The eight things to know about ABC Vancouver before you vote on Saturday

Editor’s note: This article was written by A Better City (ABC) Vancouver and submitted to Daily Hive.

1. They’re planning to hire additional police officers. 

It’s no secret that Vancouver is in the midst of a public safety crisis. On day one of being mayor with a majority on council, Ken Sim will ask the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) to hire 100 new officers to deal with the unprovoked escalating violence on Vancouver’s streets. As well, he has promised to enable body cameras on all VPD officers by 2025 and support a graffiti reduction program. 

2. They want to invest in mental health, addiction recovery, and supportive housing.    

In addition to hiring 100 new police officers, Ken Sim has also committed to hiring 100 new mental health nurses in a dramatic expansion of the Car 87 program (which pairs police officers with mental health nurses to deal with complex situations involving mental health crises). ABC is also committing to implement peer-assisted care teams to help with de-escalation. Additionally, they will invest in a quality-first approach to social and supportive housing and will work to establish a 24-hour low-barrier recovery centre on the downtown east side.

3. They want to make alcohol consumption in parks permanent. 

Despite being a well-enjoyed feature of Vancouver parks over the last two summers, the ‘Alcohol in Parks’ program is still technically a pilot program. An ABC majority council plans to make alcohol consumption in Vancouver parks permanent and expand the program to all of the city’s parks that have washrooms. They will also bring in a pilot program to allow drinking on beaches.

4. They want to see Skytrain expanded to UBC, Hastings Park, and the North Shore.

Earlier in the campaign, Ken Sim held a press conference with Mayors Richard Stewart (Coquitlam) and Mike Little (North Vancouver District) where the three committed to cooperating on regional transportation issues. In that press conference, Ken committed to delivering Skytrain to both UBC and the North Shore, with a new line connecting Hastings Park to Waterfront station.

5. They are committed to more childcare spaces. 

An ABC majority council will deliver 5,000 new daycare spaces in the first four years of being elected with a majority on council. As well, they will ensure that all new schools built in Vancouver have the ability to accommodate childcare spaces and make more city land available for childcare facilities.

6. They are committed to expanding plazas, murals, and patios around the city. 

Over the last four years, ABC councillors Rebecca Bligh, Lisa Dominato, and Sarah Kirby-Yung have consistently championed making more space available for public use. This has included pop-up plazas, expanded patios, and public art such as murals. ABC plans to continue this and make it easier for organizations to use public spaces for art, festivals, and events.

7. Their plan to build more housing involves reducing permit and approval times. 

Right now, it takes on average, six years for the city to approve the building of a major construction project. An ABC majority on council has committed to drastically speed up the timeline for permits to build with their 3-3-3-1 policy. This would allow for three days to approve home renovations, three weeks to approve single-family homes, three months to approve professionally designed multi-family and mid-rise projects, and one year to approve major construction projects. 

8. They are a team with diverse backgrounds and experience. 

ABC Vancouver is running 7 candidates for city council, 6 candidates for park board and 4 candidates for school board, the largest slate of candidates in the Vancouver municipal race. Each candidate brings with them experience and knowledge that will help in combatting some of the major issues facing the city of Vancouver. 

For more information on the ABC Vancouver team and their platform check out: abcvancouver.ca