$3.86B North Shore wastewater project could cost taxpayers across Metro Vancouver
Taxpayers across Metro Vancouver could be footing part of the ballooning bill for a costly wastewater project in North Vancouver.
At a Wednesday budget workshop, Metro Vancouver board members discussed The North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant – a $3.86 billion dollar project – and whether its cost should be shared by taxpayers who don't live on the North Shore.
The plant was initially scheduled for completion by December 2020 at a cost of $500 million. Metro Vancouver fired the original contractor, Acciona Wastewater Solutions, in October 2021, at which point the project's estimated cost had increased to more than $1 billion.
If the taxpayer burden of the project is only borne by people who live on the North Shore, it would cost households an average of an extra $725 annually for the next 30 years.
At Wednesday’s meeting, District of North Vancouver Mayor Mike Little, said he doesn’t believe his part of the region should bear the full brunt of the expensive project.
“It’s not really fair for the North Shore municipalities to carry such a heavy load,” Little said. “We’re asking for help from our neighbours to carry that.”
If the cost of the project is split between municipalities across Metro Vancouver households would see about a $140 annual bill, according to Little.
Adriane Carr, a Vancouver city councillor, said she’d like to see an equitable outcome for taxpayers.
“Is it fair to burden those people on the North Shore with really big rate increases?" Carr asked. “Or should we each take a little bit of an increase and make it fair for them.”
Another option the board considered was front-loading the costs instead of spreading them out across multiple decades – a move that would have an immediate impact on taxpayers.
“My recommendation is that it would work if there’s wider distribution,” said Jerry Dobrovolny, commissioner and chief administrative officer of Metro Vancouver.
At the end of Wednesday’s meeting, the board decided to defer the decision to a later date.
The plant is expected to serve more than 300,000 residents and businesses in the City of North Vancouver, the districts of West Vancouver and North Vancouver, the wx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation).
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Princess Anne to take part in B.C. ceremony bringing new ship into Pacific fleet
Canada's first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel will officially be brought into the Pacific fleet today and Princess Anne, the sister of King Charles, is scheduled to take part in its commissioning ceremony.
NEW Biscuits with possible plastic pieces, metal found in ground pork: Here are the recalls for this week
Here are the latest recalls Canadians should watch out for, according to Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
More than half of Canadians say freedom of speech is under threat, new poll suggests
A new poll suggests a majority of Canadians feel their right to freedom of speech is in danger.
How falling for a stranger she met on a beach led this woman to ditch the U.S. for the French Riviera
Niki Benjamin, from the U.S., had travelled to a paradise island to do some soul searching, and her life ended up going in a very different direction when her dog ran up to a stranger.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Feds giving Toronto more than $104M to host 2026 FIFA World Cup
The federal government will provide Toronto just over $104 million in funding to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Police move in to clear NYU encampment, U.S. campus arrests grow to 2,200 in pro-Palestinian protests
Police moved in to clear an encampment at New York University on Friday at the request of school officials, a move that follows weeks of pro-Palestinian protests at college campuses nationwide that have resulted in nearly 2,200 arrests by police.
Wally, the emotional support alligator once denied entry to a baseball game, is missing
Emotional support animal registrations in the United States reached 115,832 last year, by an industry group’s count. But in the eyes of reptile rescuer Joie Henney, there’s only one: 'Wally Gator.'
Parents of infant who died in wrong-way crash on Ontario's Hwy. 401 were in same vehicle
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit has released new details about a wrong-way collision in Whitby on Monday night that claimed the lives of four people.