Municipality's Legal Spending Continues to Rise

AP report shows Village paid out over $54,000 in first quarter

Despite continued promises to reduce spending and increase transparency, Village legal bills continue to climb.

From January to March of 2025, the Village spent more than $54,000 on legal advice from Lidstone & Company, a law firm that, according to their website, specializes in local government law.

The Village of Lions Bay Accounts Payable (AP) report for the first quarter of the year, which documents municipal expenses, was released at the special meeting on May 6 by Financial Officer Joe Chirkoff. It lists payments made by the Village, amounting to approximately 400 cheques written for expenses this quarter.

The AP document included in the agenda of the evening was difficult to read due to a formatting issue.

However, a look at a clear copy of the document obtained after the meeting shows a breakdown of legal fees for the first quarter amounting to 17 payments to Lidstone & Company on 13 separate legal files for a total of $54,167.57. A further $115 was paid to the legal firm of Young Anderson.

The subject matter of the files is not disclosed in the AP document.

At the May 6 meeting, Councillor Neville Abbott pointed out that the Village had spent over 90% of 2025's legal budget in the first three months of the year.

Legal issues faced by the Village are typically dealt with behind the scenes in the portion of Council meetings that are closed to public view.

Other expenses shown on the report include just under $90,000 directed to BGC Engineering for expenditures related to the Battani Creek landslide last December.

The AP report represents an accounting of monies paid out by the Village on a quarterly basis, so there is no indication which costs, if any, are reimbursed by insurance or the provincial government. As reported HERE at the May 6 Council meeting, Abbott asked that it be clarified in future AP reports that Fire Department expenses are taken from fundraising, and not from taxpayers funds.

The next AP report is expected shortly after the second quarter of the year closes on June 30, 2025, and public portion of the next regular meeting of Council is scheduled for this evening, May 20, at 7 p.m.

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