Vancouver Civic Election 2026 - Page 2

whatnext · #21 Posted **Jan 28, 2026, 11:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

That article from October that you shared also reports that he's not running again.

Thanks for catching that. Good to hear!

whatnext · #22 Posted **Jan 31, 2026, 12:42 AM**

Pete Fry's going for it!

It’s official: Pete Fry is the Green party’s first Vancouver mayoral candidate in 30 years
Kenneth Chan
Jan 30 2026, 2:10 pm

Last fall, the Green Party of Vancouver threw its support behind Pete Fry ahead of the October 2026 civic election, with the two-term sitting Vancouver city councillor weighing his party’s support to have him run for mayor or a third term on City Council.

Standing on the steps of Vancouver City Hall today, Fry officially announced his decision to run for Vancouver mayor, with the party confirming its continued support as he enters the election campaign as its leader....

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/pete-fry-vancouver-mayoral-candidate-green-party-official

whatnext · #23 Posted **Feb 4, 2026, 8:12 PM**

I'm all for the fireworks but a one night event seems kind of lame. And didn't the mayor bring in a 0% tax increase? What's he going to cut to do this?

Vancouver mayor proposes up to $600,000 in new funding for one-night fireworks event to replace this summer's Honda Celebration of Light
Kenneth Chan
Feb 3 2026, 5:29 pm

Vancouver City Council is being asked to step in to fill the 2026 summer celebration and fireworks gap left by the cancellation of the long-running Honda Celebration of Light.

A member motion by Vancouver mayor Ken Sim argues that free, accessible public events are especially important as residents face cost-of-living pressures, and notes the long cultural and economic role the Honda Celebration of Light has played in the city’s summer calendar...

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouve...roposal-celebration-of-light-summer-2026

NewfBC · #24 Posted **Feb 4, 2026, 9:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatnext

I'm all for the fireworks but a one night event seems kind of lame. And didn't the mayor bring in a 0% tax increase? What's he going to cut to do this?

Vancouver mayor proposes up to $600,000 in new funding for one-night fireworks event to replace this summer's Honda Celebration of Light
Kenneth Chan
Feb 3 2026, 5:29 pm

Vancouver City Council is being asked to step in to fill the 2026 summer celebration and fireworks gap left by the cancellation of the long-running Honda Celebration of Light.

A member motion by Vancouver mayor Ken Sim argues that free, accessible public events are especially important as residents face cost-of-living pressures, and notes the long cultural and economic role the Honda Celebration of Light has played in the city’s summer calendar...

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouve...roposal-celebration-of-light-summer-2026

He's going to use the money they had committed to the Celebration of Light, plus probably get a few of the sponsors on board.

Ron.

whatnext · #25 Posted **Feb 5, 2026, 1:33 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewfBC

He's going to use the money they had committed to the Celebration of Light, plus probably get a few of the sponsors on board.

Ron.

Is sponsors were out there waiting to write cheques I suspect the fireworks group would have found them.

madog222 · #26 Posted **Feb 5, 2026, 2:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatnext

Is sponsors were out there waiting to write cheques I suspect the fireworks group would have found them.

The lower overall cost should make sponsorship a possibility for far more companies. It would be great to have a local company as headlining sponsor.

Alex Mackinnon · #27 Posted **Feb 5, 2026, 3:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatnext

Is sponsors were out there waiting to write cheques I suspect the fireworks group would have found them.

Ken's Fireworks extravaganza now sponsored by Nurse Next Door, Rosemary + Rocksalt and Kit+Ace.

Migrant_Coconut · #28 Posted **Feb 5, 2026, 4:31 AM**

Organizers said they were short about $1 million. The CoV could easily fund all three nights for less than two cents per taxpayer... but hey, zero means zero.

WarrenC12 · #29 Posted **Feb 5, 2026, 6:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatnext

Is sponsors were out there waiting to write cheques I suspect the fireworks group would have found them.

I don't know, the fireworks have cried poor a few times in the past and somebody has come in to save the day. Maybe Sim is the sucker this time around.

Chip could fund these forever if he wanted to.

mcj · #30 Posted **Feb 5, 2026, 6:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

I don't know, the fireworks have cried poor a few times in the past and somebody has come in to save the day. Maybe Sim is the sucker this time around.

Chip could fund these forever if he wanted to.

If Chip Wilson ponied up the ~$2.0M required for the funding gap for the three nights (assuming the city's additional $0.6M covers 1 night plus some extra), his net worth as reported by Forbes is $6.3USD or ~$8.6CAD. That would be the equivalent of someone with $1M in net worth ponying up $232. It's honestly shameful how he hasn't stepped up (similarly for Jimmy Pattison and other other resident billionaires).

whatnext · #31 Posted **Feb 5, 2026, 6:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcj

If Chip Wilson ponied up the ~$2.0M required for the funding gap for the three nights (assuming the city's additional $0.6M covers 1 night plus some extra), his net worth as reported by Forbes is $6.3USD or ~$8.6CAD. That would be the equivalent of someone with $1M in net worth ponying up $232. It's honestly shameful how he hasn't stepped up (similarly for Jimmy Pattison and other other resident billionaires).

