Opposition MLAs are calling on the provincial government to launch a public inquiry after Metro Vancouver cancelled its independent review of the troubled North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant project, now expected to cost $4 billion.
In a press release on Tuesday, West Vancouver–Capilano MLA Lynne Block said Metro Vancouver’s decision undermines accountability for taxpayers. “Metro Vancouver’s decision to shelve this review sends the wrong message to taxpayers, one that says accountability doesn’t matter,” Block said. “Premier David Eby has had a year to act, yet he continues to play political games instead of calling a public inquiry.”
The wastewater treatment project, located in North Vancouver, was first budgeted at $700 million in 2019. Costs climbed to $1 billion before Metro terminated its contract with Spanish builder Acciona in 2021. The latest estimate places the price tag at $4 billion. Acciona is suing Metro Vancouver, which has filed a countersuit.
Conservative MLAs warn that any settlement could involve non-disclosure agreements, raising fears that the public may never learn what led to the overruns and delays. Fraser-Nicola MLA Tony Luck, the Opposition critic for Municipal Affairs, said transparency must take priority. “We do not want a non-disclosure agreement. The public deserves to know exactly what happened to get to this point,” Luck said.
Block added that the province has the authority under section 764 of the Local Government Act to order a full inquiry. She urged Premier Eby’s government to act, saying the NDP cannot allow the issue to be “buried behind closed doors.” The North Shore project, billed as critical to meeting federal wastewater regulations, has faced repeated delays, legal disputes, and spiraling costs since its launch.
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