A freedom of information request has revealed new details about how thousands of Metro Vancouver taxpayer dollars were spent on catering and alcohol at the PNE.
The records obtained by Global News show that in 2022, the Metro Vancouver Regional District spent $17,604.76 on catering at the annual summer fair, including $4,844.95 on alcohol.
In 2023, $16,440.52 went to catering, while the cost of alcohol was unclear: the regional district said there were “no responsive records” for that request.
The records followed an earlier FOI request for money Metro Vancouver spent at the PNE in 2024.
Metro Vancouver Chief Administrative Officer Jerry Dobrovolny said “the cost of the PNE is in the order of $580,000.”
In response to questions about spending in 2022 and 2023, Metro Vancouver responded that for two years it “had the opportunity to participate in the PNE Concert Series as part of its PNE sponsorship.”
“The concerts were an informal way for elected officials to connect in person following COVID-19 and build the relationships necessary for making the important decisions that shape our region,” it said.
It did not participate in the concert series in 2024 and said it is reviewing policies related to hosting events.
“When normal taxpayers are lining up at food banks worrying about how they’re going to feed their kids at the end of the evening, it’s unacceptable for Metro Vancouver politicians and bigwigs to be blowing tens of thousands of dollars on booze and catering at the PNE,” Canadian Taxpayers Federation B.C. director Carson Binda told Global News.
New Westminster City Councilor Daniel Fontaine said the new information was troubling.
“This FOI triggers for me a lot more questions than it provides answers for,” he said.
“It really begs the question as to whether a utility like Metro Vancouver should be spending those kinds of dollars, not only at the PNE but more broadly.”
Global News has previously reported how Metro Vancouver spent $64,000 on food and alcohol at the 2023 Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference.
Metro Vancouver staff also participated in trips to Amsterdam, New Orleans, Lisbon.
This, as taxpayers face huge bills due to the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plan being an estimated $3 billion over budget.
Our FOI request also asked for a list of concert attendees, to which Metro Vancouver said there were “no responsive records.”
Global News have contacted BC’s Information and Privacy Commissioner requesting a review.