Metro Vancouver board delays vote on budget

The Metro Vancouver board voted to delay the vote on the 2027 budget and five-year financial plan until the region’s newly elected mayors and councillors are sworn in.

A motion to defer the budget vote passed with 89 votes to 36 at the outgoing board’s final meeting on Friday morning.

Brad West, mayor of Port Coquitlam, said it made sense to let the new board pass the budget they will ultimately be responsible for implementing.

“I think there’s an important principle at stake, and I think they deserve the opportunity to review, ask questions, make adjustments, and ultimately render a vote on the budget,” he said.

Thirteen of the region’s 21 municipalities chose a new mayor in the municipal elections in mid-October, including Vancouver, Surrey, Richmond, Coquitlam, Delta and both Langleys.

“This board has lost its mandate,” said Delta Coun. Dylan Kruger, who also supported deferring the budget vote.

The board faced mounting pressure to defer the budget vote in recent days. The mayors-elect from several of the region’s municipalities, including Vancouver and Surrey, had spoken about the importance of letting the new board set the financial direction for the future.

The budget would have increased the average household’s cost for regional services by about $17 a year, from $897 to $914.

Metro Vancouver Chair Mike Hurley, mayor of Burnaby, led off with a defence of the budget.

“It’s our job to follow through on our work,” he said.

Several directors agreed with him, arguing to pass the budget so municipalities can start to prepare their own budgets.

“All we are doing by delaying is dithering,” said Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie.

“I don’t think the numbers will change,” said Burnaby Coun. Pietro Calendino.

Some voted to defer so the new Metro Vancouver board cannot blame future difficulties and disagreements on the new board.

Others wanted to pass the budget to set up the new board for success.

“They’ve got a lot of work to do coming with their own local governance, the governance of Metro Vancouver, the relationship with the province. They’re going to have their hands full, so to go backwards into the budget process, I think is unnecessary,” said City of Langley Coun. Paul Albrecht.

With affordability a top concern across the region, Metro Vancouver has come under scrutiny for increasing costs and governance issues. In 2025, then-provincial Conservative leader John Rustad called for the abolishment of the regional government and promised to return it to a garbage, water and sewage utility. Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim boycotted Metro meetings over a perceived lack of good governance and transparency, while Surrey voted to withdraw from Metro Vancouver’s 2050 regional growth strategy.

More to come …

gluymes@postmedia.com