Metro Vancouver names team for independent review of wastewater plant project

The container ship Ballenita passes under the Lions Gate Bridge after leaving port, in Vancouver, B.C., Monday, May 18, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

VANCOUVER — An independent team has been announced for the review of the North Shore wastewater treatment plant project where costs ballooned to almost five times the original budget.

The Metro Vancouver regional district says in a statement that the team will be led by Rob Andrews, who is listed on LinkedIn as the senior vice-president of infrastructure at consultant group EXP Engineering.

The district says the proposal for the review has also been approved by the Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District Board, and the team will have “full access” to Metro Vancouver’s records on the project’s history, finances and governance.

Metro Vancouver said earlier this month that lawyer Randal Kaardal would finalize terms with the team conducting the investigation.

The North Shore wastewater treatment plant was originally estimated to cost $700 million in 2013, but that grew to almost $3.4 billion in the latest assessment, with a reworked design and construction deficiencies extending the forecasted completion date to 2030.

A similar review was started in 2024 but was paused due to lawsuits between Metro Vancouver and the original project contractor, Acciona Wastewater Solutions, although the two sides reached a mediated settlement earlier this year.

Acciona agreed to pay Metro Vancouver $235 million in the settlement.

The district has promised the review will be conducted “at arm’s length” from Metro Vancouver.

“Our team’s deep expertise in evaluating complex infrastructure projects makes us well equipped to conduct a thorough, balanced, and independent review of the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant Project,” Andrews says in a statement.

The results of the review are expected to be made public by the end of January.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 26, 2026.