Premier David Eby is facing increased pressure to intervene in the Metro Vancouver Regional District amid ongoing criticism over spending.
On Wednesday, the mayor of the largest city in the region announced he would boycott Metro Vancouver meetings.
In a statement to Global News, Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said “Metro Vancouver’s governance is broken.”
“Moving forward — I will not be attending metro meetings and supporting a system that lacks accountability,” Sim added.
“Metro Vancouver’s costs to taxpayers and Vancouverites are out of control. We need real, meaningful change more than ever.”
The mayor’s comments come a day after Richmond City Councillor Kash Heed called on other regional elected officials to join him in saying no to extra pay they receive for attending Metro Vancouver meetings during the work day.
Sim has not, however, directed his ABC Vancouver caucus mates to pull out of the meetings.
The mayor’s office said ABC councillors, who sit on various Metro Vancouver committees, must decide for themselves how to engage with the regional district.
Sim’s presence at Metro Vancouver was already sporadic, with the mayor attending about a quarter of the meetings last year.