Potential big changes could be coming to the Vancouver Park Board
UPDATE: Mayor Ken Sim has confirmed his proposal to abolish the Vancouver Park Board, and transfer the elected body’s responsibilities to Vancouver City Council. Read Daily Hive Urbanized’s exclusive interview.
Could major changes to the Vancouver Charter be forthcoming?
Vancouver’s Mayors’ Office has indicated it will be holding a press conference on Wednesday on an unspecified proposed member motion to change the Vancouver Charter, which is the document that outlines the powers and jurisdiction of the City of Vancouver.
It is a document unique to Vancouver and separate from the BC Local Government Act, which regulates other municipal governments in British Columbia.
Such a change to the Vancouver Charter requires the support and approval of Premier David Eby’s BC NDP leadership, as any change to the Vancouver Charter can only be done through the provincial government with an amendment to legislation.
At this time, the Mayors’ Office has not provided any public hints on what the changes to the Vancouver Charter could be, but in a post on X on Tuesday afternoon, Green Party commissioner Tom Digby suggests this could potentially relate to a renewed push by Sim to abolish the elected Vancouver Park Board.
How petty does it get? Last week @KenSimCity did not get his choice of Chair for @ParkBoard. That’s cause the @VanGreens tipped the balance with split ABC. This week it appears he wants @Dave_Eby to abolish PB altogether. Waiting to hear abt private ABC meeting this aft.
— Tom Digby 狄弼 (@ThomasDigby1) December 5, 2023
In 2021, in the lead up to his eventual second mayoral campaign, Sim first pitched the idea of abolishing the Park Board and transferring its responsibilities to Vancouver City Council. But then in 2022, upon the formation of the ABC Vancouver party, he instead decided on going ahead with the alternative approach of fixing the Park Board from within by fielding Park Board commissioner candidates.
All six of ABC’s candidates for the Park Board won by a wide margin, filling six of the seven seats on the elected body overseeing Vancouver’s parks and recreation system, and providing the party with a super majority.
Daily Hive Urbanized will have in-depth coverage on the Mayor’s proposal starting Wednesday morning.