The Metro Vancouver Regional District does exceptional work every day.
We deliver some of the world’s best drinking water to your tap, and make sure the waste in your toilets, recycling bins and garbage cans is properly taken care of. Maybe you’re one of over 10,000 people benefiting from our high-quality non-market housing, or one of millions who connect with nature through our incredible regional parks.
Though we do many things well, there’s always room for improvement. That’s why since being elected chair of Metro Vancouver’s board of directors last year, I’ve initiated a series of reviews to show us how we can do better as we continue to deliver the services that the region’s over three million residents—more than half the province’s population—depend on.
Last week, we received a detailed report resulting from an independent review of the board’s structure, compensation and decision-making processes. The board governance review’s 49 recommendations focused on areas like board size and structure, appointing a governance committee, adjusting compensation, streamlining standing committees and strengthening the organization’s internal audit function.
Overall, the report showed that our existing model, that has worked for decades, is strained by economic pressures and population growth. None of the recommendations are a silver bullet, but when taken together, they can help us respond to today’s realities and challenges.
With these findings and recommendations, we can take meaningful actions to strengthen how we govern and serve our region.
We’re now recruiting experts for the governance committee that will include representatives from across the region to guide the board’s efforts. I expect this committee will have its first meeting in the coming months.
We’re also taking immediate steps to strengthen our internal audit function, and eliminate extra payments to board and committee members for meetings that go longer than four hours or take place while travelling on Metro Vancouver business.
However, we’re limited in some ways when it comes to how we respond to this report.
Metro Vancouver, being a regional district, was created by the provincial government, and our board composition follows the rules laid out in the Local Government Act, which allots directors and votes based on population. Any fundamental changes would have to be enabled by the province, which is why we’ve invited them to participate for relevant items on the governance committee.
Many services we deliver are mandated by the provincial or federal governments. All of them, especially those involving complicated infrastructure, are better delivered on a regional scale. Our focus has always been on providing the services that underlie the best possible quality of life to our residents. As the governance report noted, we’re globally recognized as a leader in regional planning and resilient infrastructure. Indeed, the public infrastructure services and programs that account for upwards of 85 per cent of our annual budget are related to our water, liquid waste and solid waste services, which are exceptionally well run.
However, as our region and organization keep growing, and the world keeps changing, it’s clear our governance structure needs a refresh if we are to keep up.
We’re not simply paying lip service. I put my name forward to be chair of this organization because I wanted us to take a serious look at how we do things. Now, with two reviews wrapped—the services and cost efficiencies review, which resulted in $364 million in savings and reduced the projected 2026 household rate increase by half, and the board governance review—we as a board are making progress.
These reviews are meant to help Metro Vancouver adapt and evolve, so that we can continue to deliver outstanding services and value for money. We will continue to be transparent throughout our work, and I look forward to making this great organization even greater.
Mike Hurley is the chair of Metro Vancouver’s board of directors and mayor of the City of Burnaby.
