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

Sarah Kirby-Yung is mad at Rebecca Bligh. Pete Fry is mad at Ken Sim. Everyone is acting like children. It’s the council we know and love. But at least with a majority, they passed most everything they wanted (for better or worse). And at least Vancouver’s mayor hasn’t been deemed likely to leak confidential documents via Staples print centres again.

Links

• F-bomb dropped in heated Vancouver city council exchange
• The video (shoutout Spencer Powell)
• Pete Fry told to “live with it”
• On procedure
• Just a very busy meeting
• Gastown pedestrian pilot staff report
• Vancouver’s non-ABC councillors set to be stripped of extra roles and pay
• Vancouver passes motion granting police traffic camera access
• Amendment to subject camera plan to charter review passes with ABC split
• Vancouver councillors call for lobbyist registry at city hall
• MOTION – Establishing a Community Policing Centre in Gastown and Area to Enhance Safety and Security
• Sim amends his own motion
• MOTION – Protecting and Enhancing Greenspace for the East End, Chinatown, Hogan’s Alley and Strathcona – Standing Committee on
• ABC Vancouver’s promise to hire 100 mental health nurses sits at 35
• No rezoning: Vancouver could expedite new social, supportive housing | Urbanized
• Vancouver city council allows developer to delay major Oakridge project
• Contentious natural gas decision could test unity of Vancouver’s ABC majority
• Questions raised about role of Vancouver mayor’s adviser in controversial natural gas vote
• After B.C. election, what happens next as Christine Boyle vacates her Vancouver council seat?
• Park Board to raise revenue for upgrades by charging extra fees for Vancouver events and attractions
• Burnaby thwarts provincial transit-oriented housing laws — again
• Mayor Hamer-Jackson leaked documents in April; investigation ruled it unlawful | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan’s News Source
• Vancou’d have been: Spanish Banks and Point Grey were nearly turned into a gigantic industrial port
• How a proposed airport at Spanish Banks almost changed Vancouver forever | Globalnews.ca
• The Grand Campus Washout – UBC Centennial

ABC backtracks on the city’s integrity commissioner, while ending City Hall lighting for (foreign) national holidays. Burnaby signs a gag order with TransMountain. Police in the region are over budget and saying some wildly bigoted things. A quirky by-election in Harrison Hot Springs. The Park Board’s existential plea, legal battles over tree removal in Stanley Park, and the return of the ghost train serve as the lighter notes.

Timestamps and Links

01:20 Integrity Commissioner Controversy

• ‘Pause the pause’: ABC Vancouver reversing course on integrity commissioner freeze

04:46 City Hall Lighting Policy Changes

• Vancouver council limits groups from lighting up city hall, Burrard Bridge

09:39 Public Opinion on Mayor and Council

• Majority of Vancouverites feel Mayor and city council are out of touch: CityNews poll 

12:22 VPD Budget Overrun and RCMP Accountability

• Vancouver Police department overspending by millions: report
• ‘Atrocious’ comments by RCMP officers alleged in internal probe | CBC News

17:07 Victoria Citizens Assembly on Amalgamation

• Victoria-Saanich amalgamation report begins after years of delay 

20:29 Burnaby’s Gag Order with Trans Mountain

• Burnaby barred from ‘negative public communications’ about Trans Mountain under $20M deal – BC | Globalnews.ca

22:57 Vancouver Park Board’s Fight for Existence

• Vancouver Park Board votes to remain an elected body

26:01 Stanley Park Tree Removal Lawsuit and SCC Rejects Vancouver’s SRO Vacancy Control Appeal

• B.C. court rejects attempt to stop tree removal in Stanley Park | CBC News
• Supreme Court of Canada – SCC Case Information – Summary – 41198
• B.C. law change will let City of Vancouver enact SRO vacancy control | CBC News

30:47 Harrison Hot Springs By-Election

• Harrison Hot Springs elects new mayor, councillor in byelection | CBC News

33:25 Stanley Park Ghost Train Returns

• Stanley Park Ghost Train to ride again in October

34:48 Vancouveratta: BC’s First General Election

• 1871 BC Election Map
• Electoral History of B.C. | Elections BC

Pete Fry foils Ken Sim’s effort to put the Integrity Commissioner’s office into a medically-induced coma. The Park Board releases a legal opinion suggesting a mid-term abolition may be unconstitutional. Surrey wants a Charter. A North Van chemical company runs an astroturf campaign. The People’s Park defeats the fire station. And lots of housing – and little parking – coming to Vancouver’s east end.

