Ward system becoming more likely for Vancouver
Vancouver is the only major Canadian city without a ward system, but that may not be the case for long after two of the leading mayoral candidates advocated for a change.
Both incumbent Kennedy Stewart and councillor-turned-mayoral-candidate Colleen Hardwick described wards as “the one thing” they agree on at a mayoral debate hosted by Business in Vancouver on Monday.
Under that system, councillors are elected to represent a specific district or area of the city, but vote on all motions to council, similar to how MLAs vote on provincial matters in the legislature. Currently, every Vancouver councillor is elected at-large, meaning each represents the entire city.
“The at-large system and the fact we're now dealing with four-year terms has really removed citizens from having any kind of meaningful involvement and decision-making in policy in the city,” Hardwick said on behalf of TEAM Vancouver, in response to a question on the topic. “Neighbourhoods and residents of the city are being ignored and they need to rise up and take back their voice again.”
Stewart pointed out that he and Hardwick had voted alongside COPE councillor Jean Swanson for a motion that supported wards, but they were outnumbered.
“If elected with a majority I will pass a bylaw that will bring that in, and we'll finally get a ward system here,” said the FORWARD Vancouver leader. “I think Colleen's absolutely right, I think neighbourhoods need that representation at city hall.”
COPE is pledging to “immediately implement” a ward system with 10 seats to help voters make sense of the 11 parties fielding more than 130 candidates for mayor, council and school board.
“Instead of a crowded, confusing city council ballot of 60 names, with a ward system voters would get a ballot of fewer candidates who could focus on directly engaging with residents in their respective wards,” said candidate Tanya Webking in a press release.
HAS PUBLIC OPINION SHIFTED?
In 2004, the City of Vancouver held a plebiscite on the issue with 14 proposed voting districts and the mayor elected at-large by everyone. It failed with 54 per cent opposed to the idea.
But an opinion poll conducted online by Research Co. in June found 58 per cent of respondents in Vancouver supported the concept, with 16 per cent unsure.
Pollsters also looked at the rest of the Lower Mainland and found while there was majority support in Surrey, there was less enthusiasm other municipalities.
Surrey councillors voted in favour of exploring a ward system there in 2020, but a spokesperson for the city says “there has been no further direction to move forward at this time.”
VANCOUVER A MAJOR CITY OUTLIER
The idea of implementing wards comes up every few years, typically when Metro Vancouver voters head to the polls, but this election cycle is different.
Issues of diversity and representation are now at the forefront, and the current free-for-all maintains a status quo that sees a predominantly white, middle-class council making decisions for diverse cities.
“There could be an advantage to candidates who are more akin to those who vote, who are wealthier, drive a car, have a university degree, and that’s a problem,” said Sanjay Jeram, a Simon Fraser University political science instructor.
He emphasized that wards don’t solve every problem and that friction and combative attitudes between councillors representing wards with very different interests are an issue the same way they are on the provincial and federal level.
Jeram also pointed out that Canada’s other major cities have restructured themselves into metropolitan areas making them large centres, geographically and population-wise, so there’s a greater focus on making sure people from all parts of the metro area have representation.
The City of Toronto has 25 wards, spans an area of 639 square kilometres and has a population of nearly 2.8 million people. Councillors have staffed constituency offices, much like MLAs.
Vancouver’s population is 631,000 people over 115 square kilometres.
“It's very, very small compared to say Toronto or Winnipeg or Edmonton geographically,” said Jeram. “Its density is high because another unique thing about Vancouver is it hasn't had a lot of amalgamation to spread the footprint of the city and absorb the suburbs.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
DEVELOPING Live updates from the Trump hush money trial: Stormy Daniels, bookkeeper testify
Adult film star Stormy Daniels is on the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
BREAKING Sheldon Keefe out as head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe. The team made the announcement Thursday after the Original Six franchise lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Boeing 737 catches fire and skids off the runway at a Senegal airport, injuring 10 people
A Boeing 737-300 plane carrying 85 people skidded off a runway at the airport in Dakar, Senegal's capital, injuring 10 people, according to the transport minister, an airline safety group and footage from a passenger that showed the aircraft on fire.
Breast cancer screening should start at age 40, Canadian Cancer Society says
The Canadian Cancer Society says all provinces and territories should lower the starting age for breast cancer screening to 40.
Man accused of killing two children at Quebec daycare to stand trial in April 2025
The man accused of murdering two children and injuring six others after a city bus crashed into a Montreal-area daycare is scheduled to stand trial over five weeks beginning in April 2025.