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We’re back and this time intend to stay back as this election is shaping up to be chaotic with Ken Sim seeking re-election, Pete Fry launching a bid for mayor and the Vancouver Liberals getting their first caucus members in 90 years. Sim is praising his zero percent property tax increase budget but city employees are not happy. Council can agree on one thing: Headlights are too damn bright. Housing looks shaky but we are building on industrial land. And the dump will continue to take your trash. Links Ranking how much Vancouver councillors have distanced themselves from Mayor Ken Sim Ken Sim ‘pivots’ from park board and bitcoin, pushes safety and affordability in re-election bid | CBC News Could Pete Fry soon announce a mayoral run? Green Party of Vancouver endorses Pete Fry for Mayor or Council in 2026 Municipal Election Ex-ABC Vancouver politician joins new civic party to seek re-election School Board chair to run for Vancouver City Council in civic election | Urbanized New civic Liberals party propose amalgamating University Endowment Lands with City of Vancouver Vancouver City Council approves 2026 Budget with 0% property tax increase ‘Deceitful and unfair’: Vancouver municipal workers’ union files complaint alleging bad-faith negotiation Vancouver council votes down living wage motion three years after scrapping policy Vancouver city council calls on feds to address headlight brightness | CBC News Vancouver mayoral candidate pitches $200-million traffic signal coordination plan | Urbanized B.C. home prices at risk of 27% jump by 2032 due to delayed construction | Urbanized Vancouver city council approves massive 2-tower VGH expansion Going against advice of city staff, Vancouver council approves residential tower on industrial land City eyes federal and provincial loans to demolish downtown Vancouver viaducts | Urbanized Vancouver Landfill to stay open until 2050 under new regional agreement  Vancouveratta Everett Crowley Park – Wikipedia Vancouver’s Forgotten Monuments TikTok video

OneCity Vancouver is in the midst of their mayoral nomination contest, so we spoke to the two candidates: William Azaroff and Amanda Burrows about why they want to lead the city. Learn more: William Azaroff Amanda Burrows

Just one year to go until voters across Metro Vancouver go to the polls to elect their next mayors and city councils. New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone joins Ian to preview the races to watch across the region, and whether Vancouver is facing a referendum or not. Life After Cars event on Nov 8 Vancouver residents will have say on park board’s future Mayor Ken Sim provides updated statement on Park Board referendum legislation Vancouver mayor cites ‘Indigenous title issue’ in fight to abolish park board Image via Wikimedia

Did you miss us? We’re back to talk UBCM, the preponderance of parties that will participate in next year’s election, the war of the Langleys and the wizard in the park. Links UBCM convention shows drift from ‘compassion fatigue’ to concern over crime and disorder | CBC News Codes of conduct and transit: UBCM convention sees municipal priorities pitted against provincial power | CBC News Vancouver city councillor kicked out of ruling party announces mayoral bid | CBC News Vancouver mayor’s former chief of staff starts new political party Vancouver Liberals B.C. Conservatives launch new municipal party before 2025 elections | Vancouver Sun Former federal Conservative minister to steer B.C. municipal party – Castanet.net Register of Elector Organizations Former Vancouver mayor launching court challenge of B.C.’s ‘at-large’ electoral system Former Vancouver mayor to challenge B.C.’s voting system in court | CBC News Fix City Hall War of the Langleys: governance tensions between township and city mayors spills into the open | CBC News Langley township mayor sues political rivals over social media accusations | CBC News This B.C. mayor promised to use $55M in real estate for charity. Now he’s ignored an order to open the books Richmond, B.C., Mayor Malcolm Brodie won’t seek re-election after 25 years in the role | CBC News Terrace-born Donny van Dyk is Vancouver’s new city manager Up to 24 months of full pay for Paul Mochrie, Vancouver’s departed city manager: Documents Vancouver mayor and ABC councillors broke code of conduct, city integrity commissioner rules | CBC News Integrity Commissioner Report COVIC-010: Complaint against Mayor Sim and Councillors Sarah Kirby-Yung, Lisa Dominato, Lenny Zh Concerns over secret meetings ‘politicized,’ Vancouver mayor says Proposal to suspend work of Vancouver’s integrity commissioner quietly fizzles out | CBC News Third-party report recommends more independence for Vancouver’s integrity commissioner | CBC News Release of City of Vancouver Code of Conduct By-law No. 12886 Review and Recommendations B.C. says it will strengthen oversight of municipal governments | Vancouver Sun Vancouver park board commissioner under fire for repeated absences: ‘Do you really want this job?’ Why Vancouver’s decision to host a Harry Potter attraction quickly became controversial | CBC News Bright Nights leaves Vancouver for Surrey, as Stanley Park train remains sidelined Vancouveratta: The X-Files, Vancouver, and a Legendary Backlash | MONTECRISTO

