During this October’s municipal election, the Green Party of Canada made history as Pete Fry was elected as Vancouver’s first-ever Green mayor.
Led by Fry, Vancouver’s council will take office on Monday, ushering in a new era as ABC Vancouver’s Ken Sim departs. But with a new council comes a new platform, promises, and challenges— including many expectations from Vancouverites.
RELATED:
- Massey Bridge vs. Massey Tunnel: Which Is Better for Metro Vancouver
- Canadian Travellers Could Face Major Impacts From New U.S. Flight Rules
Vancouver Green Party Platform
Vancouver’s new city council is a mix of COPE and Green Party councillors, with one member from OneCity Vancouver and ABC Vancouver each:
- Sean Orr (COPE)
- Annette Reilly (Green)
- Chloe Leslie (COPE)
- Devyani Singh (COPE)
- Stephanie Smith (Green)
- Lucy Maloney (OneCity)
- Camil Dumont (Green)
- Solomon Yi-Kieran (COPE)
- Bridget Burns (Green)
- Mike Klassen (ABC Vancouver)
The Green Party’s platform included a number of promises that ranged from sustainable growth to affordable living, with housing at the platform’s core. Moreover, they have a focus on climate change, community safety, and speeding up public transportation.
Housing
Responsible development that promotes livability, housing options, greenspaces, and resilient neighbourhoods while preparing Vancouver for the future.
The Green Party of Vancouver holds a staunch position on ensuring “taxpayer-owned city land is used for affordable housing, co-ops, and community land trusts.” Moreover, they aim to create an Office of Strong Communities, which will serve as a neighbourhood engagement hub. This hub will work directly with residents, community organizations, BIAs, and neighbourhood groups to identify specific local priorities.
They also promise to offer city-approved designs for homes and rental buildings that can move through permitting quickly, which is meant to cut down on approval times and costs. Planning and lease renewals for co-ops on city-owned land is similarly aimed to be expedited under the Green Party.
Climate Change
“The platform treats climate change as part of daily life,” the Greens wrote. Particularly during extreme heat and wildfire seasons, they promise to provide Vancouverites to better access to cooling, clean air, and shade.
Every community will also have climate-safe public spaces for when extreme weather arrives. Additionally, Vancouverites can expect the 3-30-300 standard. This is a rule that aims for every household to be able to see 3 trees, in neighbourhood with 30% tree canopy, and be 300m from a green space.
Transportation
The Greens plan to roll out more dedicated bus lanes, working with TransLink to speed up buses. They are pushing for more late-night routes, as well as a firm timeline to bring rapid transit to UBC.
Community Safety
CROW (Community Response Outreach Workers) was unveiled by the Greens this fall. The team works as an around-the-clock, non-police and non-medical team that responds to non-emergency calls that involves homelessness, addiction, and mental health crises through a dedicated number for neighbours and businesses.
Public Spaces
Through a Festival Fund, the Greens are working to provide “consistent year-over-year funding for community events in the city,” investing in places where neighbours and communities connect.
The Full Platform
“Underpinning it all is a commitment to clearer processes and a culture at City Hall focused on solving problems for everyday Vancouverites,” ends the release.
The full Green Party of Vancouver platform is available to read here.
