North Shore homeowners will face significant cost overruns on a new wastewater treatment plant, bearing a bigger financial burden than the rest of Metro Vancouver communities.
At a council meeting on May 31, Metro Vancouver board members decided that North Shore households will be billed $590 per year for the next 30 years. In contrast, households elsewhere in the region will pay between $80 and $150 per year, depending on their location. In Vancouver, for example, homeowners are on the hook for an extra $150 per year, while those in the Fraser area will have to pay an extra $90 per year.
Although North Shore homeowners will foot the biggest bill in Metro Vancouver, earlier plans called for residents to pay as much as $725. The decision has sparked widespread disappointment and frustration, with Coun. Pope even called for a probe into the North Shore Waste Water Treatment Plant fiasco.
Initially scheduled to open in 2020 for $500 million, the project’s budget has now ballooned to close to $4 billion, and it is expected to be completed in 2030. In April, Metro Vancouver said it plans to start construction on the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant Program following the thorough review by the Metro Vancouver Board Task Force. 
“We are disappointed, but we’ll move forward and reflect and then determine next steps to relieve the North Shore taxpayers of this impact,” said North Vancouver District Councillor Lisa Muri. The vote has also prompted calls for changes in how major infrastructure projects are funded, with City of North Vancouver Mayor Linda Buchanan emphasizing the need for a different approach.
Meanwhile, North Vancouver District Mayor Mike Little expressed disappointment with the decision in a statement posted on DNV website.
“I am disappointed with the Metro Vancouver Board’s decision on the regional cost allocations for the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant Program. We thought we had made a reasonable case for more assistance from the region since they were responsible for the project. That said, while we had hoped for a higher level of assistance, we do appreciate the region’s contribution,” he said.
“Now we must return our focus to cost containment, getting the project completed and working to understand exactly what happened with this project.”
More incompetence at so many levels! And as ALWAYS, we the taxpayers have foot the bill. We get a 10.5% increase in property taxes compounded after years of complacency. It’s time these Counselors and Mayor step down and let people that care about how our money is spent run the place. I would also say the same about several of the Staffers at NVC and DNV.
But, I doubt that will happen. They don’t think “they” are responsible.
Tony, I totally agree with you! Incompetent mayor and council get the golden handshake with we taxpayers footing the bill. All around incompetence in the permit department and the engineering department. Nobody at North and West Vancouver city halls – indeed, at any Greater Vancouver city hall – was paying attention! Shameful. Everyone involved should be fired without a golden handshake. This is the problem with government unions. You can’t get rid of the useless, incompetent employees!
What does any of this have to do with union worker?
THE NEED FOR Transparency at all levels of Government is needed.
In my view this fiasco lies with past councils
and Metro Vancouver.
To navigate this complex world we now live in it would be advisable that decision making elected officials have a solid background in problem solving techniques either in the executive private
sector or years of proven Government service that reflects solutions to problems.
I totally agree with you, Louise.
Not my idea but I like it. To help offset some of the cost, we should apply tolls at both bridges, for non North Shore visitors. So many visitors enjoy our beaches and add to our wastewater treatment issues.
You are kidding, right? Visitors to beaches do not add to our wastewater treatment issues? How do you propose to separate the visitors from the residents of the North Shore? The decision to have North Shore residents foot the bill indicate that, clearly, North Shore governments are at fault for this fiasco that they created by their indecision over what kind of treatment they wanted to build – primary, secondary, or tertiary sewage treatment.
An increased parking fee structure for non-North Shore residence could be one way to equalize the cost burden. This could be implemented at our parks and recreation facilities. North Shore residents could purchase an annual decal to be displayed on their vehicle which would allow them to park under the ‘residence’ tier parking fee.
People involved in this FIASCO need to be held accountable. This is appalling but no need to worry as we the public and tax payers will be on the hook for a mistake made by people in power.