Metro Vancouver is under fire for launching an investigation into an internal leak rather than addressing serious financial concerns at the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant, where costs are now billions of dollars over budget.
Councillor Catherine Pope says the decision exposes misplaced priorities at the highest level.
“The Metro Board has its priorities backwards. Instead of investigating what’s gone wrong with the wastewater plant and fixing it, it’s spending taxpayers’ money hunting down a whistleblower.”
The probe—first reported by Global News—focuses on leaks related to executive staffing decisions and turmoil within the senior leadership. Global News has reported that Metro Vancouver hired an outside law firm to investigate how internal information has been reaching the media.
Pope says the response, approved by Metro Vancouver’s 41-member board, points to a broader failure of leadership.
“Let’s be clear—this is public money, public governance, and this is a waste of taxpayers’ money. At a time when residents are worried about affordability and paying their utility bills, using taxpayer dollars to investigate a leak is completely out of touch.”
She warns the move also risks sending a chill to staff and the public: don’t speak up, and don’t ask questions. “Well, you don’t rebuild public trust by shooting the messenger—you do it by welcoming scrutiny and being transparent.”
Six directors from Surrey City Hall have also sent a letter to Metro Vancouver condemning the investigation, according to Global News. Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke told Global News she is “absolutely not in favour of them wasting that money on a witch hunt.”
The cost of the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant has climbed from an original estimate of about $700 million to nearly $4 billion. Metro Vancouver terminated its contract with original builder Acciona Wastewater Solutions LP in 2021, and the two sides remain locked in litigation.
