Stewart sues Metro Vancouver over handling of data-breach investigation

Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart filed a civil claim against Metro Vancouver on Friday, alleging he lost income and suffered reputational harm in the fallout from a 2022 data breach.

The B.C. Supreme Court claim alleges Metro Vancouver conducted a secretive investigation focused on Stewart and wrongly concluded that he had breached his oath of office. Stewart was a Metro Vancouver director while the regional government was preparing to terminate Acciona's contract to build the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant.

As Metro Vancouver prepared for possible litigation and stressed confidentiality to its members, a confidential document distributed to its board reached Acciona. A prior affidavit from Metro Vancouver commissioner Jerry W. Dobrovolny alleged that retired Coquitlam city manager Peter Steblin used Stewart's Metro credentials to access the report.

Norton Rose Fulbright, counsel for Metro Vancouver, said Steblin left his laptop open and his daughter, Anika Calder, an Acciona employee, photographed the documents with her cellphone and sent the images, directly or indirectly, to at least four people. Metro Vancouver filed a consent order in December 2025, ending its legal dispute with Acciona after more than three years.

Stewart says he interviewed Steblin and Calder after learning of the breach in June 2022, provided the information to Metro staff, and met with Metro Vancouver's investigator. He alleges Metro Vancouver nevertheless largely blamed him for the breach and that its board members and staff acted dishonourably, unreasonably and defamatorily.

The claim alleges Dobrovolny knowingly misstated a key fact by saying only directors could access confidential Metro materials, despite a longstanding practice of directors being briefed and assisted by city staff. Stewart says that statement led to allegations that he played a role in the breach, although the Coquitlam chief administrative officer knew otherwise.

Stewart says he learned he was the focus of the investigation in September 2022, when he arrived at a board meeting and found himself listed as the respondent in the report. He declared a conflict and recused himself. About a month later, he was told not to attend a board meeting where directors passed a resolution asking Coquitlam not to appoint him to Metro boards in the future. He did not serve as a director on regional boards after the 2022 municipal election.

Metro's investigation concluded Stewart had breached his oath by not knowing who used his credentials. Stewart disputes that finding, saying he could have supplied a list of several senior employees and their executive assistants had he been asked or known he was under investigation. He also disputes the finding that he did not reasonably investigate Steblin's conduct, saying he lacked authority to launch a formal investigation but notified council, interviewed relevant people and kept Metro staff informed.

Stewart alleges the report was defamatory and wrongly suggested he lacked the character or competence to serve as a Metro director. He also claims physical and emotional distress. None of the allegations has been proven in court.