Vancouver City Council

Vancouver City Council is the governing body of Vancouver, British Columbia. The council consists of a mayor and ten councillors elected to serve a four-year term. Monthly, a deputy mayor is appointed from among the councillors. The current mayor is Ken Sim, who leads the party ABC Vancouver. City council meetings are held in Vancouver City Hall. The most recent election was on October 15, 2022.

Vancouver City Council
Type
Type
Leadership
Mayor
Ken Sim, ABC Vancouver
since November 2022
Deputy mayor
Sarah Kirby-Yung, ABC Vancouver
since January 2023
Structure
Seats10 councillors and 1 mayor
Political groups
  •   Green (2)
      OneCity (1)
Elections
Last election
October 15, 2022
Next election
October 17, 2026
Meeting place
Council Chamber
Vancouver City Hall
Vancouver, British Columbia
Website
vancouver.ca/your-government/vancouver-city-council.aspx

Structure edit

Unlike many other cities of its size, all Vancouver city councillors are elected at-large, rather than being elected to represent municipal wards.[1] A proposal to move to a conventional ward system was rejected by voters in a 2004 referendum.[2] The mayor chairs council meetings and appoints members to regional boards, such as the Metro Vancouver board of directors.

The Vancouver Charter outlines the structure, powers and responsibility of the city council. Under the charter, the mayor and city council have the power to:[3]

  • Pass by-laws regulating such things as businesses, building, noise, and land use
  • Buy and sell property
  • Collect property taxes and other taxes
  • Approve major spending for all parts of the City government
  • Take on debt
  • Allocate funds for special activities, such as arts and community services
  • Set up departments and offices for City services
  • Hire staff for City departments and offices

Council also maintains a number of standing committees which meet to deliberate on specific topics and hear from speakers. Examples include the City Finance and Services Committee and the Policy and Strategic Priorities Committee. Each committee consists of the entire city council. City council also holds public hearings for spot rezonings.

Membership edit

Since 2022 edit

NamePartyPosition
Ken SimABC VancouverMayor
Sarah Kirby-YungABC VancouverCouncillor
Lisa DominatoABC VancouverCouncillor
Brian MontagueABC VancouverCouncillor
Mike KlassenABC VancouverCouncillor
Peter MeisznerABC VancouverCouncillor
Rebecca BlighABC VancouverCouncillor
Lenny ZhouABC VancouverCouncillor
Adriane CarrGreenCouncillor
Christine BoyleOneCityCouncillor
Pete FryGreenCouncillor

2018–2022 edit

NamePartyPosition
Kennedy StewartIndependent (2018–2020)Mayor
Forward Together (2020–2022)
Rebecca BlighNPA (2018–2019)Councillor
Independent (2019–2022)
ABC Vancouver (2022)
Melissa De GenovaNPACouncillor
Lisa DominatoNPA (2018–2021)Councillor
Independent (2021–2022)
ABC Vancouver (2022)
Colleen HardwickNPA (2018–2021)Councillor
Independent (2021–2022)
TEAM (2022)
Sarah Kirby-YungNPA (2018–2021)Councillor
Independent (2021–2022)
ABC Vancouver (2022)
Adriane CarrGreenCouncillor
Pete FryGreenCouncillor
Michael WiebeGreenCouncillor
Jean SwansonCOPECouncillor
Christine BoyleOneCityCouncillor

2014–2018 edit

NamePartyPosition
Gregor RobertsonVisionMayor
Raymond LouieVisionCouncillor
Heather DealVisionCouncillor
Kerry JangVisionCouncillor
Andrea ReimerVisionCouncillor
Tim StevensonVisionCouncillor
Elizabeth BallNPACouncillor
George AffleckNPACouncillor
Melissa De GenovaNPACouncillor
Adriane CarrGreenCouncillor
Geoff Meggs (2014–2017)VisionCouncillor
Hector Bremner[a] (2017–2018)Yes VancouverCouncillor

2011–2014 edit

NamePartyPosition
Gregor RobertsonVisionMayor
Raymond LouieVisionCouncillor
Heather DealVisionCouncillor
Tony TangVisionCouncillor
Kerry JangVisionCouncillor
Andrea ReimerVisionCouncillor
Tim StevensonVisionCouncillor
Geoff MeggsVisionCouncillor
Elizabeth BallNPACouncillor
George AffleckNPACouncillor
Adriane CarrGreenCouncillor

2008–2011 edit

NamePartyPosition
Gregor RobertsonVisionMayor
Raymond LouieVisionCouncillor
Heather DealVisionCouncillor
George ChowVisionCouncillor
Kerry JangVisionCouncillor
Andrea ReimerVisionCouncillor
Tim StevensonVisionCouncillor
Geoff MeggsVisionCouncillor
David CadmanCOPECouncillor
Ellen WoodsworthCOPECouncillor
Suzanne AntonNPACouncillor

2005–2008 edit

NamePartyPosition
Sam SullivanNPAMayor
Suzanne AntonNPACouncillor
Peter LadnerNPACouncillor
Kim CapriNPACouncillor
Elizabeth BallNPACouncillor
B.C. LeeNPACouncillor
Raymond LouieVisionCouncillor
Tim StevensonVisionCouncillor
George ChowVisionCouncillor
Heather DealVisionCouncillor
David CadmanCOPECouncillor

2002–2005 edit

NamePartyPosition
Larry CampbellCOPEMayor
Vision
Fred BassCOPECouncillor
David CadmanCOPECouncillor
Jim GreenCOPECouncillor
Vision
Peter LadnerNPACouncillor
Raymond LouieCOPECouncillor
Vision
Tim LouisCOPECouncillor
Anne RobertsCOPECouncillor
Tim StevensonCOPECouncillor
Vision
Sam SullivanNPACouncillor
Ellen WoodsworthCOPECouncillor

Notes edit

  1. ^ Hector Bremner's seat originally belonged to Geoff Meggs, who had been elected as a Vision Vancouver candidate during the 2014 municipal election. His seat was vacated as a result of Premier John Horgan appointing Meggs as his chief of staff. Bremner was elected October 14, 2017, in a by-election.

References edit

  1. ^ Geller, Michael (November 5, 2018). "Wards or not, Vancouver's electoral system needs reforming". Vancouver Courier. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  2. ^ Matas, Robert (October 18, 2004). "Vancouver rejects ward system". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  3. ^ "Vancouver City Council". Vancouver.ca. City of Vancouver. Retrieved 25 February 2021.

External links edit