Links

• Vancouver council defers vote on integrity commissioner’s review | CBC News 
• Vancouver Park Board seeks legal advice over dissolution motion | CBC News
• PRIVILEGED LEGAL OPINION – Memo to B. Bastyovanszky 4 Sept 2024.pdf
• Surrey, B.C., council votes unanimously to request city charter | CBC News
• Mayor Brenda Locke calls for more control, exemptions with proposed Surrey Charter
• Campaign against B.C. chlorine plant was secretly funded by rival | CBC News
• Vancouver pauses plan to build temporary fire hall on Strathcona green space
• East Village: Over 900 rental homes and social housing units in towers up to 39 storeys to transform East Hastings Street in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside
• This Week in History, 1935: A “religious cult” run by “a charlatan” bamboozles a wealthy housewife | Vancouver Sun

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

Ken Sim expropriated a City Hall boardroom for a personal gym because that’s what winners do. Meanwhile, the cops are using their extra budget to tackle the chaos that is people watching the sunset from the beach. Mandatory upzoning is progressing, with some notable squeaky wheels that are playing chicken with the province. And a new audit is being launched into the ill-fated North Shore Waste Water Plant.

Links

Pete Fry’s tweet of the gym

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim explains why he turned a boardroom into a gym

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim defends converting city hall room into a gym

Here’s how many times Vancouver’s mayor has been absent from a vote at council

$80K staff position added to Vancouver mayor’s office | CBC News

Carol Reardon tweet on Sim math

Blair’s tweet of cops clearing the beach

Vancouver police English Bay beach sweep prompts questions

Mayor Ken Sim out as Vancouver Police Board chair | CBC News

Surrey policing transition saga over, mayor accepts judicial review

More than 4,000 homes built for people, thousands more on the way through housing targets

Vancouver to allow more density at all SkyTrain stations beyond legislation | Urbanized

Vancouver council votes to densify upscale Shaughnessy neighbourhood

Vancouver scraps minimum parking requirements citywide – BC | Globalnews.ca

Cities ask for more time to comply with B.C.’s zoning laws | CBC News

B.C. rejects Burnaby petition for exemption to new transit-oriented development rules

Burnaby defies new BC housing transit-oriented area laws

Bylaws passed: Port Moody, Coquitlam (for TOAs only), Richmond, Surrey, Delta, Chilliwack

Public toilet plan doesn’t pass the sniff test for some New West residents

TransLink announces $90M cost-cutting plan to address funding gap | CBC News

City reverses plan to spend $6M for expanded Burnaby elementary school gym

Metro announces independent review of ballooning North Vancouver sewage plant cost – North Shore News

Vancouveratta

The Vancouver Stock Exchange: A Legacy of Fraud and Money Laundering Part I

The Vancouver Stock Exchange: A Legacy of Fraud and Money Laundering Part II

At some point Brenda Locke should get tired of losing, but today is not that day. It does inspire us to think of Surrey as a grand collective delusion that we’re all experiencing. Importantly though, voting isn’t speech and the constitution still doesn’t recognize municipalities.

In Vancouver, Council wants to keep property taxes low, there are squabbles at the Park Board but maybe we can sell off naming rights to our parks to solve our budget woes (spoiler: we can’t). Ken Sim will continue to operate on vibes, however. Throughout that, Vancouver is behind on its housing targets but it has plenty of company from municipalities still grumbling about the province forcing them to upzone all residential zones.

George Harvie is still in hot water over travel expenditures, Port Moody mulled a lobbyist registry, Langley City is banning daycares and Coquitlam nearly banned joy.

And you should all go save the WISE Hall.

Links

• Surrey loses court bid to keep RCMP 
• As Brenda Locke’s policing losses mount, mandate argument weakens – CBC
• BC Supreme Court ruling
• Max tax increase agreed
• Integrity Commissioner Ruling
• Vancouver plans to give corporate names to city and park board assets
• ‘Decline in completions’: Vancouver misses housing targets ordered by B.C.
• Oof, A Deep Dive – The Bind
• Sim’s got the feels
• ‘Not my job to crunch numbers,’ Vancouver mayor says as expert questions FIFA’s economic benefit
• Vancouver votes to move ahead with pod hotel pilot project
• Cities ask for more time to comply with B.C.’s zoning laws
• Two Metro Vancouver mayors watching how densification impacts property values, taxes
• Provincial Legislation Compels Coquitlam to Pivot on Priorities and Restructure Funding Systems
• West Van council rejects provincial housing rules – North Shore News
• Delta mayor under fire over planned trip, travel expenses – BC | Globalnews.ca
• Fallout continues, following Delta council uprising against mayor
• No time for lobbyist registry, Port Moody council decides
• Langley City council votes to restrict new daycares downtown
• Coquitlam gets more bounce to the ounce; developer gets verbally trounced – Tri-Cities Dispatch
• At risk of closing, East Vancouver’s Wise Hall seeks public support
• WISE Hall • Vancouver Heritage Foundation
• Wise Hall

No fun city? Unless you want to gamble. Surrey policing drama. Mayors behaving badly.

