Metro Vancouver is looking for input on its Board size and structure. Deloitte’s Board Governance Review report (2025) found that the existing governance model has served the region well, but there is room for improvement.

The report outlined 47 recommendations for strengthening the organization’s board governance framework. This includes considering changes to the size and structure of the four Metro Vancouver boards.

Deloitte has recommended reducing the size of the Boards to enhance decision making, strategic focus, and overall improved governance.

The ‘size’ of a board refers to the number of board directors it has.
The ‘structure’ of a board refers to who sits on the board. Currently, only elected representatives sit on Metro Vancouver’s boards. This ensures community representation. However, some of the options being considered include adding different expertise into decision making.

The engagement runs from May 6 to June 14, 2026.

All feedback will be provided to the Metro Vancouver Boards for discussion in July 2026 and help inform decisions on the proposed changes.

How Metro Vancouver’s boards work now

Each member jurisdiction of Metro Vancouver is represented on the respective board if they are a member of that particular service.

Residents directly elect their mayors and councillors through local elections (in the case of Tsawwassen First Nation, this is Chief and legislators. In the case of Electoral Area A, the public directly elects their representative to the MVRD Board). Elected councils select council members to sit on Metro Vancouver Boards as directors.

Each Board Director has votes based on the population of the member jurisdiction.

1 vote for every 20,000 residents in the community
At least 1 director for every community
An additional director for every 100,000 residents

View the governance structure

Metro Vancouver’s current board structure

Though typically referred to as one organization (“Metro Vancouver”), Metro Vancouver is actually four separate legal entities, each with its own board of directors. These Boards are:

Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD)
Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation (MVHC)
Greater Vancouver Water District (GVWD)
Greater Vancouver Sewage & Drainage District (GVS&DD)

Learn more about the member jurisdictions, the four boards, and their responsibilities

This structure allows each of Metro Vancouver’s member jurisdictions to be represented in regional decision making that affects them. It also supports efficiency in service delivery and cost-sharing between members on major infrastructure and services that serve the whole region.

In the current governance structure, every Director on Metro Vancouver’s Boards is an elected representative from a member jurisdiction. Metro Vancouver staff provide expert advice and research to Board Standing Committees which then report to their respective Boards. This structure enables decision making informed by both technical and political considerations.

The changes under consideration

There are some consistent and some unique options for each board.

Each of the options under consideration will be assessed based on the following criteria:

Improvements in efficiency, decision making, oversight, and strategic alignment
Municipal representation / stakeholder impact
Size / scalability / time and ease to implement

Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD) Board	Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD) Board	<div class="ExternalClassD2E96C5BFE1748A0ABD2E8CCA423368A"><p>The MVRD Board is responsible for guiding <a href="/services/regional-planning" target="_blank" title="Visit Regional Planning">regional planning</a>, <a href="/services/air-quality-climate-action" target="_blank" title="Visit Air Quality and Climate Action">air quality</a>, <a href="/services/regional-parks" target="_blank" title="Visit Regional Parks">regional parks</a>, <a href="https://investvancouver.ca/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank" title="Visit Invest Vancouver">Invest Vancouver</a>, <a href="/services/electoral-area-a" target="_blank" title="Visit Electoral Area A">electoral area services</a>, <a href="/services/emergency-management" target="_blank" title="Visit Emergency Telephone Service">E9-1-1 emergency telephone service</a>, <a href="/services/emergency-management" target="_blank" title="Visit Emergency Management">regional emergency management</a>, <a href="https://res360.ca/" target="_blank" title="Visit Regional Employers Services">Regional Employers Services</a>, and our regional global positioning system services.</p><div class="uk-overflow-auto"> <table class="uk-table uk-table-small uk-table-divider mv-border-top-blue mv-table-heading-blue mv-table-border uk-table-striped"><thead><tr><th><br></th><th class="uk-width-small">Option</th><th class="uk-width-small">Board size</th><th>Considerations</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1. </td><td>Status quo</td><td>41</td><td><ul><li>Established accountability and strong jurisdictional representation, but can slow down decision making and make oversight harder as board size grows</li><li>Growing to 49 directors next year and to 52 in 2031</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>2. </td><td>One Director per Member Jurisdiction</td><td>23</td><td><ul><li>Could support faster decision making and strategic focus, but limits diversity of perspectives</li><li>Requires legislative change</li><li>Stays at 23 directors with current membership</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>3. </td><td>Cap the number of Directors at 3 per member jurisdiction</td><td>34</td><td><ul><li>Could improve decision speed and strategic focus, and support collaborative dialogue</li><li>More consistent number of directors for larger municipalities; smaller jurisdictions would not be impacted</li><li>Board will grow more slowly</li><li>Requires legislative change</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>4. </td><td>Change threshold when each member gets additional votes (ie. every 25,000 residents)</td><td>36</td><td><ul><li>One vote at the MVRD Board for every 25,000 residents instead of 20,000</li><li>Changes number of votes for communities close to the threshold / only option that does</li><li>Board will grow more slowly</li><li>Can be achieved through an Order in Council; no legislative change needed</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>5. </td><td>Each Director represents more residents (ie. 140,000)</td><td>34</td><td><ul><li>One director for every 140,000 residents instead of every 100,000</li><li>Efficiencies in decision making, strategic focus</li><li>Impacts communities close to the threshold; no impact on those smaller than 100,000 residents</li><li>Board will grow more slowly</li><li>Can be achieved through an Order in Council; no legislative change needed<br><br></li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table> </div><br></div>
Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation (MVHC) Board	Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation (MVHC) Board	<div class="ExternalClass439CB8A29BA14BA7A00BEAE7017B28AB"><p>The MVHC is the <a href="/services/housing" target="_blank" title="Visit Housing">second largest non-profit housing operator in British Columbia</a>, providing homes to close to 10,000 people with significant expansion underway to add over 2,000 new and redevelopment units in the next decade.</p><p>The organization is one of the top three housing providers in Canada. The MVHC Board provides guidance on operations, policies, budget, finances, and development plans for the organization.</p><div class="uk-overflow-auto"> <table class="uk-table uk-table-small uk-table-divider mv-border-top-blue mv-table-heading-blue mv-table-border uk-table-striped"><thead><tr><th><br></th><th class="uk-width-small">Option</th><th class="uk-width-small">Board size<br></th><th>Key considerations</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1. </td><td>Status quo / No change</td><td>41</td><td><ul><li>Transparent and representative, but growing Board can slow decision making, effectiveness, and oversight</li><li>Growing to 49 directors next year and to 52 in 2031</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>2. </td><td>Follow any changes made for the MVRD Board</td><td>23-36</td><td><ul><li>Simple to have same model at MVRD but not aligned with governance of most non-profits</li><li>Favoured by those who value having all member voices at the table</li><li>Same considerations as with MVRD options</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>3. </td><td>Smaller ‘Hybrid’ Board with blend of elected and external appointed Directors </td><td>7-9</td><td><ul><li>Adds professional and/or board expertise (housing development, finance, non-profit experience) to support oversight and decision making</li><li>Smaller, more nimble board aligns with non-profit housing providers and funding agency processes</li><li>Could retain some regional representation</li><li>Can be achieved via MVRD Board resolution and filing with BC Registry Services</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>4. </td><td>Fully Appointed Non-Profit Board </td><td>7-9</td><td><ul><li>Adds professional and/or board expertise (housing development, finance, non-profit experience) to support oversight and decision making</li><li>Smaller, more nimble board aligns with non-profit housing providers and funding agency processes</li><li>Board members would be selected by MVRD Board based on expertise</li><li>Members may feel disconnected from MVHC and decision making</li><li>Can be achieved via MVRD Board resolution and filing with BC Registry Services</li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table> </div><br></div>
