Calls for B.C. auditor general to review wastewater plant fiasco

A group of municipal politicians is calling for a review into how a North Shore wastewater treatment plant went billions over budget.

Seven city councillors from across the Lower Mainland want auditor general Michael Pickup to investigate the cost overruns.

The currently unfinished project by Metro Vancouver was initially pegged at $500 million but that’s gone up to nearly $4 billion.

2:26 Metro Vancouver households to foot bill for $4B North Shore wastewater plant

The councillors said taxpayers saddled with paying that bill deserve to know what went wrong and the auditor general has the authority to investigate.

“There has to be some responsibility,” Kash Heed, a Richmond city councillor, told Global News. “Proper figures going forward.”

To pay for the project, Metro Vancouver voted to divide the costs across the region.

North Shore homeowners will pay the most, an extra $590 per year on their utility bills for 30 years.

“We only have one taxpayer here in British Columbia. We don’t have a multi-pot of money that we can depend on to cover these projects. So at the end of the day, the accountability has to be put in place,” Heed added.

2:43 Wastewater treatment plant debacle

• Wastewater treatment plant debacle
• Court documents shed light on wastewater treatment plant dispute
• Controversy over North Shore wastewater treatment plant budget
• Cost of North Vancouver wastewater treatment plant balloons
• New North Shore wastewater treatment plant to cost nearly $4B

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