Vancouver Liberals release 148-point platform ahead of October civic election

VANCOUVER · The Vancouver Liberals have released a 148-point platform for the October 2026 civic election. Mayoral candidate Kareem Allam said the detailed plan provides specific commitments for voters to judge his party by. The municipal party, which is not affiliated with the provincial or federal Liberals, is also seeking policy pledges from B.C.'s provincial parties ahead of their own election one week later. "Vancouverites should know exactly what we intend to do if we're elected. That's why we've put forward 148 specific commitments that people can hold us accountable for," said Allam.

Allam said municipal government cannot solve all problems alone, as many challenges cross jurisdictional lines. The party would ask the provincial government to outline steps for bringing the University Endowment Lands and UBC into Vancouver's jurisdiction. It also proposes a plebiscite during the 2030 civic election on whether to keep citywide council elections, introduce neighbourhood wards or use another system. "Our platform is deliberately detailed. People have heard enough broad promises from politicians," Allam said.

On civic operations, the Liberals propose a public lobbyist registry and reversing recent freedom of information fee increases. They would restore the city's Equity Office and strengthen the Integrity Commissioner. The party also promises quarterly meetings with the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations and a task force to advance commitments under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. They would advocate for an independent audit of the Metro Vancouver Regional District.

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To address mental health and addictions, the party proposes adding housing and early youth intervention to the existing four pillars of prevention, treatment, harm reduction and enforcement. This would create a new six-pillar strategy. A specific plan targeting methamphetamine would be developed within the party's first year in office. People living in encampments would be offered housing and support before camps are closed, according to the platform.

Allam is calling for a new "Vancouver Accord" involving all three levels of government to assign responsibilities and set measurable goals for housing, treatment and Downtown Eastside recovery. The Liberals oppose the civic election's plebiscite questions on greater enforcement against public hard drug use and creating a secure medical treatment facility. They assert such a facility would be a "prison." Other social measures include free public Wi-Fi in the Downtown Eastside and food hubs in vacant city-owned spaces. On public safety, the platform promises funding for 15 additional police financial-crime investigators to trace drug-trade profits. Community policing centres would get more stable funding, and crisis services would be expanded through Peer Assisted Care Teams and Car 87. The party also vows to fill funded positions on nurse-led crisis teams and establish a violence-prevention unit involving police, schools and health services.

Housing policy would focus on simplifying approvals. The Liberals propose adopting the B.C. Building Code while keeping Vancouver's stronger zero-carbon standards and heritage protections. They would combine the city's 12 housing-approval departments into a single process. Churches, co-ops and non-profits would be allowed to develop affordable housing on their land without needing a rezoning.

The party would reverse the city's current pause on net new supportive housing and seek provincial help to build and operate such housing with adequate staffing. New supportive housing operators would have agreements identifying their responsibilities and service standards. For existing co-op and non-profit housing on city land, the Liberals promise immediate lease extensions, municipal financing for repairs and more public land for new projects. The City's Renters' Office, which was closed in January 2023, would return with protections against displacement during major redevelopment. The platform also calls for maintaining a substantial share of new Downtown Eastside social housing at shelter-level rents. Some below-market homes in new developments would be reserved for essential workers.

With files from Daily Hive