Vancouver mayoral candidate drops out of race a few months before election

One of the candidates for Vancouver's top job has left the race just a few months before the election, according to a statement from his municipal party.

John Coupar is no longer in the running for mayor of Vancouver, the Non-Partisan Association said in a brief statement Friday.

The NPA board didn't get into what happened, but said it met Thursday evening to "discuss the progress of the campaign," and it was then that it "regrettably" accepted Coupar's resignation.

In a statement posted on Twitter Friday, Coupar said he was grateful to the NPA for the opportunity to run.

“I love this city and have enjoyed serving the residents of Vancouver over the last 11 years. I have always strived to walk with the utmost integrity and with an unwavering commitment to those I serve,” Coupar wrote. “I am looking forward to spending time with my family and friends.”

It's unclear who the party will put up in the race for mayor at this point. The NPA said it will announce a candidate at a future date.

IMPACT ON THE MAYORAL RACE

Coupar’s withdrawal leaves three current candidates running against Kennedy Stewart: Colleen Hardwick, Ken Sim and Mark Marissen.

George Affleck, a CTV political contributor, doesn’t believe the race has changed.

“We still have several people running on the right side of the spectrum, enough that I think those people, without John Coupar, without the NPA, will still split the vote and potentially hand Kennedy Stewart the victory,” Affleck said. “I don't think any one of the candidates currently running for mayor against Kennedy Stewart has a chance of winning.”

Sim, however, said his ABC Vancouver party is a “big, open tent.”

“I don't believe in a left versus right when it comes to city politics,” Sim said. “We’re talking about having a safe, vibrant city where people can afford to live, so these are not left versus right issues.”

POLITICAL OPPONENTS REACT

Mayor Kennedy Stewart said he and his wife wanted to wish Coupar and his family “all our best.”

“Devoting one's time to public service is never easy, but our city and its residents depend on it,” Stewart wrote on Twitter. “Thank you.”

Sim also thanked Coupar on social media for putting his name forward.

The mayoral candidate for ABC Vancouver, who was the NPA's candidate in the previous municipal election and narrowly lost to Stewart, wrote on Twitter:

"We appreciate your years of service and look forward to your continued involvement in our community."

Another mayoral candidate, Mark Marissen of Progress Vancouver, acknowledged Coupar’s decision must have been difficult.

“He (Coupar) is a good man, and I was looking forward to debating the issues with him," Marissen said. “I just spoke to him now, and he was very positive about his future. I wish him all the best.”

Colleen Hardwick of TEAM for a Livable Vancouver, who a recent Mainstreet Research poll gave the strongest chance to defeat Stewart, said she was surprised by the announcement. 

“I left the NPA and helped form TEAM for a Livable Vancouver as a party appealing to voters across the political spectrum – because our city is tired of the same old choice of virtue-signaling and big money from both the left and right wings in charge of city hall,” Hardwick said.

RECENT NPA HISTORY

Coupar’s appointment as the NPA mayoral candidate last year resulted in three councilors abruptly leaving the party, saying they were “blindsided” by the announcement.

At the time, Lisa Dominato, Colleen Hardwick and Sarah Kirby-Yung wrote in an open letter:

"Instead of a fair and democratic process to select the best mayoral candidate, the NPA Board and John Coupar sidelined the elected members of the NPA and made a backroom deal. By any measure, it was about as old-boys-club as it gets."

Shortly after, three Vancouver School Board trustees also departed the NPA.

It was that year the party elected new executive, including Christopher Wilson, a former Rebel Media personality, as well as some members Coun. Rebecca Bligh said were critics of B.C.'s inclusive SOGI 123 program.

Voters will head to the polls in October to choose the next mayor.