Councillor Linda Watt

A Practical, Independent Voice

I am seeking re-election to West Vancouver Council after four years of service, bringing an independent voice and a strong commitment to accountability.

Throughout my term, I have scrutinized proposals, challenged assumptions, asked difficult questions and demanded answers, while keeping residents’ interests at the centre of Council decisions. I value diverse perspectives around the Council table and believe respectful debate leads to better decisions.

Fiscal responsibility has been a particular priority. I have served as Council Liaison to the Finance and Revenue Committee since its inception, and have been an unwavering advocate for independent financial scrutiny and meaningful public oversight.

I will continue to advocate for accountability on major local and regional capital projects. I brought forward the motion calling for a Municipal Inspector’s inquiry into the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant because major public expenditures demand rigorous scrutiny and accountability—and because we must learn from past projects before undertaking the next one.

I have also been vocal in challenging one-size-fits-all approaches to housing. West Vancouver’s geography presents real constraints, and growth must be considered alongside infrastructure capacity, environmental protection and emergency preparedness. With limited evacuation routes and increasing regional pressure, these are not theoretical concerns. I will continue to advocate for thoughtful, locally appropriate planning that protects our community while preparing responsibly for the future.

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West Vancouver is a Special Place

Our mountains, forests, creeks and shoreline shape more than our landscape. They shape how we live, how we plan, and the responsibility we share to care for this extraordinary community.

We are all just passing through. Whether we call West Vancouver home for ten years or one hundred, we are temporary stewards of a place unlike any other. We need to look beyond immediate issues or the next election, and ask what our decisions will mean for the community years from now.

I feel a tremendous responsibility to protect the character, environment, and quality of life that drew generations of families to West Vancouver, while recognizing that communities must evolve and prepare for the future.

The choices we make today will shape the West Vancouver our children and grandchildren inherit. They will determine not only what gets built, but how we manage our finances, protect our environment, invest in infrastructure, prepare for emergencies and respond thoughtfully to change.

This sense of responsibility guided my initial decision to run for Council in 2022. It continues to drive me to ask difficult questions, and why accountability is so important to me. I will continue to advocate for decisions that put the long-term interests of West Vancouver ahead of short-term pressures.

I am asking for the opportunity to continue serving our community—and to help ensure that the West Vancouver we pass on is every bit as special as the one entrusted to us.

Click here for Biography
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Independent Municipal Inspector’s Inquiry into the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant

  • MEMORANDUM 

    Date:  July 20, 2026 

    To: Council 

    From: Councillors Linda Watt and Peter Lambur 

    Re: Request for Consideration as New Business Section 765 Inquiry – North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant 

    Background 

    I respectfully request that Council consider this matter as New Business because significant developments have occurred since the last regular Council meeting, making it timely and appropriate for Council’s consideration prior to the summer recess. 

    Over many months, I have devoted considerable time to reviewing the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant (NSWWTP) project and consulting with individuals with experience in major infrastructure projects and governance. I have not brought this motion forward lightly. 

    I also want to recognize the significant work undertaken by Mayor Sager in advocating for a fairer distribution of NSWWTP costs across all Metro Vancouver municipalities and for a single, region-wide wastewater system, similar to our regional water system. The Mayor has dedicated considerable effort to advancing these issues and was instrumental in advocating for the independent review now underway at Metro Vancouver. I appreciate those efforts and believe they represent important steps toward greater accountability and a fairer regional approach. 

    This motion proposes an additional layer of independent statutory oversight that would complement, rather than replace or duplicate, the independent review already initiated by Metro Vancouver. While the current review is an important step, a statutory inquiry provides powers not available through a non-statutory review, including the ability to compel evidence and testimony where necessary. Following an inquiry, the Inspector of Municipalities is required to report findings, representations, and recommendations to the Lieutenant Governor in Council, which may make an order that is binding on the regional district. This additional level of statutory oversight would further support transparency, accountability, and public confidence. 

    Since our previous Council meeting, I received Metro Vancouver’s written responses to the questions I submitted regarding the NSWWTP project. While several questions were answered, others could not be addressed because the information is commercially sensitive or is expected to form part of Metro Vancouver’s independent review. These responses provide new information relevant to Council’s consideration of this matter. 

    In addition, on July 6, 2026, the City of North Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver each unanimously adopted resolutions requesting that the Inspector of Municipalities commence an inquiry under Section 765 of the Local Government Act. On July 13, 2026, the City of New Westminster also unanimously adopted a similar resolution.

    Given these recent developments and the upcoming summer recess, deferring consideration would delay West Vancouver’s opportunity to participate in a timely regional request for an independent statutory inquiry. If Council believes such an inquiry is warranted, I believe it is important that West Vancouver’s voice be part of that discussion now rather than after the summer recess. 

    I therefore respectfully request that Council consider this motion as New Business. 

    Motion 

    WHEREAS the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant (NSWWTP) project was originally budgeted at approximately $700 million and scheduled for completion in 2020, and is now projected to be completed in 2030 at an estimated cost of approximately $3.86 billion; 

    AND WHEREAS North Shore residents are expected to bear a disproportionately higher share of the project's costs than residents in many other Metro Vancouver municipalities; 

    AND WHEREAS Metro Vancouver has initiated an independent review of the project, while a review under Section 765 of the Local Government Act would provide an independent statutory process with powers unavailable to a non-statutory review; 

    AND WHEREAS Section 765 of the Local Government Act authorizes the Inspector of Municipalities to review matters relating to a regional district; 

    AND WHEREAS a review under Section 765 would provide an independent and transparent examination of the project, help strengthen public confidence, and enhance accountability in the governance and delivery of major regional infrastructure projects; 

    AND WHEREAS any provincial review should be undertaken in a timely manner while avoiding unnecessary delay to the project; 

    THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Council of the Corporation of the District of West Vancouver endorse the unanimous July 6th requests of the City of North Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver and the July 13th unanimous vote from the City of New Westminster to formally request that the Inspector of Municipalities exercise the authority provided under Section 765 of the Local Government Act to commence a review the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant project; 

    AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Inspector be requested to examine the factors contributing to the project's significant cost increases and delays, and provide recommendations to strengthen governance, transparency, accountability, financial oversight, and public confidence in the delivery of major regional infrastructure projects; 

    AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT copies of this resolution be forwarded to the Inspector of Municipalities, the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, Metro Vancouver, the City of North Vancouver, the District of North Vancouver, and all Metro Vancouver member municipalities. 4818991v1 

    Timeline 

    October 2021 – Metro Vancouver terminated its contract with ACCIONA, ending the public-private partnership and transferring significant project risk back to taxpayers. The termination has resulted in ongoing litigation involving hundreds of millions of dollars. 

    September 2023 – Metro Vancouver established a Task Force to examine options for completing the project. Meetings were held in camera and limited information was publicly released. 

    June 2024 – Metro Vancouver approved a revised project budget of approximately $3.86 billion and announced an independent review of the project. 

    July 2024 – Metro Vancouver announced an Independent Performance Audit. Questions have since been raised regarding the scope, governance, reporting structure, and independence of that review. 

    July 2026 – The City of North Vancouver, the District of North Vancouver and the City of New Westminster each adopted unanimous resolutions requesting an inquiry under Section 765 of the Local Government Act. 

    Discussion 

    North Shore municipalities have repeatedly expressed concerns regarding the governance, transparency and financial management of the NSWWTP project. Despite raising these concerns through Metro Vancouver's governance processes, many questions remain unresolved. 

    On June 29, 2026, I submitted fifteen questions to Metro Vancouver Chief Administrative Officer Jerry Dobrovolny concerning the project. These questions addressed, among other matters: 

    • the decision to terminate the ACCIONA public-private partnership; 

    • the procurement process used to select a replacement contractor; 

    • the rationale for terminating the original contract during the COVID-19 pandemic while construction costs were escalating; 

    • the role of members of the Independent Advisory Panel; 

    • the project's governance, terms of reference, and cost escalation. 

    Written responses were received on July 15, 2026. While several questions were answered, others could not be addressed because the information was considered commercially sensitive or is expected to form part of Metro Vancouver's independent review. 

    Metro Vancouver's independent review is an important initiative and should continue. However, a review under Section 765 would provide statutory powers unavailable to a non-statutory review, including the authority to compel witnesses to testify under oath, require the production of documents, and conduct proceedings in public where appropriate. As such, a Section 765 inquiry would complement, rather than duplicate, Metro Vancouver's existing review. 

    Financial Implications 

    The project's estimated cost has increased from approximately $700 million to approximately $3.86 billion, excluding future operating, maintenance and decommissioning costs. These escalating costs will have significant financial implications for Metro Vancouver municipalities, including West Vancouver residents. 4818991v1 

    Conclusion 

    Given the significant escalation in costs, ongoing delays, and continued concerns regarding transparency and governance surrounding the NSWWTP project, it is appropriate for the District of West Vancouver to take steps to support accountability and protect the interests of its residents. 

    A formal complaint to the Inspector of Municipalities requesting an inquiry under Section 765 of the Local Government Act represents a reasonable and necessary additional measure to provide independent statutory oversight, establish an evidence-based record of what occurred, restore public confidence, and strengthen the governance framework for managing large-scale regional infrastructure projects. 

    Such an inquiry would complement, rather than duplicate, the independent review already initiated by Metro Vancouver. Without additional independent oversight, important questions regarding project governance, decision-making, cost escalation, and accountability may remain unresolved to the detriment of North Shore communities. 

  • The North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant has been one of the most significant governance and financial challenges facing our region. I spent considerable time examining the project's history, procurement, governance and escalating costs, and asking difficult questions about how we arrived here.

    As I looked more closely at the circumstances surrounding the project, I became convinced that a higher level of independent oversight was necessary. I took the lead in advocating for a Section 765 Municipal Inspector inquiry, supporting the approach being pursued by the District of North Vancouver, the City of North Vancouver and New Westminster.

    I believed that a project of this magnitude—with extraordinary cost overruns and billions of dollars in public funds at stake—warranted more than an internal review. Independent oversight can help establish what happened, identify where processes and decision-making fell short, and restore public confidence.

    I continued to present my perspective, which eventually resulted in advancing a motion that ultimately secured unanimous support from West Vancouver Council for a request for a Section 765 Municipal Inspector inquiry.

    For me, this is what responsible public service means: asking difficult questions when they need to be asked, pursuing the appropriate level of scrutiny, and working to build consensus around doing what is right for the community.

    When a public project reaches this scale, transparency and accountability aren't optional. They're essential.


Board and Committee Appointments

Current Appointments

  • Metro Vancouver - Invest Vancouver Management Board Member

  • Metro Vancouver - Air Quality Advisory Committee

  • Finance and Revenue Advisory Committee

  • Public Art Advisory Committee

  • North Shore Substance Use Tri-City Committee

  • North Shore Table Matters

  • Howe Sound Community Forum

Prior Appointments

  • Gertrude Lawson Art Museum Committee

  • Enhance West Vancouver Board

  • Arts and Culture Advisory Committee

  • Community Grants Committee

Representing Communities Across West Vancouver

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“The aim of a city is not to increase its size, but to increase its quality.”

— Lewis Mumford

How To Support My Campaign

To help shape West Vancouver’s future consider supporting my campaign.

If you would like to volunteer for my campaign or hold a coffee party, please email me at lindawattcampaign@gmail.com

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