Greater Vancouver Sewage & Drainage District (GVS&DD) and the Greater Vancouver Water District (GVWD) Boards*	Greater Vancouver Sewage & Drainage District (GVS&DD) and the Greater Vancouver Water District (GVWD) Boards*	<div class="ExternalClassC44AC0ABDC9E4695B881EDD1B7A0404B"><h3 class="uk-margin-remove-top">GVWD</h3><p>Metro Vancouver provides high-quality drinking water to residents and businesses through the member jurisdictions of the GVWD. This includes acquiring and maintaining water supply, as well as treating, testing, and delivering drinking water through a system of water supply areas, dams, treatment facilities, reservoirs, pump stations, and water mains.</p><p>The region’s source water supply is stored in three main reservoirs and three supplemental alpine reservoirs. The water comes from rainfall and snowmelt within: Capilano, Seymour, and Coquitlam water supply areas. These cover about 60,000 hectares of protected land, which is closed to the public to safeguard the high quality of the source water. The GVWD is governed by the Greater Vancouver Water District Act (established in 1926).</p><p>Metro Vancouver’s GVWD is responsible for:</p><ul><li>Managing and protecting the water supply areas</li><li>Storing, treating, and ensuring the quality of drinking water to meet provincial Drinking Water Protection Act and federal Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality requirements</li><li>Transmission of drinking water directly to member jurisdictions</li><li>Upgrading, maintaining, and expanding our system</li><li>Planning for future supply and demand</li></ul><h3>GVS&DD</h3><p>Metro Vancouver provides reliable wastewater treatment that protects public health and the environment. Metro Vancouver receives wastewater from municipal systems and carries it to one of five wastewater treatment plants, where it is treated and tested before being released into the Fraser River, Burrard Inlet, or Georgia Strait.</p><p>Metro Vancouver is also responsible for waste reduction and recycling planning for the region and operates a series of solid waste facilities.</p><p>The GVS&DD is governed by the Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District Act (established in 1914 and re-incorporated in 1956).</p><p>Metro Vancouver is responsible for:</p><ul><li>Operating a system that collects and treats wastewater</li><li>Testing and environmental monitoring</li><li>Developing and enforcing regulations to protect the wastewater system and the environment</li><li>Issuing permits to industry and collecting fees associated with bylaws</li><li>Recovering resources within the regional system, including heat, energy, and biosolids</li><li>Planning for the future and building regional infrastructure</li><li>Waste reduction and recycling planning</li></ul><div class="uk-overflow-auto"> <table class="uk-table uk-table-small uk-table-divider mv-border-top-blue mv-table-heading-blue mv-table-border uk-table-striped"><thead><tr><th><br></th><th class="uk-width-small">Option</th><th class="uk-width-small">Board size</th><th>Key considerations</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1. </td><td>Status Quo</td><td>37/38</td><td><ul><li>Transparent and representative, but growing Board can slow decision making, effectiveness, and oversight</li><li>85% of Metro Vancouver’s budget and five-year financial plan lie within these two highly technical and complex utilities</li><li>Potential gaps in expertise, but strong project management tools currently in place: Stage Gate Process, Cost Estimating Framework, Expert Advisory Panels - to support Board decision making and oversight</li><li>Continues to grow with population</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>2. </td><td>Follow MVRD decision</td><td>23-36</td><td><ul><li>Same considerations as with MVRD options</li><li>Potential gaps in expertise, but strong project management tools: Stage Gate Process, Cost Estimating Framework, Expert Advisory Panels - to support Board decision making and oversight</li><li>Will grow more slowly over time</li><li>No legislative change required as GVWD and GVW&DD depend on MVRD governance</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>3. </td><td>‘Hybrid’ Board with blend of elected and external appointed Directors </td><td>9-11</td><td><ul><li>Adds independent and professional expertise to support oversight, decision making, continuity, and clear regional perspective</li><li>Smaller, more nimble Board remains fixed into the future</li><li>Not aligned with proportional representation</li><li>Requires legislative change to GVWD and GVW&DD Acts; provincial engagement</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td> <strong>*</strong></td><td>Additional option for any Board Structure<br>Add a Major Projects Committee</td><td>9-11</td><td><ul><li>Best Practice for large, complex infrastructure projects </li><li>Enables technical project delivery skills; continuity in oversight, speed up decision making, attract project bidders and facilitate funding</li><li>Metro Vancouver retains significant authority</li><li>Scalable option: a) Board Chair can strike a Major Projects Standing Committee that reports to GVS&DD and GVWD Boards; b) GVS&DD and GVWD Boards can create a Major Projects Committee with delegated authority via 2/3 vote; c) External appointed Directors can be added to support a) or b) </li><li>Implementation through Board decision</li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table> <p> <strong>Note:</strong> These two utility-focused boards are clustered together due to the similarity in options under consideration, but these boards may choose different options.</p><p> <strong>** Note:</strong> This option is available regardless of Board size and structure changes. For example, even if the GVS&DD and/or the GVWD boards choose to appoint a hybrid model, they may also, in addition, create a Major Projects Committee.</p></div> <br></div>

Public engagement

There are many ways you can contribute to this public engagement around the possible changes to Metro Vancouver’s board.

Register for a webinar

You are invited to register for two webinars to learn more about the Board Governance Review process and the options being considered related to the size and structure of Metro Vancouver’s four Boards.

Please register below to hear more about the options being considered by Metro Vancouver’s Boards, ask questions, and share your thoughts. For those unable to attend, a recording of the webinar will be posted after May 28 for viewing anytime.

Webinar 1: Thursday, May 28, 2026, 2:00 - 3:00 pm (PST)
Webinar 2: Wednesday, June 10, 2026, 10:00 - 11:00 am (PST)

Complete a questionnaire

Share your feedback via the survey below:

Complete the survey

Please share this survey with your friends and colleagues who live in Metro Vancouver so their feedback can be included in the final report for Metro Vancouver’s Board.

Call or email Metro Vancouver

We always welcome your questions via email or phone. Please contact Metro Vancouver directly:

Email
604-432-6200
(Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm)

All input will be gathered and reported to the MVRD Board to support their decision making, scheduled for July.

Get involved

Contact us

Email
604-432-6200

Additional resources

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Board Governance Review - Public Engagement on Board Size and Structure