From 2022 to 2025, the North Shore Wastewater Plant project team identified more than 1,500 concrete deficiencies and numerous design conflicts, according to Metro Vancouver.
According to Metro Vancouver, the discoveries followed the termination of the original design-build contractor, Acciona Wastewater Solutions LP, in early 2022 for breaches related to the project schedule. AECOM Canada Ltd. took over as designer of the treatment plant that same year and has since completed all major design deliverables.
“The North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant is an inherently challenging project, compounded by the fact that its construction and design contractors must safely integrate new work with what was completed by the former design-build contractor,” said Jillian Glover, program manager for media relations and issues management at Metro Vancouver.
Glover said Metro Vancouver and the project team have worked since 2022 to identify issues in the original design and construction, make repairs, and integrate the construction of the final design with previously completed work.
“The majority of repairs to the previous contractor’s work have now been made, and the team works collaboratively to address any issues that arise during construction. The project is on track to be completed within its overall budget and schedule,” Glover said.
Costs balloon to $3.86 billion
The updated cost of $3.86 billion represents an increase of $2.8 billion from the previous budget of $1.058 billion established in 2020. The original cost estimate was $700 million in 2013.
According to Metro Vancouver, the cost increase is attributable to the significant rework required to address design and construction deficiencies left by the terminated contractor, the cumulative effect of inflation on construction and labour costs, volatile market conditions, and the large number of infrastructure projects competing for resources across the province.
Rate impacts across the region
In 2025, the average household saw sewerage rate increases of $118 in the North Shore Sewerage Area, which includes West Vancouver and the District and City of North Vancouver. The Vancouver Sewerage Area, covering Vancouver, UBC and parts of Burnaby and Richmond, saw increases of $150 per household. The Lulu Island Sewerage Area, comprising most of Richmond, faced an $80 increase, while the Fraser Sewerage Area, covering most other Metro Vancouver communities, saw a $90 increase.
From 2026 to 2029, the North Shore Sewerage Area will see additional average increases of $118 per household each year, Metro Vancouver says.
Metro Vancouver says the new treatment plant will benefit the entire region by protecting the marine environment, and as a result, costs are being shared regionally. The North Shore Sewerage Area pays 37 per cent of the program’s increased costs, while the rest of the region pays 63 per cent.
The North Shore area’s amortization period is 30 years, while the other three sewerage areas have a 15-year amortization period. To reduce short-term impacts, costs for the North Shore Sewerage Area will be phased in over five years, according to Metro Vancouver.
Whether these costs appear in utility rates, property taxes, or a combination varies by municipality. Metro Vancouver does not directly bill customers, so costs per household may vary based on how rates are distributed by individual municipalities.
Construction continues
Metro Vancouver is proceeding with delivering the program as quickly as possible, with PCL, the construction manager, continuing work at the treatment plant site.
Concrete work is a key activity over the next year to establish foundations and build walls and other major structures. Significant work, both inside and outside the facility, will follow to install 40,000 metres of piping, 650,000 metres of electrical cabling, and the equipment needed to run the plant and treat wastewater.
Final work will include commissioning the plant by testing treatment processes and equipment, connecting it to the wastewater system, and bringing it online. Restoration and landscaping will be completed on the site and along West 1st Street, including the Pemberton Plaza area.
Local community groups have raised concerns, and Councillor Catherine Pope has repeatedly called for transparency and accountability on the fiasco.
Thanks Gillian for nice glossy spin on the cost overruns which should have been caught by the project managers long before it ever got to this point.This is another glaring example of the incompetence running amuck in Metro starting at the top a filtering to the bottom