‘Obviously disappointed’: Metro Vancouver cuts funding for 1 program as budget looms

Tens of millions of dollars were on the chopping block at Friday’s Metro Vancouver meeting.

Tens of millions of dollars was on the table as the board of Metro Vancouver mulled funding cuts Friday.

Directors considered axing funding for several regional programs to save taxpayers money ahead of Metro Vancouver’s 2026 budget, including agriculture awareness grants, culture grants, the Coquitlam Watershed Roundtable, the Fraser Basin Council, the Pacific National Exhibition and the Seymour Salmonid Society.

The board ultimately voted to maintain funding for all except the Fraser Basin Council.

Some had been pushing for much more extensive cuts, including Dylan Kruger, a Delta city councillor.

“I attempted to introduce eight motions today, which would have delivered over $35 million in savings to taxpayers,” said Kruger, who noted the board’s one cut only amounted to $300,000.

While the director said the other programs are doing good work, he doesn’t believe it’s the regional district’s role to be funding them – and he worries there is much overlap with provincial and federal programs.

Kruger told reporters that Fraser Basin Council is a province-wide organization and “very little” money goes towards flood mitigation in Metro Vancouver.

The CEO of Fraser Basin Council, David Marshall, refuted that claim, and said he was “obviously disappointed” by the board’s decision.

“We try to focus our efforts, when we can, in the Lower Mainland,” Marshall said, via Zoom.

The total annual cost to Metro Vancouver taxpayers was reported to be 25 cents per household. Marshall said he hopes to meet with Metro Vancouver’s board to get to the bottom of their concerns, and find a resolution.

Friday’s meeting came as budget deliberations are approaching for the regional district.

Chair Mike Hurley, the mayor of Burnaby, said discussions will begin next month, and that Friday’s four-hour meeting provided more direction.