Under fire for wasteful spending, Metro Vancouver touts award for ‘excellence in financial reporting’

A report has found the Metro Vancouver board to be “unwieldy” and in need of an overhaul.

As critics continue to accuse Metro Vancouver of wasteful spending and project mismanagement, the regional district is touting its “excellence in financial reporting.”

Metro Vancouver has received a "Canadian Award for Financial Reporting" from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada for the fourth year in a row, the regional district said in a news release Wednesday.

“The award acknowledges Canadian local governments that go beyond the minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles to prepare annual financial reports in the spirit of transparency and full disclosure,” the release reads.

In recent months, the regional district has faced criticism for its pay structure for board members, who are elected officials from constituent municipalities.

With fees for appearing at committee meetings – which can double if the meeting lasts longer than four hours – it has been estimated that some board members earned more than B.C. Premier David Eby last year.

Speaking to CTV News earlier this year, Metro Vancouver board chair Mike Hurley, who is also the mayor of Burnaby, described that comparison as unfair.

“If we’re going to compare to the premier, let’s compare to total compensation and use his expenses and all his other benefits that he gets as well, including pension,” Hurley said in February.

“There’s a bit of unfairness going on there. Not to say compensation doesn’t have to be looked at. It does.”

• Read more: Vancouver party calls for compensation caps for local politicians
• ‘Metro Vancouver should not be a gravy train’: B.C. asked to partner in regional governance review

Board compensation formed part of a governance review conducted by Deloitte and presented to the regional body last month.

That review featured 49 recommendations, including an end to double pay for long meetings and meeting fees while travelling on Metro Vancouver business.

The report describes the board as “large and unwieldy,” but the author of the report told CTV News he wouldn’t characterize it as “damning.”

• Read more: Metro Vancouver’s ‘damning’ Deloitte report prompts differing opinions

Metro Vancouver is far from the only local government body in B.C. to receive a GFOA award.

The association’s website lists 44 recipients in the province – mostly cities and regional districts – for the 2023 fiscal year, the most recent for which awards have been given.

Governments applying for the award must submit an application and pay a fee to be considered. The fee for GFOA members representing areas with 250,000 or more residents is US$950. Non-members of the organization with populations that size must pay a US$1,900 application fee.

“Metro Vancouver’s 2023 annual report was judged by impartial Canadian Review Committee members to meet the program’s high standards, including demonstrating a constructive ‘spirit of full disclosure,’ clearly communicating the regional government’s financial story, and motivating others to read the report,” the regional district said in its release.