‘Metro Vancouver should not be a gravy train’: B.C. asked to partner in regional governance review

After much scrutiny, major changes are being proposed for the Metro Vancouver board's compensation.

The B.C. government may soon step in and help review the operations of Metro Vancouver.

Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley, chair of the Metro Vancouver board, put forward a motion Friday asking Victoria to partner with regional officials in a governance review.

He suggested seeking assistance from the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs .

In response, Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said the province is willing to review the organization as long as pay and stipends are addressed.

“We will not be covering the cost,” Kahlon added. “The cost will be by Metro Vancouver, but we will participate.”

Hurley’s motion was passed unanimously but a following motion from Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West could bring significant changes to how the board operates.

West read out a list of proposals that included slashing the meeting stipend by 50 per cent.

Currently, board and committee members are paid $547 for a meeting that last four hours. If the meeting goes beyond that, the pay spikes to $1,094. West plans to end the bump after four hours all together.

“I feel like I’ve disappointed folks and I’ve been thinking long and hard about that,” said West. “At the end of the day, you have two options: You do nothing or you can try and do something.”

West proposed creating a limit on director remuneration while also eliminating regional median-based automatic adjustments to meeting per diems and to chair and vice-chair remuneration.

The proposal would reduce of the total number of Metro Vancouver committees by a minimum of 50 per cent, and cut the number of meetings for which a stipend is paid by at least half as well.

West told CTV News his final point could have the largest impact on taxpayers. He is calling for a full-scale external core service review of Metro Vancouver Regional District, Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District, Greater Vancouver Water District and Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation.

Dylon Kruger, a Delta councillor, spoke to reporters outside the chambers on the motions and expressed his support for change.

“Metro Vancouver should not be a gravy train,” said Kruger. “Everybody is here, or should be here, at the table to make the region a better place.”

Daniel Fontaine, a New Westminster city councillor, believes the motions are a first step in addressing issues within the group, but said more could be done – and that the governance review should be independent of Metro Vancouver, and conducted “at arm’s length.”

“That is not what I saw proposed in the motion,” said Fontaine.

The vote on West’s motion is scheduled for Feb. 28.