 As Vancouver’s council turns over, speculation grows over what the new dynamic will be
| | |  | | | After four years of dysfunction, Vancouver’s city council concluded its public meetings in a very staid fashion on Tuesday.
No giant delays, no amendments to amendments, no lineup of dozens of concerned citizens on either side of a divisive issue, the agenda completed on the same day it started.
In other words, it was nothing like Vancouver council the last four years.
“There weren’t too many points of order today, so I’m glad. I won’t be missing that,” said outgoing mayor Kennedy Stewart with a laugh.
Stewart was reflective in an exit interview, where he revealed his post-mayoral plans involve writing a book and returning to teaching as a political scientist at SFU.
But the nature of Vancouver’s council and its shifting coalitions under his tenure — six different political parties by the end of things — was a perpetual challenge for the mayor to deal with, and something he knows was one of his biggest liabilities.
“Ken [Sim] is right to work on permitting … maybe with the majority, they can make the changes they need to make. It was really difficult to do this with such a divergent set of opinions,” he said.
And those on council, but not part of the majority, are also expressing optimism.
“So far, the tone has been collaborative, and I appreciate that as a starting point,” said Christine Boyle, who said she had spoken with Sim and incoming councillors about opportunities to work together.
At the same time, there will be disagreements.
The first personality-based one could come when Sim has to appoint people to Metro Vancouver boards and internal committees. But the first big policy one will likely be the city’s budget.
Sim and the ABC councillors will try to reduce the five to seven per cent yearly property tax increases that were the norm in the Stewart years while simultaneously trying to move forward on their own promises, like 100 new police officers.
It’s tradition in Vancouver to pass the budget in December, but it’s likely this time, it will be passed closer to the April deadline.
“There are certainly things I will fight hard to protect against being cut back,” said Boyle.
“But I’m hopeful that we can figure out working well together where we work well together, disagreeing where we disagree, and then being able to work well together again.”
What exactly the council dynamic looks like won’t be known until after the transition takes place on Nov. 7.
But about the only guarantee is that it will involve fewer points of order. | | |  | | | 1. Vancouver | | | Council’s main business in its wrap-up meeting, other than approving a contract for changes to the Granville Street Bridge, was to approve the recommendations of an UNDRIP task force. But the gap between the city’s commitment to reconciliation and the current realities of decision-making was laid bare two days later when the 2030 Olympics bid was effectively killed by the provincial government.
Read more | | |  | | | 2. Luck of the draw | | | Not one, but two different B.C. elections concluded by drawing a name out of a box this week: in Canal Flats, the box shined brightly on mayor-elect Mark Doherty, while in Port Moody, incumbent Coun. Amy Lubik held onto her seat after being tied following a court-ordered partial recount. One wonders in both communities whether they will switch to having a run-off vote in future situations like this, as Peachland did following its 2018 tie vote.
Read more | | |  | | | 3. Surrey | | | Will incoming mayor Brenda Locke be able to stop the city’s transition to an independent police force? If she does, how much would it cost? What would the elimination of all those hired officers look like? Not all of those questions have answers yet, but Locke has made clear that a key date will come at the end of November when a detailed report will be presented to council.
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