Jerry Dobrovolny’s tenure as the chief administrative officer of the under-fire Metro Vancouver Regional District has come to an end ahead of the upcoming municipal elections in B.C.
Metro Vancouver, the regional government that provides and co-ordinates services for 21 municipalities across the Lower Mainland, has faced criticism in recent years for its unique governance structure and the ballooning budget of the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Dobrovolny, who had been at the regional district since November 2019, was recently named in a lawsuit related to the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant — which was first estimated to cost $700 million in 2017 and now has an estimated price tag of $3.86 billion.
In a Friday statement, Burnaby Mayor and Metro Vancouver Board Chair Mike Hurley thanked Dobrovolny for his service.
“With the upcoming municipal election and ongoing governance reform, the [board] believes this is the right time to transition leadership and position the organization for its next chapter and has come to an agreement with Jerry regarding this transition,” he said.
Burnaby Mayor and Metro Vancouver Board Chair Mike Hurley, right, speaks with Dobrovolny at a June 2024 board meeting. Hurley said that now was the right time to make a leadership change. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
The regional district said that under Dobrovolny’s tenure, it was able to weather the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath.
On Wednesday, Metro Vancouver held a closed-door meeting specifically to discuss personnel issues.
In a statement sent to CBC News on July 28, Metro Vancouver had said that Dobrovolny was on leave at the time.
On Friday, it said that deputy CAO Heather McNell will be acting CAO and commissioner while the regional district transitions to a new leadership team.
“Metro Vancouver’s delivery of essential services to residents and member jurisdictions will continue without interruption,” the statement reads.
Dobrovolny, seen here in March 2019, previously served as the general manager of engineering services for the City of Vancouver. (Yvette Brend/CBC)
Before serving as CAO of Metro Vancouver, Dobrovolny worked as general manager of engineering services for the City of Vancouver and a city councillor in New Westminster.
He was drafted first overall in the 1983 Canadian Football League (CFL) draft by the Calgary Stampeders, playing four seasons as an offensive lineman.
Changes to structure
In May 2025, consultancy firm Deloitte issued recommendations for changes to Metro Vancouver after a series of spending controversies and accountability questions.
Dobrovolny was part of the criticism, being dragged into the headlines over the money he earned.
Dobrovolny, seen here in March 2020, was praised for his leadership at the regional district during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
In 2023, his base salary was $451,949, with his total remuneration in 2024 being $592,416.
According to the regional district’s financial statement in 2025, however, Dobrovolny’s total remuneration was reduced to $567,338 after board policy amendments.
The criticism forced Metro Vancouver’s hand into the review that led to the Deloitte report, and the regional district subsequently voted to cut the number of elected municipal representatives who serve on its boards.
Next term, members want the number of board members to be 34, down from a projected 45, after necessary provincial approval is granted.