According to the news release by the district, Sager sent a letter to the Inspector of Municipalities on Aug. 25 outlining a resolution passed unanimously by West Vancouver council at its July 20 regular meeting. The resolution asks the Inspector of Municipalities to exercise authority under Section 765 to begin a review of the project, including the factors behind its significant cost increases and delays.
The project was originally budgeted at approximately $700 million and scheduled for completion in 2020. It is now projected for completion in 2030 at an estimated cost of approximately $3.86 billion.
The resolution also states that North Shore residents are expected to bear a disproportionately higher share of the project’s costs compared with residents in many other Metro Vancouver municipalities. According to the news release, Metro Vancouver has already initiated an independent review, but council said a review under Section 765 would provide an independent statutory process with powers unavailable to a non-statutory review.
Council requested that the provincial review examine governance, transparency, accountability and financial oversight, and provide recommendations to strengthen public confidence in the delivery of major regional infrastructure projects. The resolution also requested that any provincial review be conducted in a timely manner while avoiding unnecessary delays to the project.
West Vancouver council endorsed earlier requests from the City of North Vancouver and District of North Vancouver, as well as a July 13 unanimous vote by the City of New Westminster, seeking a Section 765 review. Copies of the resolution were to be sent to the Inspector of Municipalities, the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, Metro Vancouver, the North Vancouver municipalities, and all Metro Vancouver member municipalities.