How about all those folks who made Vancouver one of the biggest luxury car markets in North America? You know, the ones who built all those McMansions on the West Side in the last 20 years....

Glow Fun City · #32 Posted **Feb 5, 2026, 7:02 PM**

"Lululemon Celebration of Light": that's a lot of L's…

Feathered Friend · #33 Posted **Feb 12, 2026, 5:39 AM**

Quote:

Justin McElroy 🇨🇦 ‪@jmcelroy.bsky.social‬
William Azaroff has won the OneCity mayoral nomination.

He defeated Amanda Burrows by about....

Correction: Azaroff won by about 400 votes.

A shade under 60%.

It’s a reflection of the type of focus OneCity has become: very pro-housing development, urbanist, centre-left without being too tied to the NDP.
8:48 PM · Feb 11, 2026

https://bsky.app/profile/jmcelroy.bsky.social/post/3men6u57n522v

whatnext · #34 Posted **Feb 12, 2026, 7:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

https://bsky.app/profile/jmcelroy.bsky.social/post/3men6u57n522v

It's getting to be a crowded field and that probably helps Sim the incumbent, despite his unpopularity.

GenWhy? · #35 Posted **Feb 12, 2026, 7:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatnext

It's getting to be a crowded field and that probably helps Sim the incumbent, despite his unpopularity.

I think Calgary and Edmonton had like a dozen candidates each, which seems normal.

Official to date (6):
Greens
ABC
Vancouver Liberals
Vote Vancouver
OneCity
TEAM

Large tickets left are the Conservative Party and then COPE

Looks like everyone is well represented.

Glow Fun City · #36 Posted **Feb 18, 2026, 5:13 PM**

Vancouver’s opposition parties may team up to unseat Mayor Ken Sim

The opposition parties in Vancouver’s City Hall are debating publicly whether to join forces in the upcoming municipal election this year.

OneCity, one of the opposition parties, extended an offer to COPE and the Green Party to initiate a primary election among their members to select one candidate to face off against Mayor Ken Sim and his ABC party. …

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2026/02/17...arties-may-team-up-unseat-mayor-ken-sim/

whatnext · #37 Posted **Feb 18, 2026, 6:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glow Fun City

Vancouver’s opposition parties may team up to unseat Mayor Ken Sim

The opposition parties in Vancouver’s City Hall are debating publicly whether to join forces in the upcoming municipal election this year.

OneCity, one of the opposition parties, extended an offer to COPE and the Green Party to initiate a primary election among their members to select one candidate to face off against Mayor Ken Sim and his ABC party. …

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2026/02/17...arties-may-team-up-unseat-mayor-ken-sim/

Interesting to see how different media outlets spin this!

OneCity issues ultimatum to COPE, Greens to unite behind one leader
-William Azaroff: 'We have seen too much vote splitting in the past, and I think this is an opportunity for progressives to come together, unite behind a single leader and elect a progressive mayor in October.'
-Mike Howell

OneCity mayoral candidate William Azaroff has issued an ultimatum to COPE and the Greens to participate in a “progressive primary” as a method to select one leader from the left side of the political spectrum to take on Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim in the October civic election.

Fresh off his nomination victory Feb. 11, Azaroff told reporters Tuesday from the back steps of city hall that he wants an answer from both parties by 11:30 a.m. Friday on whether they will participate in a contest.

Though COPE’s members have not chosen a mayoral candidate, Green Party Coun. Pete Fry announced recently that he is running for mayor — a scenario that all three parties have acknowledged could lead to vote splitting at the ballot box.....

https://www.biv.com/news/economy-law-pol...hind-one-leader-william-azaroff-11891481

Kind of cocky that William Whoever gives a deadline to more established parties. I guess Onecity thinks they're the heir to Gregor Robertson's tattered mantle.

jollyburger · #38 Posted **Feb 18, 2026, 7:48 PM**

I doubt any consolidation will help with the mayoral race but it's probably more important for council seats.

MalcolmTucker · #39 Posted **Feb 18, 2026, 11:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jollyburger

I doubt any consolidation will help with the mayoral race but it's probably more important for council seats.

It depends. For mayoral it is amount being able to marshal resources (money and volunteer time) in a way council only races can't. With a Mayoral attached to Council races, there is significant economies of scale in campaigning.

So if you think you can raise enough money, running for Mayor makes a lot of sense, dollars go further, volunteer time goes further.

Coordinating gives some of that benefit, but not as much. Just end up left out of the conversation when the race gets going in a real way.

kikin · #40 Posted **Feb 18, 2026, 11:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatnext

Interesting to see how different media outlets spin this!

[I]OneCity issues ultimatum to COPE, Greens to unite behind one leader
-William Azaroff: 'We have seen too much vote splitting in the past, and I think this is an opportunity for progressives to come together, unite behind a single leader and elect a progressive mayor in October.'
-Mike Howell
...

what are they going to do differently with a "progressive" mayor? this is what I wonder, and after experiencing Stewart who was in before Sim I am a bit terrified, will the city become even less economically competitive?