Metro Vancouver ousts top executive weeks before municipal election

Metro Vancouver's board has removed Jerry Dobrovolny as chief administrative officer and commissioner, with Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley announcing the transition on Friday. Dobrovolny served in the role since November 2019, having previously been general manager of engineering services for the City of Vancouver.

The board cited two reasons for the timing: the upcoming municipal election and ongoing governance reforms. "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," Hurley said.

Deputy CAO for policy and planning Heather McNell has been appointed acting CAO and commissioner. Metro Vancouver has not set a deadline for finding a permanent replacement.

The departure comes days after Dobrovolny and Metro Vancouver were named as defendants in a defamation lawsuit filed by former Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart in B.C. Supreme Court. Stewart claims he was defamed during public discussions of cost overruns at the North Shore wastewater treatment plant, where estimated costs rose from $700 million to $3.86 billion. The plant is subject to an independent review. Allegations in Stewart's lawsuit have not been proven in court.

The board's move reflects broader governance scrutiny at Metro Vancouver. Last year, a Deloitte Canada review recommended changes to the board's structure and decision-making processes. The regional district voted to reduce board size from 45 to 34 directors next term, subject to provincial approval, and is exploring creation of a Major Projects Oversight Board that would include elected officials and outside directors with technical expertise. In December 2025, chief financial officer Harji Varn departed; Linda Sabatini assumed the CFO position.