Vancouver Liberals pledge to cancel second city hall, boost parks funding

VANCOUVER · A new municipal party founded by Mayor Ken Sim's former chief of staff is promising to cancel an $800 million second city hall if elected. The Vancouver Liberals, led by mayoral candidate Kareem Allam, plan to reinvest that money into parks, pools and community centres. The party also vows to complete the SkyTrain extension to the University of British Columbia. Its platform focuses on affordability, accountability, public safety, jobs and long-term growth. Allam ran ABC Vancouver's 2022 campaign and served as Sim's chief of staff until February 2023.

The party has pledged $1.35 billion for pools, parks and community centres. It promises free beach parking and lower festival policing costs. The Vancouver Liberals share a name with the federal and provincial parties but say they have no affiliation with either. Allam has said he chose the name to signal a centrist viewpoint. The party is also campaigning for voters to reject two plebiscite questions on public drug use and involuntary care.

Seven candidates are running for council under the Liberal banner. Their priorities include expanding public transit, cancelling the second city hall and hiring 400 unionized frontline workers. Armor Valor, who previously ran with OneCity, said he was drawn to the Liberals for their "values of diversity." He said he is running to protect frontline workers who are often "pushed to the margins." Candidate Jessica Walton described herself as a “strong progressive voice” and said City Hall should refocus on less partisan politics.

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Candidate Moira Stilwell is a physician and former B.C. Liberal cabinet minister. She said she wants a stronger economy for Vancouver by connecting UBC with downtown. Devin Clemens, who works at UBC overseeing data advisory and graduate scholarship in economics, said his experience with housing and jobs led him to understand the complexities. "We need people who are willing to step forward, be assertive and say 'enough is enough,'" Clemens said. Victoria Jung, the chair of the Vancouver School Board, resigned from ABC in August 2024 and joined the Liberals to "bring a little integrity back to politics."

Jung described her time with ABC as "death by a thousand cuts." She said if elected she would focus on keeping young people and families in Vancouver and expanding childcare in public school facilities. The Liberals are fielding six candidates for the park board. They plan to keep the park board elected and independent, reversing Sim's motion to abolish it. The party would restore park board funding from 7.9 to 9 per cent of the city budget over four years and remove pay metres at public beaches.

Scott Jensen, the Liberals' lead park board candidate, is a sitting commissioner who left ABC in December 2023. He said he could "not in good conscience be affiliated with a party that would misrepresent themselves so broadly in an election." Jensen said if re-elected he would continue to work for Vancouver's parks with transparent, community-driven leadership. Candidate Tricia Barker, a commissioner from 2018 to 2022, said she wants to make parks more accessible to seniors and people with disabilities. Candidate Shayla Bird said she wants to invest in communities that have faced funding barriers. Amir Bajehkian said his campaign grows from a passion for civic engagement with Canadians from different backgrounds. The Vancouver municipal election will be held on Oct. 17.

With files from The Ubyssey