Metro Vancouver taxpayers spent thousands of dollars for board chair George Harvie to accommodate a travel partner on his travel itinerary last October, according to receipts obtained by Glacier Media.
However, receipts for the flights show Harvie paid $8,920.96 for one one-way flight from Vancouver to Brisbane on Oct. 7 and $18,218.20 for two one-way flights from Sydney to Vancouver on Oct. 18, for a total of $27,139.16. Harvie expensed only $17,336.50 — the cost of his two one-way tickets, to and from Australia.
By contrast, Anmore Mayor John McEwan’s flights cost $9,166.12 and Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West’s flights cost $10,165.25. West’s accommodation costs were just over $2,100 and McEwan’s were about $1,400. McEwan’s accommodations were listed for “October 7 - 18, 2023” whereas West’s did not specify.Another question raised by the expense receipts is how board members may use their personal points accounts to book travel. For example, Harvie used his Aeroplan account to book flights and because he booked business class he accumulated 1.5 points per mile.