Vancouver quietly proclaimed Chip Wilson Day as billionaire installed sign calling B.C. NDP ‘communist’

On the same day Chip Wilson erected a controversial sign at his Vancouver mansion, the city was quietly honouring the billionaire and his wife.

Officials proclaimed Oct. 3 to be Summer and Chip Wilson Day, shortly after the Lululemon co-founder began displaying a political message outside his waterfront home calling B.C. Premier David Eby’s NDP party "communist."

"Eby will tell you the Conservatives are 'far right,' but neglects saying that the NDP is ‘communist," the sign said.

On Friday, Wilson shared an Instagram post about the proclamation event, which was held in the city’s Gastown neighbourhood, writing: “This honour means a lot to us.”

Mayor Ken Sim and ABC Coun. Brian Montague are in the photo, standing next to the couple. No other city councillors appear to be in the images.

“At that very same time as the media were reporting on this ridiculous billboard that Chip Wilson had put up on Point Grey Road, the mayor was declaring Chip Wilson Day in the City of Vancouver,” said Coun. Pete Fry.

The city never published a news release or posted on social media about the proclamation day, leading Fry to suggest officials might have been trying to avoid “bad optics.”

“I can totally understand why they wouldn't want it publicized,” Fry added. “That being said, I don't think they should have done it in the first place.”

The councillor told CTV News he’d heard rumours about the event, but never received an invitation to attend. Proclamations are usually shared with council members and included on their calendars, he said.

“We'll often do it in City Hall, inside the chambers,” Fry added. “And none of that happened with this.”

Fry also questioned the timing of Wilson’s Instagram post, which happened days after CTV News submitted a Freedom of Information request regarding the billionaire’s proclamation day.

“The were probably trying to get ahead of the story before it became a story by having Chip proactively release it,” he said. “But I think it's a little late, and it does seem a bit suspect.”

In a statement to CTV News, the mayor’s office said: “Summer and Chip Wilson are remarkable examples of how local entrepreneurs and philanthropists can shape an entire community, making an impact that stretches beyond just Vancouver.”

According to the statement, the Wilsons were honoured for their philanthropy, including their $1 million donation to Vancouver General Hospital, and other financial contributions, such as the $1.5 million they spent to permanently secure the iconic A-maze-ing Laughter sculptures in English Bay.

When asked why the proclamation wasn’t publicized, the mayor’s office said the vast majority of proclamations do not make their way onto Sim’s social media page.

“Last year, the mayor’s office issued over 100 proclamations, and this year, we’re on track to issue over 150, but only a small faction was posted on Mayor Sim’s social media channels,” the statement continued.

Asked why the invite wasn’t extended to other city councillors, the mayor’s office called the event an “unofficial proclamation,” and said there is “no formal policy” regarding invitations, with those for off-site proclamations being extended on an “ad hoc basis.”

Political scientist Stewart Prest noted that Wilson financially contributed to Sim’s 2022 election campaign, and suggested the mayor may be trying to avoid associating himself with the billionaire’s publicly partisan politics.

“The mayor seems to be wanting to continue to maintain that relationship with Mr. Wilson, who, of course, is a significant entrepreneur in the city,” Prest said. “But at the same time trying not to let people know about it, which is an awkward fit, to say the least.”

Generally speaking, when it comes to issues that could cause some degree of public backlash, Prest said ABC has shown itself to be “less comfortable releasing information than they ought to be.”