Pete Fry joins call to delay Metro Vancouver budget vote set for Friday
Vancouver mayor-elect Pete Fry is backing a push to postpone the Metro Vancouver regional board's annual budget vote, saying newly elected councils should have a say.
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Vancouver mayor-elect Pete Fry is calling on Metro Vancouver to postpone its annual budget vote, saying outgoing officials should not make the decision just days before new councils take over. CTV News reported his position on October 28.
Fry joined the incoming mayors of Surrey and New Westminster in pushing for the delay. The Metro Vancouver board had scheduled its budget vote for Friday, October 30, 2026. "It probably makes sense to delay this," Fry told CTV News. "We have a brand-new council. We have new priorities."
Three mayors-elect, one request
Surrey mayor-elect Doug McCallum and New Westminster mayor-elect Daniel Fontaine also called publicly for a delay on October 28.
McCallum, quoted by CTV News, said voters in 13 of Metro Vancouver's 21 municipalities chose a new mayor on October 17. "That is not how you treat voters," he said, arguing that the directors those voters replaced should not then sit down and pass next year's budget 13 days later. He proposed moving the vote to the board's next scheduled meeting, on November 27. "Nothing on Friday's agenda cannot wait four weeks," he said.
Fontaine, described by CTV News as a vocal critic of Metro Vancouver, said he had concerns about the meeting going ahead before new councils are sworn in. "The only activity they should be doing on Friday is clearing out their desks and moving on to other activities," he said.
What the budget would mean for households
If the board approves the 2027 budget and five-year financial plan at the October 30 meeting, the average Metro Vancouver household will pay $914 next year for regional services and utilities. CTV News reported that figure as an increase of $17 from the amount paid the previous year.
Metro Vancouver delivers shared services across its 21 member municipalities, including drinking water, sewage treatment, waste disposal, regional parks, and affordable housing programs. Each municipality passes its share of the regional cost to property owners.
What comes next
The Metro Vancouver board meeting is scheduled for Friday, October 30, 2026. Whether the board agrees to delay or proceeds with the vote is a decision for the current board members, most of whom represent outgoing councils.
Vancouver residents can follow the outcome on the Metro Vancouver website and watch for how it affects their city's own 2027 budget planning, which the new City Council will begin after taking office.
Questions this story answers
What is Pete Fry asking Metro Vancouver to do?
Pete Fry, Vancouver's mayor-elect, is calling on the Metro Vancouver board to postpone its budget vote scheduled for Friday, October 30, 2026. He said newly elected mayors and councils across the region should have input before outgoing board members approve next year's budget. CTV News reported his position on October 28.
Why do the incoming mayors want the vote delayed?
Surrey mayor-elect Doug McCallum, New Westminster mayor-elect Daniel Fontaine, and Vancouver mayor-elect Pete Fry all argued that voters in 13 of Metro Vancouver's 21 municipalities chose new leadership on October 17, 2026. They say those outgoing officials should not vote on a regional budget just days before being replaced. McCallum called it wrong to act between the election and the swearing-in of new councils.
What would the Metro Vancouver budget mean for Vancouver residents?
If the board approves the 2027 budget and five-year financial plan at its October 30 meeting, the average Metro Vancouver household would pay $914 for regional services and utilities next year. That is an increase of $17 from the amount paid the previous year, according to CTV News.
When does Pete Fry take office as mayor of Vancouver?
Pete Fry was elected mayor of Vancouver on October 17, 2026. His transition team was announced on October 28, 2026. The new mayor and council take office at the swearing-in ceremony, which the City has not yet publicly scheduled as of October 28.
When does McCallum want the vote to happen instead?
Surrey mayor-elect Doug McCallum said he would like the decision moved to the Metro Vancouver board's next meeting, scheduled for November 27, 2026. He was quoted by CTV News saying that nothing on the Friday agenda could not wait four weeks.
Who is Daniel Fontaine and why does he support the delay?
Daniel Fontaine is the mayor-elect of New Westminster, one of Metro Vancouver's 21 municipalities. CTV News reported that Fontaine, described as a vocal critic of Metro Vancouver, said he had concerns about the meeting going ahead before new councils are seated. He said outgoing officials should be clearing out their desks instead of voting on next year's budget.
What is Metro Vancouver and why does it set a household cost?
Metro Vancouver is the regional district that delivers shared services across 21 municipalities in the Lower Mainland, including drinking water, sewage treatment, waste disposal, regional parks, and affordable housing programs. Each year it sets a budget and divides the cost among member municipalities, which then pass that cost through to homeowners as part of their property tax bills.
Where can I follow the Metro Vancouver budget decision?
The Metro Vancouver board meeting was scheduled for Friday, October 30, 2026. CTV News reported on the call to delay it. You can follow Pete Fry's work in office at his candidate page on this site at voche.me/candidates/pete-fry.
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