Metro Vancouver Funding Decision

The Fraser Basin Council (FBC) was surprised and disappointed by the decision of the Metro Vancouver Board on February 21 to discontinue funding to our organization, beginning January 1, 2026. This is especially so given our long working relationship with Metro Vancouver, the alignment of our work in the region with Metro Vancouver’s regional priorities, and our consistency in leveraging up Metro Vancouver’s contribution (of 25 cents per household per year) at least 8 times through sustainability programs that serve the region.

FBC was not invited to the Metro Vancouver Board meeting, and several media stories and social posts have unfortunately published comments to the effect that Metro Vancouver dollars to FBC were used to pay for electric vehicle rebates to businesses. This is incorrect. The EV purchase rebates that FBC administers are funded by the Province of British Columbia’s CleanBC program, not by Metro Vancouver. This is a part of the provincial strategy to reduce harmful emissions in the transportation sector.

Our work at FBC in the region on low-carbon transportation — in alignment with Metro Vancouver priorities — includes education and advice on effective electric vehicle use and EV charging in workplaces, in multi-unit residential buildings and in public and private sector vehicle fleets. Metro Vancouver and its member municipalities have benefitted from this work as they advance their own clean energy initiatives.

Other Fraser Basin Council work that benefits the region includes projects on floodplain mapping, extreme heat mapping tools and climate adaptation tools that help communities work on disaster risk reduction.

While disappointed in the funding decision, our FBC team is proud of the work we do and we trust there is a path forward to work with Metro Vancouver on future projects of mutual interest, in service to the people of the region.