Motion coming before Metro Vancouver board aims to reign in international travel expenses
The Metro Vancouver board of directors is set to consider a motion this week that could bring more accountability to travel expenses, following public backlash.
It comes after four mayors and three employees of the regional district, including CAO Jerry Dobrovolny, attended the International Conference on Urban Drainage in Amsterdam this month.
The total cost to taxpayers is yet to be disclosed, but some are already questioning the trips.
“When I get asked questions about the value being derived as a result of ballooning board expense costs and why they’ve doubled to nearly a quarter of a million dollars since pre-pandemic levels I don’t have a great answer,” Bowen Island Mayor Andrew Leonard told Global News.
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Leonard is putting forward a motion at this Friday’s board meeting directed at international travel.
The motion calls for trips to require board approval and to indicate the expected value, along with projected travel expenses and remuneration.
Following any trips, individuals would be required to provide a summary of the event, along with an explanation of the value derived and the actual expenses incurred.
Vancouver Councillor Lisa Dominato told Global News she supports the motion.
“Any time that we strengthen policy, particularly around when we’re using taxpayer dollars for conferences and other events, I think it’s a benefit to the public,” she said.
Dominato is seeking to be the new chair of Metro Vancouver, which continues to deal with financial fallout from the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant.
A vote is scheduled for Friday.