Vancouver Civic Election 2018

[a very long weekend]

The biggest issue in Vancouver by a mile - lords over and has knock on effects on everything else - is upzoning the single family home districts. Has to be done, Sim opposes it, so he's not fit to be mayor.

[Jimbo604]

Originally Posted by kaitoe

I’d be a little more persuaded if he was more realistic about what he would have to do. That is, instead of saying “abolishing the park board,” he said, “encouraging city council to pass a motion suggesting the province to amend the Vancouver Charter to get rid of the century-old park board”. The city has no real power over whether the Park Board is in place or not.

Edit

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by a very long weekend

The biggest issue in Vancouver by a mile - lords over and has knock on effects on everything else - is upzoning the single family home districts. Has to be done, Sim opposes it, so he's not fit to be mayor.

100% this. Anyone who thinks that the parks board is a top priority for the average Vancouverite is fooling themselves. Many might want to get rid of it but either way it’s not keeping them up at night.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by kaitoe

I’d be a little more persuaded if he was more realistic about what he would have to do. That is, instead of saying “abolishing the park board,” he said, “encouraging city council to pass a motion suggesting the province to amend the Vancouver Charter to get rid of the century-old park board”. The city has no real power over whether the Park Board is in place or not.

The province would approve it. It's a formality, they amend the Vancouver charter on a regular basis for things the city wants within reason.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

100% this. Anyone who thinks that the parks board is a top priority for the average Vancouverite is fooling themselves. Many might want to get rid of it but either way it’s not keeping them up at night.

I agree SFH zoning is a huge issue, but it's not front and center for most CoV voters. Who are represented by a large number of SFH owners, of course.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

100% this. Anyone who thinks that the parks board is a top priority for the average Vancouverite is fooling themselves. Many might want to get rid of it but either way it’s not keeping them up at night.

On the contrary, I don't think there are that many local issues that keep people up at night besides the activities at Strathcona Park. Upzoning the West Side, viewcones, and approval of proposals on 41st just aren't issues anyone really cares about in my opinion. On the other hand, people are happy to fume about Strathcona over a shared drink.

[Migrant_Coconut]

That said, people do care about affordable housing - should be easy for Stewart and Marlssen's teams to counterattack with "Ken Sim thinks your basement suite should be even smaller!"

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

That said, people do care about affordable housing - should be easy for Stewart and Marlssen's teams to counterattack with "Ken Sim thinks your basement suite should be even smaller!"

If I remember the affordable housing issue cost Sims the election to a decent degree. I'm curious to see how many people voted for him last time based on just voting for the party / anti-former-NDP vote.

I don't know if homeowners south of 16th Ave care about parks in the DTES being camped in, but I guess we'll find out.

[Alex Mackinnon]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

100% this. Anyone who thinks that the parks board is a top priority for the average Vancouverite is fooling themselves. Many might want to get rid of it but either way it’s not keeping them up at night.

I think you underestimate the issue. How many times do you think you think you could could have you and your neighbours get robbed in a year and not have it become a top issue?

For me and most of my neighbours, we're well past that point. The city, through a useless parks board pretty much hung my neighbourhood out to dry for the last year.

Property crime is pretty common here, even before the pandemic, but the number of incidents I've had in the last year was 7 compared to an average of about 1 per year for the last decade. There's also been quite a few more assaults, break-ins, instances of vandalism and whatnot than typical.

Many people living near the core are going to be pretty upset with how much spillover there is from the DTES shitshow, and think the city needs to rapidly change tack. It's going to be way more of a hot-button topic than zoning.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

I don't know if homeowners south of 16th Ave care about parks in the DTES being camped in...

Even when some of them get murdered by campers in those parks?

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

If I remember the affordable housing issue cost Sims the election to a decent degree. I'm curious to see how many people voted for him last time based on just voting for the party / anti-former-NDP vote.

Just from comparing the last two elections, I think we can expect about 49k NPA diehards and 25k "independent" conservatives... against 85k votes for Stewart (assuming no other candidate splits the left vote).

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Just from comparing the last two elections, I think we can expect about 49k NPA diehards and 25k "independent" conservatives... against 85k votes for Stewart (assuming no other candidate splits the left vote).

The Vancouver Plan and a large part of the future of housing rests this election so definitely something to digest on any numbers from the previous elections, for sure.

I hope Hardwick isn't the voice of the NPA because she doesn't believe we need more rental or housing in general, as her statements at council are an indicator.

[Feathered Friend]

The release from Vancouver councillors @sarahkirby_yung, @CllrHardwick, and @LisaDominato, announcing they are leaving the NPA to sit as independents

https://twitter.com/j_mcelroy/status/1384976114758479874?s=20

Out of 5 NPA councillors elected in 2018, Councilor De Genova has become the highlander.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

https://twitter.com/j_mcelroy/status/1384976114758479874?s=20

Out of 5 NPA councillors elected in 2018, Councilor De Genova has become the highlander.

And here's the classy response on twitter from Dave Pasin, a former NPA Board director "Well their time is up. Personal ambition trumped common sense or ability to work with each other. Doubtful they would have survived being renominated anyway as they wore out their welcome. Their free ride on the coattails of the NPA is over."

[WestCoastEcho]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

https://twitter.com/j_mcelroy/status/1384976114758479874?s=20

Out of 5 NPA councillors elected in 2018, Councilor De Genova has become the highlander.

Wonder if they will remain as independents, or join up or form another party?

[Feathered Friend]

Here's the official statement from the three NPA school trustees, as they leave to sit as independents.

https://twitter.com/fabulavancouver/status/1385685441743974401?s=20

More defections from the NPA today as the party that elected 5 city councilors, 3 school board members, and 2 park board commissioners has been reduced to 1, 0, and 2 respectively. Like their counterparts on city council, these school board trustee have also chosen to sit as independents for now.

In the long run, I wonder if a new board of directors will see them return, or if they're going to be competing for a spot on Ken Sim's ABC.

[Klazu]

Most Vancouver residents think the city is headed in the wrong direction: survey

According to the survey, 57% of respondents believe Vancouver is on the “wrong track,” with an overwhelming 81% choosing “mostly because of poor choices made by those at City Hall.”

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-civic-election-survey-june-2021

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Klazu

Most Vancouver residents think the city is headed in the wrong direction: survey

According to the survey, 57% of respondents believe Vancouver is on the “wrong track,” with an overwhelming 81% choosing “mostly because of poor choices made by those at City Hall.”

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-civic-election-survey-june-2021

Research Co. poll results, reported June 2021 in The Sun "Vancouver mayoral race: (Very) early pre-election polling has Stewart at 49 per cent approval. In a new poll of Vancouver voters, almost half of respondents approved of Mayor Kennedy Stewart’s performance so far, with the incumbent better liked and more widely known than the opponents looking to take his job."

[Klazu]

Mayor Nowhere-to-be-Found will be out with rest of the wackos in the next general election and that will be good for the city. Maybe they will be let to keep their designer chairs as a departure gift, who knows?

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Klazu

Mayor Nowhere-to-be-Found will be out with rest of the wackos in the next general election and that will be good for the city. Maybe they will be let to keep their designer chairs as a departure gift, who knows?

We have no idea who will stand for election next year. I have no idea who you consider to be a 'wacko', but looking at past elections, incumbent councillors have a better chance of being elected than would-be politicians standing against them. Unless any decide not to run, I would think many of the existing councillors have a fair chance of getting re-elected.

And beware the unknown. Many of the would-be mayors are more anti development than the current one.