibly concerned about the impact that this will have on families in North Vancouver. Families are already struggling under the pressures of affordability and the numbers that are being released by Metro Vancouver for this project are pretty significant.”

The surging price is the latest in a complex saga for the beleaguered facility, which will replace the existing 63-year-old facility beneath the Lions Gate Bridge.

Metro Vancouver terminated its public-private partnership contract with construction company Acciona Wastewater Solutions LP in 2021, citing delays and cost overruns.

Acciona subsequently sued the regional district, claiming it had been given an unsuitable site alleging “conflicting and error-ridden” construction specifications resulting in necessary mid-build changes.

Final costs to taxpayers are still subject to change and are due to be discussed at the Metro Vancouver board’s April budget meeting.