What’s in: Finance reports and new parties. What’s out: Speeding, garburators, disabled housing, Pride, Stanley Park Train and the Mayor’s Gym Links Byelection finance reports Administrative Monetary Penalties Posted Online | Elections BC Vancouver has a new civic party — the Vancouver Liberals Vancouver Liberals 30 km/h speed limits coming to local streets in Vancouver Garburators will officially be banned in Vancouver for a pricey reason Metro loses legal bid in feud over millions of documents in North Shore poo plant trial Housing for residents with disabilities put on hold due to lack of parking Vancouver Pride in peril? Parade will proceed despite losing nearly half its sponsors Stanley Park Train will be off the rails for 2025 | CBC News Ken Sim’s gym closes Vancouveratta – Vancouver’s fractured left cracks again

An emergency motion for a Lapu Lapu Day tragedy memorial event surprises even Filipino BC. The Kitsilano Coalition is happy to see the city concede on the planned supportive housing project. The Vancouver Renters’ Office also isn’t coming back anytime soon. Metro Vancouver and the Langleys debate governance and policing. But with luck, we’ll see a new worker-owned co-op news outlet in the Tri-Cities, Burnaby, and New West 00:55 Strange Developments: Lapu Lapu Day Tragedy Memorial 06:35 Kitsilano Coalition’s Victory Against Supportive Housing 09:20 Vancouver Park Board Controversy 12:44 Vancouver Renter’s Office Debate 15:47 Ken Sim’s Defamation Lawsuit 17:24 Granville Street Entertainment District Plan 27:43 Langley Policing Dispute 32:09 Worker-Owned Co-op News Outlet 34:42 Vancouveratta – Invasive Wall Lizards Links Community Update l Tuesday, June 3 — Filipino BC B.C. Filipino community group upset with Vancouver city council’s sudden Lapu Lapu Day memorial event decision Have the Doors Closed on New BC Supportive Housing? | The Tyee Dissolution of Vancouver Park Board on pause: City Motion to bring back Vancouver renter office defeated in tie vote – CTVNews Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim launches defamation lawsuit against former chief of staff and local businessman Car-free revival plan for Granville strip approved by Vancouver City Council | Urbanized Photo ready: City votes to install giant $1M Vancouver sign along waterfront | CBC News Metro Vancouver has 41 directors. After a governance review, will that change? | CBC News Under fire for wasteful spending, Metro Vancouver touts award for ‘excellence in financial reporting’ Former Premier Mike Harcourt calls for big changes at Metro Vancouver Policing ‘divorce’ going ahead between City and Township of Langley – BC | Globalnews.ca Save Our Local News Axed local reporters aim to launch first worker-owned co-op news outlet in Western Canada, covering Tri-Cities, Burnaby, New Westminster Vancouveratta The wall lizard invasion of Vancouver Island – Macleans.ca BC Bob | Oopsies | Instagram  

