| North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant Program: Statement from Metro Vancouver Board Chair | North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant Program: Statement from Metro Vancouver Board Chair | | <div class="ExternalClassB94F1A67FC2B407C9D546F38FC6AF6B6"><strong>Statement from Metro Vancouver Board Chair Mike Hurley:</strong><br><br>“Again today, several councillors in the region indicated they have not been provided with information about the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant Program. <br><br>Metro Vancouver has consistently shared information with the Board, the media, and the public about the project and the reasons for the cost increase resulting from the termination of the contract with Acciona Wastewater Solutions LP.<br><br>This information has been shared through various means, including: a two-hour <a href="/media-room/media-release/837">press conference</a> held following the Board decision on the project cost increase this past March 22, 2024; a monthly newsletter about the project; and a website with comprehensive project information, including full copies of the public court filings.<br><br>Some information related to the new plant has been shared in closed meetings due to ongoing litigation that could result in the recovery of hundreds of millions of public dollars in damages from the previous contractor. However, substantial information related to the reasons for the cost increase has been in the public domain since it was disclosed in March 2024.<br><br>This past July, the Board unanimously approved the initiation of an independent performance audit of the project, and I look forward to receiving the audit team's report.<br><br>Metro Vancouver is looking forward to delivering a high-quality wastewater treatment plant that will protect the health of residents and the environment for generations to come."<br><br><strong>BACKGROUND</strong> <br><br><strong>Program Transition and Termination of Previous Contractor</strong> <br><br>Acciona Wastewater Solutions LP (Acciona) was selected through a competitive process in 2017 to build the future North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant. The original completion date of the project was end of 2020. In 2019, at the request of the contractor, the contract was revised to provide an additional two-and-a-half years to complete the project (end of 2023), along with an increased budget.<br><br>In 2022, Metro Vancouver made the difficult but necessary decision to terminate the contract with Acciona.<span lang="EN-CA"> There were concerns with Acciona’s performance under the contract, and the
project was not going to be completed on time and within budget.</span> <span lang="EN-CA">At
that time, the project was already two-and-a-half years behind schedule, and
Acciona had informed Metro Vancouver that it required an additional two years,
along with an increase in budget.</span><br><br>Since termination of Acciona, Metro Vancouver has been working with PCL as the construction manager, and AECOM as the design consultant, to progress the project. Early works construction has included assessment and repair of more than 1,500 concrete deficiencies. Additionally, design reviews identified that the plant's design was not as advanced as reported by Acciona at the time of termination.<br><br>Metro Vancouver then had to re-evaluate costs and give a realistic updated cost estimate to the region. The updated cost considers comprehensive cost estimates by three separate organizations, a value engineering exercise, investigation of current market conditions, and a review by a Metro Vancouver Board task force to consider the best path forward.<br><br><strong>About the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant Program</strong><br><br>The new North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant will serve over 300,000 residents and businesses in the Districts of North and West Vancouver, the City of North Vancouver, and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation). It will replace the existing Lions Gate Wastewater Treatment Plant, one of the last plants on the west coast of Canada and the United States to provide only primary-level wastewater treatment. Building a new wastewater treatment plant that provides a higher level of treatment is essential to comply with mandatory federal regulations. The program also includes construction of a new pump station and sewer pipes to serve the new plant (now complete), and the preliminary design for decommissioning the existing Lions Gate plant.<br><br>Metro Vancouver has undertaken continuous measures to enhance how we manage and deliver major capital projects and has undertaken extensive due diligence on the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant Program as it has evolved in recent years.<br><br><p><strong>Program Information Available Online at </strong><a href="http://www.metrovancouver.org/nswwtp"><strong>www.metrovancouver.org/nswwtp</strong></a></p><ul><li>Responses to frequently asked questions</li><li><a href="/services/liquid-waste/ConstructionDocuments/nswwtp-backgrounder-document-background-paper.pdf">A backgrounder that explains the project</a>, which includes “how we got here" (page 11)</li><li>A list of media releases from the last three years (including one that <a href="/media-room/media-release/837">shares what influenced the increase in cost</a>)</li><li>A list of monthly newsletters providing updates for the last two years</li><li>A list of public reports that went to Board and Committee, notably: </li><li>A June 2023 presentation on the background of the program: <a href="/boards/LiquidWasteCommittee/LWA_2023-Jun-14_AGE.pdf#page=8">https://metrovancouver.org/boards/LiquidWasteCommittee/LWA_2023-Jun-14_AGE.pdf#page=8</a></li><li>A June 2023 report and presentation about all the work Metro Vancouver has done to improve project management practices since 2020:<br><a href="/boards/CaucusofCommitteeChairs/COF-SP_2023-Jul-25_AGE.pdf#page=66">https://metrovancouver.org/boards/CaucusofCommitteeChairs/COF-SP_2023-Jul-25_AGE.pdf#page=66 </a><br></li></ul></div> | 9/10/2024 7:00:00 AM | | Metro Vancouver Media Relations | media@metrovancouver.org | | |