Vancouver mayoral candidates stake out housing and small-business platforms ahead of Oct. 17 vote
Permitting reform, a small-business concierge and a pitch for technology and critical-minerals headquarters are on the table.
With three weeks left before Vancouver's Oct. 17 municipal election, the city's parties have released competing platforms on housing supply, small-business red tape and public safety.
Five mayoral candidates set out detailed plans: incumbent Ken Sim of ABC Vancouver, Rebecca Bligh of Vote Vancouver, Kareem Allam of the Vancouver Liberals, Pete Fry of the Green Party of Vancouver and Colleen Hardwick of TEAM for a Liveable Vancouver. Eight mayoral candidates made the final ballot, which lists 130 names in total.
Bligh and Vote Vancouver proposed a small-business concierge service, giving operators one point of contact for permits and regulations, and want the city positioned as a western headquarters for critical minerals, defence and technology firms. Fry and the Greens pledged to streamline permitting and licensing.
For Vancouver's startups and independent retailers, faster permits and simpler licensing are among the most practical issues on the ballot.
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