​Metro Vancouver welcomes the BC Government's commitments in its 2023 budget to tackling the housing crisis and to building the infrastructure that people rely on."Recent weather events and natural disasters here and around the world have made it clear that we need to do more to future-proof our infrastructure," said George V. Harvie, chair of Metro Vancouver's Board of Directors. "Partnership on critical infrastructure investments will allow us to achieve our shared goals on both climate and economic resilience, for the benefit of our constituents for generations to come."The region's residents rely on Metro Vancouver to provide essential services, without interruption. Upgrades to water and wastewater utility services are imperative to respond to growth and to ensure resilience to the effects of climate change and devastating natural disasters, such as rising sea levels, earthquakes, and more frequent storms and flooding.Metro Vancouver plans to invest more than $7 billion over the next five years on critical infrastructure projects, including upgrades to the Iona Island Wastewater Treatment Plant. This project will ensure public and environmental health regulations are met, while restoring and enhancing salmon habitat, addressing seismic resiliency and sea level rise, increasing energy and resource recovery, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  The Province has shown its commitment to the work of local governments with the recent announcement of a $1-billion investment, alongside the budget, through the Growing Communities Fund. This funding will help support Metro Vancouver in delivering critical infrastructure that is essential in meeting the needs of a growing region, but there is always more work to be done."Our governments share many of the same priorities, and it is crucial that we work together to continue joint investments in building and maintaining resilient infrastructure and services, which support a strong economy, mitigate the effects of climate change, and maintain affordability for ratepayers," said John McEwen, vice chair of Metro Vancouver's Board of Directors. "In this time of economic uncertainty, we must steward public dollars with care. All orders of government need to collaborate to deliver projects efficiently and without delay, to avoid cost increases."Building more housing, improving affordability and addressing inequality are also critical in the current economic climate. As one of the largest affordable housing providers in the region, Metro Vancouver is committed to creating and operating great places to live for families, seniors, and people with disabilities. The Province's inclusion of an unprecedented $4.2 billion in operating and capital funding over three years for more homes aligns with Metro Vancouver's plan to deliver more than 2,000 units over the next 10 years, which includes seven priority projects that will result in 800 units over the next five years. Provincial investments in housing affordability can help Metro Vancouver to deepen affordability and expand the reach of these projects. Metro Vancouver looks forward to seeing the Province's refreshed housing plan when it is released this spring.