Vancouver appoints lawyer to investigate leak of confidential report

Vancouver city council has hired a lawyer to investigate the leak of confidential documents about a loan to prop up the Olympic Athletes Village for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

Richard Peck will review the adequacy of city policies and procedures about in-camera meetings, the treatment of sensitive documents, and the use of confidential information.

Peck, who has represented clients in many high-profile cases, will also try to determine how and by whom the confidential documents were leaked.

The media reported last month the city's $100-million bailout to Millennium Development Corp., the company building the Athletes Village. Millennium is facing an estimated $60 million in cost overruns on construction of the village.

The loan, which was approved during an in-camera meeting in October, became a campaign issue in the lead-up to the Nov. 15 civic election. Vision Vancouver's Gregor Robertson won the mayoral race, defeating the Non-Partisan Association's Peter Ladner.

A report assigned to then-councillor Ladner during the Oct. 14 financial committee meeting was missing and later turned up on another councillor's desk.

Mayor-elect Robertson has promised a public hearing on the funding deal shortly after he takes office later this month.

Peck is required to present written findings in the first phase of his inquiry to council by mid-February next year.

The Athletes Village site on southeast False Creek is on 32 hectares of land, seven of which will be temporarily transformed during the Games.

The village, which will contain 15 to 20 permanent buildings and other temporary structures to accommodate athletes, will be a residential community but will also include commercial and retail space.

Earlier this year, Vancouver city council issued a $190-million loan guarantee to help prop up the project.