We mourn with everyone who lost friends and loved ones at the recent Lapu Lapu tragedy. In the coming months, we’ll be sure to follow the ongoing political fallout of the failures that led to this event. In the meantime, support the Kapwa Strong fundraiser. Looking back at the byelection, it should probably have been quite clear what was going to happen but few (besides Peter Meiszner) would have predicted Vancouver’s elections to be run so poorly. Plus we have a trove of fundraising data from the 2024 annual reports and the VPD are in the news for all the wrong reasons. Plus we remember the McBarge. Links Filipino BC – Kapwa Strong fundraiser ‘Hard to accept’ festival attack suspect was under mental health care: Vancouver mayor – CTV News City of Vancouver’s Lapu Lapu festival planning called into question compared to other events High interest and 62% cut in staffing lead to major lines in Vancouver byelection | CBC News Chief Election Officer declares candidates elected | City of Vancouver By-election results Anonymous ballot marking — City of Vancouver Open Data Portal Vancouver mayor to reflect on resident satisfaction following party’s byelection defeats | CBC News Vancouver’s byelection a story of big lines, big passion, and ABC coping with a big loss | CBC News ‘We got our butts handed to us:’ ABC Vancouver pledges to learn from byelection defeat – Dan Fumano What can we learn from the 2024 annual reports – Cambie Report VPD whistleblower alleges ‘Task Force Barrage’ arrest quotas – BC | Globalnews.ca Unredacted email from alleged anonymous VPD officer Vancouver Police Department to be over budget by millions: report Former Vancouver Police Board member questions budget approval process for $5M crackdown on DTES crime – CTVNews Vancouveratta – McBarge Iconic Expo 86 ‘McBarge’ capsizes in Fraser River | CBC News Justin McElroy : “i had to say goodbye with one drawing and one song” — Bluesky Abandoned BC Ferry on fire in Mission  

“I’m sorry” – Ken Sim about five times in the last month. Also featuring Annette Reilly of the Vancouver Green’s statement. Links Vancouver byelection: Seven candidates from five parties make their pitch Vancouver sees 2,876 ballots cast on first day of advance voting for byelection Byelection candidates question ABC Vancouver’s debate absence ‘Oops’: Vancouver mayor apologizes for series of recent slip-ups Vancouver municipal council by-election candidate forced to apologize for e-mail outreach to police officers A Police Union Leader’s Controversial Run for Vancouver Council | The Tyee Audio leaked of Vancouver byelection candidate discussing running mate – BC | Globalnews.ca Ken Sim Bitcoin video (Bitcoin) ABC Vancouver’s ‘repudiation of the rule of law’ shows gap in B.C.’s municipal oversight, Ombudsperson says Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim gets booed at Juno Awards | News Candidates for Vancouver Municipal Party Say They Attended Multiple Events with Conspiratorial Far-Right Groups By Accident Policies/platforms ABC Vancouver COPE Vancouver Greens OneCity TEAM Vancouveratta Bure once helped pull off the ultimate Vancouver Canucks April Fools’ prank | Sports

We turned the mics over to the candidates for the Vancouver byelection so you can hear directly from them. Featuring Lucy Malone (OneCity), Colleen Hardwick (TEAM), Sean Orr (COPE), Jaime Stein (ABC) and Theodore Abbott (TEAM). Unfortunately, we didn’t receive clips from Ralph Kaisers (ABC) or Annette Reilly (Greens) by our deadline.

With 38 days until the Vancouver by-elections, we delve into the DUI allegations against Mayor Ken Sim, which were reportedly dismissed by police investigations. We discuss Task Force Barrage, a new initiative targeting organized crime and public safety. As well: Rebecca Bligh and is out of ABC, Adam Palmer is out of the VPD – the latter by choice. ABC announces its byelection candidates. And, Surrey withdraws from the Metro Vancouver Regional Growth Strategy, community newspapers close and our Vancouveratta. Links Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim, police, cleared of ‘baseless’ DUI allegation – BC | Globalnews.ca OPCC says allegations against Vancouver mayor ‘baseless’ but won’t publish report Vancouver mayor, police to roll out plan to tackle crime, public safety concerns After four decades of policing in Vancouver, Chief Adam Palmer retires ABC Vancouver Introduces By-Election Candidates VDLC Endorses Vancouver City Council Byelection Candidates Vancouver Coun. Rebecca Bligh kicked out of ABC caucus | CBC News Leaked document shows new plan by Vancouver city council to alter the Downtown Eastside – The Globe and Mail Vancouver council gets update on efforts to ‘uplift’ Downtown Eastside – BC | Globalnews.ca ABC Vancouver park board politicians violated policy on open meetings, watchdog finds Integrity Commissioner Report PBIC-003: Complaint against Vancouver Park Board Commissioners Bastyovanszky, Christensen, Haer, H City of Surrey to withdraw from Metro Vancouver’s Regional Growth Strategy Tax dollars subsidized IKEA, The Brick electric vehicles, Metro Vancouver board hears – BC | Globalnews.ca Burnaby Now, New Westminster Record, Tri-City News to close Vancouveratta: The Vancouver Daily World – Wikipedia  