Links

John Coupar runs for BC Conservatives

Vancouver mayor cautious about organizing Canucks watch parties | CBC News

Vancouver mulls viewing area for ’amazing’ Canucks’ fans | The Province

Roxy Fever…the Podcast! (@roxyfever) / X

Investigations Initiated into Potential Contraventions of the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act

Vancouver council considers ‘modifying’ moratorium on gambling expansion

Date set for Surrey Police Service to take over from RCMP: Farnworth

Bombshell hidden provincial report confirms SPS costs to skyrocket by $750M | City of Surrey

Surrey Police Deloitte report

Surrey mayor’s ‘withdrawal of service’ complaint about SPS officers called ‘hurtful’

B.C. judge refuses to seal documents alleging RCMP bullying against Surrey police

UPDATE: RCMP union says its officers can’t work under Surrey Police without federal law changes

Delta council votes to remove Mayor Harvie as Metro chair

Jas Johal on George Harvie

Thread on Kamloops mayor

Kamloops council reverses mayor’s suspension of CAO | CBC News

Kamloops mayor says sex photo incident on ‘list’ of reasons he suspended top city official

B.C. mayor stripped of budget, barred from committees over Indigenous residential schools book

The First International Store – Starbucks Canada

Christine Boyle defeats Andrea Reimer in the battle of Little Mountain, meaning we’re likely headed to a council byelection later this year. Last year’s annual report fundraising gives us some insight into how well each party might do. Surrey meanwhile, doesn’t want money. Vancouver will be saying goodbye to public hearings. An overdose prevention site draws controversy, as do new rules around sheltering in parks. The City hopes to go to the Supreme Court of Canada. The Olympic Village school is finally coming. And Vision Zero wants you to take a brick to cross the street.

Links

• Vancouver Coun. Christine Boyle secures B.C. NDP nomination | CBC News
• Andrea Reimer’s thread on her loss
• ABC raises most while OneCity has largest supporter base – Cambie Report
• Local party fundraising beyond Vancouver in 2023
• Minister’s statement on Surrey policing transition | BC Gov News
• Surrey police chief sees path now to completing transition | Vancouver Sun
• Proposed changes to Vancouver Charter will help build more homes faster
• Health authority secures ‘discreet’ location for Vancouver overdose prevention site
• Vancouver mayor disappointed by new location for overdose prevention site
• Vancouver Park Board tightens rules on homeless encampments – BC | Globalnews.ca
• Vancouver SRO vacancy control to be heard in Supreme Court
• New school coming to Olympic Village | BC Gov News
• Granville Island crosswalk users urged to pick up a brick | CBC News
• About Granville Island – Granville Island – Vancouver, BC
• Granville Island – Wikipedia

The municipal becomes the provincial as two friends-of-the-pod compete in the race to replace an outgoing MLA. Mike Klassen asks the city for money for a Junos trip, Ken Sim asks a park board commissioner for forgiveness and the MST Nations are going to ask the province for everything. We also get into BIA expansion controversies, calls to make the red Vancouver sign permanent, and the history of neon signs in Vancouver.

B.C. NDP nomination battle brewing between former and current Vancouver city councillors

Vancouver councillor withdraws application for city cash to cover Junos trip with mayor

Integrity investigation finds Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim discriminated against Park Board commissioner

Vancouver Host First Nations support Park Board dissolution

Letter from MST nations 

Dan Fumano: Vancouver park board abolition not coming before B.C. election, Premier Eby says

Community associations ask B.C. not to eliminate Park Board

Dan Fumano: Psychedelics are illegal — and Vancouver police say criminal charges could be coming

Richmond, B.C., council approves drug consumption site motion | CBC News

Richmond won’t seek approval for drug consumption site: mayor | CBC News

A supervised consumption site for Richmond, B.C., was ditched. Why are critics still so furious?

24-07 BCPS announces appointment of Special Prosecutor Gordon

West Vancouver mayor Mark Sager suspended from practicing law for two years after admitting misconduct – North Shore News

3 code of conduct complaints filed against Port Moody councillor during first year in office

Mount Pleasant BIA expands despite objections

B.C. municipality to debate whether it should continue to exist | CBC News

City Council to consider installing a permanent “VANCOUVER” sign | Urbanized

Neon Vancouver Ugly Vancouver — MOV

Neon in the City — MOV | Museum of Vancouver

This Week in History, 1927: Neon signs light up Vancouver