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New roles, focus for Metro Vancouver politicians

Climate action committee created as part of shuffle at regional district
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Port Coquitlam Mayor and Metro board chair Greg Moore (left) and Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan (right).

A restructuring of the Metro Vancouver board's committee structure will mean a higher profile and shifting duties for some regional politicians this year.

Board chair Greg Moore of Port Coquitlam, who was acclaimed as chair last month, unveiled the changes Tuesday.

North Vancouver District Mayor Richard Walton takes over the regional planning committee from Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan. The committee, which stickhandles major land-use decisions and the Metro growth strategy, gets newly elected New Westminster Mayor Jonathan Cote as vice-chair.

Corrigan takes over a new climate action committee that will handle air quality, environmental planning and climate change issues, including greenhouse gas reduction efforts and climate change adaptation.

The former environment and parks committee is reduced to just a parks committee chaired by Vancouver Coun. Heather Deal.

A new performance and procurement committee is chaired by Port Moody Mayor Mike Clay, his first chairing role.

Vancouver Coun. Raymond Louie chairs the new intergovernmental and finance committee, which has two sub-committees on electoral area issues and regional culture.

Moore also created a new regional economy task force he will chair himself to seek ways to strengthen the economy and expand business opportunities.. He continues to chair the Metro mayors' committee, with Vancouver's Gregor Robertson as vice-chair.

Metro's zero waste committee, which is spearheading the region's push to build a new waste-to-energy plant, continues to be chaired by Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie.

North Vancouver City Mayor Darrell Mussatto keeps the utilities committee, which is overseeing the costly plans to rebuild the Lions Gate sewage treatment plan.

Surrey Coun. Barbara Steele will chair the aboriginal relations committee, replacing defeated Maple Ridge Mayor Ernie Daykin and Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart takes over the housing committee, formerly chaired by defeated New Westminster Mayor Wayne Wright.

Eliminated is a stand-alone transportation committee, previously headed by former Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts.

Instead Louie will also chair a federal gas tax committee that aims to ensure gas tax transfers that go to TransLink fund Metro priorities.