Byelection candidates, supportive housing pause, Metro Van boycott and the Delta Police spark an international incident. Links OneCity candidate – Lucy Maloney: OneCity Vancouver By-election Candidate COPE – COPE Nominates Local Housing Activist and Writer Sean Orr as By-Election Candidate — COPE Vancouver Greens – Annette Reilly – Green Party of Vancouver beats Pamela Dudas – Green Party of Vancouver TEAM – Colleen Hardwick and Theodore Abbott Vancouver mayor rejects new supportive housing projects, promises ‘crackdown’ on gangs – CTVNews Two ABC Vancouver councillors question Ken Sim’s plan to ‘freeze’ new supportive housing B.C. housing minister says Vancouver’s plan for Downtown Eastside could increase crime | CBC News Downtown Eastside at ‘tipping point’ as London Drugs considers leaving Woodward’s building Vancouver mayor to boycott Metro Vancouver meetings over ‘broken’ governance – BC | Globalnews.ca B.C. fires Victoria School Board over ban on police in schools | CBC News End to public access at some Vancouver school fields has neighbourhood group frustrated | CBC News This is the proposed car-free transformation of the Granville Entertainment District Summer boozing allowed at 7 Vancouver beaches on ‘permanent basis’ – CTVNews Shelter is Survival – BC Civil Liberties Association Kelowna blows past provincial housing target 30 metre-long B.C. fence along stretch of U.S. border sparks international investigation | CBC News Border fence erected along stretch of Canada-U.S. border now taken down – BC | Globalnews.ca. Revelstoke city council votes to rescind 1985 policy forbidding nuclear weapons – Salmon Arm News – Castanet.net Here’s why Vancouver has ‘nuclear weapons free zone’ signs ‘It’s not a fight we’ve won’: Vancouver’s iconic nuclear war activists renew calls for peace | CBC News

Two byelections at the same time folks. With Vancouver’s longest-serving councillor, Adriane Carr, stepping down and Christine Boyle’s election to the BC Legislature, Vancouver needs two new councillors. We look at the race and everything else that’s happened recently. Links Vancouver Coun. Adriane Carr resigns, setting up 2-seat byelection | CBC News Vancouver council confirms details of 2-seat byelection on April 5 | CBC News Team promises 2 candidates Hardwick confirms her interest Vote Socialist takes a pass But Sean Orr seeks COPE nomination Bob Kronbauer: The NPA is gone and nobody gives a crap VANCOUVER POLITICAL PARTIES UNITED IN DEMANDING ELECTIONS BC DISCIPLINE FOR KEN SIM PARTY’S CAMPAIGN FINANCE IRREGULARITIES Opposition parties demand Elections BC complete investigation before Vancouver by-election You may have to pay to spray as Vancouver considering water metering for all homes, buildings Vancouver city council votes to look into residential water metering – BC | Globalnews.ca Vancouver property tax to increase by 3.9% in 2025 Vancouver City Council approves 2025 operating and capital budget with 3.9% property tax increase No, Vancouver is not that unsafe, actually – Ian’s article on crime Burnaby unveils ‘housing library’ for pre-reviewed multiplex home designs Standardized designs arrive to help build more homes faster BC Court of Appeal social housing judgement Eby says there ‘will be affordable social housing’ in Kits neighbourhood, despite pushback – BC | Globalnews.ca Kingsgate Mall: Developer wins multi-million-dollar rent battle with Vancouver School Board – BC | Globalnews.ca BC Supreme Court Beedie vs VSB judgement Palestinian Symbols Banned at Vancouver Public Library Vancouver Public Library staff banned from wearing watermelon pins to show support for Palestine Vancouver mayor defends bitcoin motion, says it’s better than gold | CBC News New West to become first B.C. city restricting the delivery of graphic abortion images ‘There is nothing historic about Peachland,’ argues councillor in debate over welcome signs Hidekazu Tojo – Wikipedia California roll – Wikipedia

