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May 18,2011 Vancouver SUn

 
By KELLY SINOSKI 18 MAY 2011  GROWTH SPURTS
 

Metro Vancouver appears to be dragging its heels again over its regional growth strategy.

Despite concerns that the plan could become an election issue, it doesn't seem like anyone's in a big hurry to get the issues resolved with Coquitlam and sign off before November. First, Metro decided to go to the province to seek binding arbitration to get the city of Coquitlam to sign on to the plan. See my earlier story here. That took a few weeks. Now, Metro is is trying to decide who should be part of the non-binding arbitration process, which was expected to go to the regional district's intergovernmental committee.

Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart  said discussions haven't even started five weeks after the Coquitlam voted against the plan and blames the delay on those municipalities who have decided to drag Coquitlam "through the mud".

"I'm embarrassed by it," he said.

Stewart argues there's too much at stake in the proposed regional growth strategy, which he claims is not consistent across the region. One of the issues, he notes, revolves around the use of Industrial land. While Burnaby, Vancouver and New Westminster have already swallowed up most of their industrial land, he said, it shouldn't fall on his community or those south of the Fraser to bear the burden of providing their available land for the region. He added the problem is under the plan larger municipalities can dictate what the industrial land should be used for -- even if it's not in their backyards. See our recent story here.

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