B.C. politicians ask for audit of wastewater treatment plant - Action News
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British Columbia

B.C. politicians ask for audit of wastewater treatment plant

Seven local city councillors from five jurisdictions are urging B.C. auditor general Michael Pickup to look into delays and massive cost overruns.

North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant cost has ballooned nearly 450% and been delayed by a decade

A construction site with a crane, heavy equipment and a sunset in the background, shows the very early stages of the plant's construction.
A photo taken in the winter of 2021 shows construction underway at the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant. (Submitted by Acciona)

A group of local politicians fromB.C.'s Lower Mainland is asking the provincial auditor general to investigate how the cost of a wastewater treatment plant could balloon to $3.86 billion.

Seven local city councillors from five jurisdictions said in a statement they are urging Michael Pickup to look into the delays and cost overruns, saying he has the jurisdiction because the province put $200 million toward the project.

The original cost of the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant was $700 millionin 2018, and it was expected to open in 2020, but the MetroVancouverregional district fired the contractor in 2021 over construction delays.

Surrey Coun. Linda Annis, one of those asking for the audit, says the megaproject's mismanagementis staggering, and MetroVancouvertaxpayers deserve to know how it went wrong and why they are stuck with the bill for the next 30 years.

BurnabyCoun. Richard T. Lee says there hasn't been any accountability for the nearly 450 per-cent cost increase from the original budget.

A statement from the auditor's office says it did receive the request, and because there is provincial involvement, it would be something the office could look into, but its policy is not to discuss work under consideration for an audit.

Corrections

  • A previous version of this story identified Richard T. Lee as a Richmond, B.C. councillor. He is, in fact, a councillor in Burnaby.
    Jun 14, 2024 9:25 AM PT