Two-years of Ken Sim, Crab Park residents evicted, some upcoming byelections, Burnaby affordable housing requirements axed, New West mayor chastised and Surrey gets its first weed store. Links Q&A: Ken Sim reflects on two-year anniversary as Vancouver mayor Chip Wilson Day Vancouver’s CRAB Park residents left with few options as eviction looms | CBC News 13 local politicians were elected to the B.C. Legislature. Not all are giving up their municipal roles | CBC News Christine Boyle announces resignation from Vancouver city council Burnaby eliminates affordable rental requirement in low-income neighbourhood New West mayor’s all-expenses paid trip to Dubai breached ethics rules: Commissioner Green light: Surrey council approves 12 new pot stores across the city Metro Vancouver approves 25.3% increase to regional tax bill in 2025 Metro Vancouver sells land set aside for Bowen Island Campground Paradox Hotel Vancouver – Wikipedia

Council controversies: Brian Montague’s integrity commissioner review, Vancouver’s rollback on climate action policies, and the city’s purchase of an almost completed market rental building. Delayed suicide prevention barriers on Granville Bridge, TransLink’s funding crisis, and the debate over Vancouver’s view cones. Cities try to meet the deadline to pass multiplex bylaws, except West Vancouver. City council and the park board battle over bike lanes in the West End. And we dig into a heavily redacted FOI on when Ken Sim decided to move to abolish the Park Board. Links 01:57 Integrity Commissioner Review 05:05 Climate Action Report and Natural Gas Debate 09:47 Granville Bridge Suicide Barriers Delayed (see also re debris) Vancouver to get new dedicated bus lanes on these key routes 13:43 TransLink Funding Crisis and Potential Cuts 21:08 View Cones Debate 26:43 City Purchases Market Rental Building 30:36 Ken Sim’s Quick Fix for Kits Pool 33:37 Bike Lane Battle: Park Board vs. Council 36:06 FOI Requests and Park Board Abolishment FOI fight 43:01 Provincial Housing Compliance and West Vancouver’s Defiance 45:55 Surrey’s Push for a City Charter 48:33 NIMBYs Oppose New Fire Station 50:56 Vancouver’s New Sign and Historical Homages 53:45 Farewell to AM 730 Traffic Radio Outro audio credit: TikTok @unCOUVER

The latest threat to neighbourhood character: Young children. Also: Paying people to speak at public hearings, selling off school board land, staffing the mayor’s office, banning Hookah shops, developing Coquitlam and Burnaby. Links Vancouver graffiti for climate change action (inspiration for the song Heat Dome) Dan Fumano: How a Vancouver neighbourhood fought, and defeated, a daycare Dan Fumano: Vancouver parents desperate for daycare slam city hall rejection Dan Fumano: Vancouver councillors promise action after daycare’s rejection Rental housing tower approval rescinded after developer paid supporters in public hearing Vancouver School Board tells judge it is considering selling a prime piece of land – The Globe and Mail New staff at the Mayor’s Office A look at who’s who in Ken Sim’s office Vancouver bylaw official tries to close hookah shops – Retail & Manufacturing Era of building single-family home neighbourhoods is over: Coquitlam mayor Coquitlam should build ‘conventional’ townhomes: councillor Why Burnaby Decided to Develop Its Own Housing | The Tyee This Pride anthem was written in Vancouver — inspired by a local landmark | CBC News