The short answer
Several of Burnaby's biggest public projects have been redesigned, re-tendered or delayed after they were announced. Vision 2030 would require the full cost, timeline and risks to be disclosed before council commits capital, then reported publicly every quarter until the doors open.
Three things to know
- The Burnaby Lake Aquatic Centre was announced for 2026; after the construction contract was cancelled and the project redesigned, residents are now being told to expect 2028.
- The Rosemary Brown Recreation Centre has also run well behind its original schedule, and residents have asked why imported mass timber was chosen over B.C. wood.
- An announcement is the start of accountability, not the end of it.
Why this matters to me
When I ran operations, a budget was a promise. If a project slipped, you said so early, explained why and showed the plan to fix it. You didn't wait for the ribbon-cutting.
Residents are not asking City Hall to be perfect. They're asking to be told the truth about cost and timing before the decision is made — and to be kept informed after. Announcements are not accomplishments. Results are.
The honest comparison
What residents are asking
- What was the full cost of the aquatic centre when council approved it, and what is it now?
- Why was a pool promised for 2026 now being talked about for 2028?
- Why aren't B.C. materials and B.C. workers the first choice on Burnaby-funded buildings?
My approach
- No major capital commitment without the full cost, timeline and key risks published first.
- A quarterly public scorecard on every project over $5 million: approved cost, current forecast, promised date, current date, and who is accountable.
- Give B.C. materials and local trades real weight in procurement, so our tax dollars build our local economy.
What you can hold me to
- 01Full cost and risk disclosure before council commits capital to any major project.
- 02Quarterly delay-and-cost scorecards for every project over $5 million, published on the city's website.
- 03A made-in-B.C. procurement standard that values local materials and trades.
Elect Bill Petrovas
For Mayor of Burnaby
“Full cost disclosed before signing and reported to the public — not after the cheque is spent. Announcements are not accomplishments. Results are.”
#Burnaby #Accountability #TaxDollars #BuildBC
Vote Oct. 17, 2026 · Your vote is your voice
Questions people ask
- When will the Burnaby Lake Aquatic Centre open?
- It was originally announced for 2026. After the contract was cancelled and the project redesigned, the current expectation is 2028. Check burnaby.ca for the city's latest update.
- Doesn't every big project run over budget?
- Costs change — that's real. What residents deserve is the full picture before approval and honest reporting after, so changes are explained rather than discovered.
- Would you cancel projects already underway?
- No. I would finish them properly, report on them openly, and apply stronger discipline to the next ones.
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Read the briefAnnouncements are not accomplishments. Debt free is not waste free. Vote Saturday, October 17, 2026 — your vote is your voice.
Burnaby's next chapter needs you in it
Knock doors, host a coffee meeting, put up a sign, or simply pass this page to a neighbour. Every conversation counts before Saturday, October 17, 2026.