Vancouver Wants Change
Through the Our City Hall campaign, WTC engaged thousands of residents across Vancouver. We heard that 67% did not feel represented by Vancouver City Council's decisions over the past four years. This increased significantly for women, trans and gender-diverse people, seniors, and renters. When asked why, residents frequently pointed to budget cuts to services they rely on, lack of transparency at City Hall, and decisions that stigmatize and divide equity-deserving groups.
These findings were echoed in the decisive results of the October 17th election. Vancouver voters had a clear message: the next four years at city hall must look very different from the last four.
Congratulations (soon-to-be) Mayor Pete Fry and newly elected councillors Annette Reilly, Bridget Burns, Camil Dumont, Chloe Leslie, Devyani Singh, Solomon Yi-Kieran, and Stephanie Smith. Welcome back to council chambers, Lucy Maloney, Mike Klassen, and Sean Orr. We look forward to working with you to deliver on the change Vancouverites have asked for.
Thank you to all outgoing elected officials for your public service, and to every candidate who put their name out there, and their life on hold, during this election.
Delivering on Our City Hall Commitments
Through our engagement, we also heard that residents want leaders who will fight for a city where they belong. They want leaders who will prioritize equity, collaboration, and tangible solutions that make our lives better.
That’s why we’re pleased that the Mayor-elect and almost all new councillors have committed to the six policy asks in the Our City Hall Pledge.
These asks––ranging from expanding library hours, enabling non-market housing, and installing more bus shelters––were shaped by extensive community input: 532 workshop participants, 2,420 community conversations, 22 events, 643 survey responses, and the expertise of 86 partner organizations. They represent our vision for an affordable, healthy, and connected city. Residents told us these policy changes will make a meaningful difference in their lives.
We look forward to working with the new council to implement their Our City Hall commitments. We’re ready to support councillors of all parties so they can hit the ground running and make Vancouver a place where everyone can belong.
High Voter Turnout Across BC Local Elections
Vancouver’s voter turnout increased from 36% in 2022 to 43%. That’s the highest turnout we’ve seen in over a decade. Residents in other cities also headed to the polls in record numbers, too. Historic turnout in municipal elections across BC shows that more people are looking locally to make a difference.
Many factors influenced the increased turnout in Vancouver. One factor was the city's investment in the democratic process. After the by-election challenges, we shared your feedback with city officials. This election, we saw more poll workers, more advanced voting locations, and clearer communication about accessibility accommodations. That shows the city listened. We can’t increase democratic participation without investing in our democratic systems. Thank you to the city staff and election workers who made it quick, easy, and accessible to cast our ballots!
What Comes Next
Civic engagement begins at the ballot box, but to drive transformative and lasting change, it must go beyond voting. Over the next four years, WTC will continue supporting residents in participating in decision-making that impacts our lives.
We’ll continue building a movement towards cities that work for all of us by:
Engaging with elected officials to help implement the Our City Hall Policy Asks and tracking their progress.
Organizing in our community and amplifying equity-deserving voices so that our needs are met.
Examining and addressing barriers to civic participation.
Supporting residents to engage and have their voices heard through mentorship, resources, and civic literacy training.
Here are some ways you can be part of this work:
Become a member. Join our growing membership base so we can widen our influence with decision-makers. As a member, you also get priority access to community-building events.
Sign up for our newsletter. Know about WTC updates and events that the algorithm might not always tell you about in time.
Become a donor. Build civic power with us and contribute to sustainably fund our work beyond elections.
