National

Vancouver passes motion to ask province to amend charter, remove elected Park Board

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 14 Dec, 2023 10:48 AM

Vancouver's municipal council has passed a motion aimed at removing the city's elected Park Board.

At a meeting last night, council passed a motion by Mayor Ken Sim to ask the province to amend the Vancouver Charter in order to abolish the Park Board.

The vote passed along party lines, with Sim and all seven ABC Vancouver councillors voting in favour of the motion.

Sim said previously while announcing the motion that the removal of the Park Board — the only one of its kind among Canadian cities — was "long overdue" since the system was "broken."

Three councillors — Green Party's Adriane Carr and Pete Fry, as well as OneCity's Christine Boyle — voted against the motion.

I worked w/ @PtFry to amend #Vancouver 2024 Budget to fund $1.1M of @ParkBoard requests to save $, boost revenues, speed permits…all consistent w/ what @KenSimCity says he wants. But ABC all voted no. They must have a more nefarious motive to kill Park Bd. #vanpoli #vangreens
— Adriane Carr (@AdrianeCarr) December 13, 2023

For those asking re Park Board vote.
Text (w/ALT) of my reasonable attempt to refer ABC's motion back to staff to do thoughtful intentional and democratic work w/ community & stakeholders, consider subject matter experts, MST, partners, AGO, legal status of unprotected parks. pic.twitter.com/arxt9EwuqS
— Pete Fry (@PtFry) December 14, 2023

How to political repression CityHall
🚫Increased use/abuse of closed meetings
🚫Public speakers reduced to 3 minutes
🚫Councillors can't ask questions of speakers
🚫Councillors can't ask q's of member motions
🚫Metal detectors, police, limited public access#Vanpoli @Vote4ABC https://t.co/kUfw0ouGG8
— Pete Fry (@PtFry) December 14, 2023

The amendment was defeated.

Vancouver deserves a thoughtful and considered vision for our parks, pools and public spaces.

Instead, ABC is barreling forward without a plan, towards a future for our parks that will be decided on by the Mayor, his office, and his friends. https://t.co/4RLGG7jfPG
— OneCity Vancouver (@OneCityVan) December 14, 2023

Boyle said in the post on social media platform X after the vote that the result was "disrespectful and undemocratic" and called the process a "ramming forward" of a move that ABC did not campaign on during last year's municipal election.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

150 overdose deaths in October

A statement from the coroners' service says in October alone 189 people died from overdoses, which is more than six deaths a day. It is also the 37th consecutive month where at least 150 people died from illicit overdoses.

150 overdose deaths in October

Surrey lifeguard charged with sexual interference

Mounties in Surrey are advising the public after an investigation led to sex offence charges against a 24-year-old man. Police say the man was a lifeguard at the City of Surrey Recreation Centre and has been charged with sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching and luring a child.

Surrey lifeguard charged with sexual interference

B.C. files application for Canada's first unexplained wealth order, minister says

British Columbia's solicitor general says the government has filed the first-ever application to secure an unexplained wealth order in Canada. Mike Farnworth says the notice of civil claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court is the start of a series of similar applications, which are powerful tools that "put those engaging in illegal activity on notice."

B.C. files application for Canada's first unexplained wealth order, minister says

India needs to take this seriously: Trudeau on US charge

Hours after the US charged an Indian national with conspiracy to assassinate a New York-based Sikh separatist, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that New Delhi needs to take the charge "seriously" and cooperate in the investigations. Trudeau, who had been claiming since September that Indian agents were involved in the killing of its citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, told CBC News that they have been working closely with their American counterparts on the "serious" allegations.

India needs to take this seriously: Trudeau on US charge

Indian-origin man among 12 arrested in Canada auto theft ring bust

The Peel Regional Police said on Wednesday that nine stolen vehicles, valued at over $1.2 million, were seized and more than 81 charges were laid in the investigation, called Project Memphis. Rahul Bedi from Mississauga was charged for committing fraud worth $5,000 and trafficking stolen goods, and along with other accused, he attempted to defraud multiple financial and insurance institutions.

Indian-origin man among 12 arrested in Canada auto theft ring bust

B.C. Human Rights Commissioner examines care and rights of vulnerable adults in B.C.

The British Columbia law that allows certain agencies to take over the affairs of abused, neglected or incapacitated adults is under scrutiny by the province's human rights commissioner and B.C.'s seven health agencies have been ordered to assist. Commissioner Kasari Govender wants the agencies to provide data on detentions of vulnerable adults who have been in their care.