Latest news with #KenSim
CTV News
12 hours ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Vancouver Police Board learned about ‘Task Force Barrage' through mayor's announcement, chair says
The oversight body was unaware of a $5 million crime crackdown on the Downtown Eastside before it was announced at a press conference, the chair confirmed. An oversight body whose role it is to develop the Vancouver Police Department's budget, wasn't part of the approval process for a multi-million dollar initiative aimed at targeting crime on the Downtown Eastside. Frank Chong, the chair of the Vancouver Police Board, said the board learned about the $5 million dollar plan, named 'Task Force Barrage,' through Mayor Ken Sim's press conference with then-chief Adam Palmer in February. 'That was a notification that we found out at during the media announcement,' Chong said. 'And I think that what transpired was that there was a miscommunication and perhaps, some missteps with regards to process.' Chong said the board is working on rectifying what transpired. 'That was determined by the finance committee that there is a need for sharpening of that particular process, which will be discussed at our governance committee,' he added. Police Act The mayor's announcement, came after the city's budget was finalized. As outlined in the B.C. Police Act, the Vancouver Police Board is required to prepare and approve the provisional budget for the following year on an annual basis. Any changes to this budget, per the act, must be submitted to council on or before March 1 of the year to which the provisional budget relates. Chong believes the board did not breach the legislation. Mayor's response Typically, the approval process for an initiative such as Task Force Barrage involves city council sending a request to the police board, which would then discuss the financial implications. From there, if board members agreed they were wiling to adjust the budget, they would then give approval to the Vancouver Police Department. CTV News asked Sim in May, why a funding request or proposal was not sent to the police board for approval before the task force was launched. At the time, Sim said he didn't know. 'Look, I can't comment on what people know and didn't know,' he said. 'You're asking me to comment on what six other individuals knew. I'm not in their mind.' Critics such as Green Coun. Pete Fry and former board vice-chair Faye Wightman have questioned how Task Force Barrage was approved. Both have pointed to the lack of a paper trail and called it a backroom deal.
CBC
a day ago
- Politics
- CBC
Proposal to suspend work of Vancouver's integrity commissioner quietly fizzles out
Social Sharing A year-long controversy at Vancouver City Hall has ended not with a bang, but with a procedural ruling on a point of order. "This motion would be frivolous, and is out of order," read Mayor Ken Sim at council on Tuesday morning, dismissing an amendment to Vancouver's code of conduct that would have temporarily suspended Integrity Commissioner Lisa Southern's ability to investigate complaints against the mayor and council. "Basically, we can just carry on." The motion was brought forward last July by ABC Vancouver councillors, who argued an external review and temporary suspension of investigations would allow for more clarity around the Office of the Integrity Commissioner. But the debate became paralyzed and acrimonious due to code-of-conduct investigations prompted by accusations from various members of council and park board against each other, and allegations that councillors were trying to silence the body in charge of investigating them. WATCH | Debate over integrity commissioner ends: Vancouver council ends debate over integrity commissioner 10 hours ago Duration 3:01 The debate over Vancouver city hall's independent watchdog has ended, at least for now. Last summer, council proposed suspending the work of its integrity commissioner. But while the matter was finally put to rest, the issue is likely to be brought back up by the province soon. CBC's Justin McElroy reports. Over the last 11 months, the vote for a suspension of investigations was delayed four times. During that time an external investigation into the office — which recommended more independence from council — was launched and concluded. "It has been a lot of wasted resources and time to get to this point," said Coun. Pete Fry. Vancouver's Mayor Office said they considered the matter closed. In a statement, Southern said she looked forward to continuing her work, while noting she has endorsed the city hiring her replacement before her term ends in December. "Throughout the past three and a half years, I have remained committed to carrying out my responsibilities impartially and diligently, and I am proud of the work my office has done in service of council and the public," she wrote. "I look forward to supporting a smooth and professional transition over the coming months." 'It's somewhat toothless' While Vancouver's debate over how to resolve code-of-conduct disputes has subsided, the province is deciding how future investigations into local politicians should be conducted amid frustrations over a number of feuding city councils across the province. Fry said he supported Vancouver continuing to have its own integrity commissioner, but said the province could create mechanisms to protect the office and allow for binding punishments, neither of which exist at the moment. "We need a little bit more enforcement with some of these rulings when it comes to breaches of our oath of office, or code of conduct," he said. "The integrity commissioner doesn't have the ability under the Vancouver Charter to impose any sanctions. So in many respects, it's somewhat toothless." It was a point underlined by Reece Harding, Surrey's first ethics commissioner, who has been hired for code-of-conduct investigations in multiple municipalities. "[In B.C.], there's nothing really that dictates how decision-makers are put in place, clarity around process, clarity around sanctions and remedies," Harding said. "And so it's a bit of a free-for-all out there." What model to take? Each province that has tackled the issue has come up with slightly different solutions. Ontario recently passed legislation that standardizes municipal codes of conduct across the province, and allows for mayors and councillors in serious violation of the code to be removed from office, but only if the province's own integrity commissioner agrees and it gets a unanimous vote from council. Last year, New Brunswick created the Local Governance Commission, which can take complaints if people are not satisfied with internal investigations. It has the power to suspend local politicians or appoint supervisors, which it did two months ago in Strait Shores. Alberta has gone in the opposite direction, eliminating municipal codes of conduct while suggesting a separate ethics commissioner could be appointed. "There will be circumstances where it seems reasonable to me that the province needs to have a bigger stick," Harding said. He added that whatever system is enacted should stop situations where municipalities spend months or years investigating themselves with no resolution. "Clear process, clear remedies and a role for the provincial government where the local jurisdiction has become frozen and can't get themselves out of that frozen ice mask," he said.
Global News
2 days ago
- Business
- Global News
Vancouver forecasts 7% property tax hike next year, mayor wants it under 2.5%
With just over a year before the next municipal election, Vancouver's mayor is taking an aggressive approach to property tax increases. The city's budget outlook, presented at council on Wednesday, forecasts a seven per cent property tax increase. Staff say that figure would cover existing service levels across the city, while investing in necessary infrastructure upgrades. But council also approved a motion from Mayor Ken Sim on Wednesday, calling for staff to look at ways to hold property tax hikes to 2.5 per cent or below, including directing staff to game out a zero-per cent scenario, without cutting front line services. 1:52 Vancouver city council passes 2025 budget Sim, who campaigned in part on a platform of improved fiscal management, oversaw a 10.7 per cent property tax hike in his first year. Story continues below advertisement Since then, he said, council has been able to put a dent in the city's infrastructure and increase funding to the Vancouver Police Department and Vancouver Fire Rescue Services, while reducing the property tax hike to 3.9 per cent for 2024. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'We told the public we were going to reset and then bring back fiscal responsibility to the City of Vancouver, and that's what we've done,' he said. Opposition councillors pushed for staff to also include a transparent list of all potential service cuts under the proposed lower tax scenarios. That amendment, however, was voted down by council's ABC Vancouver majority, who called the request redundant. 'The difference between seven per cent and zero per cent … is about $84 million, so the fact that ABC did not support a transparent recording of where those cuts are going to come from leaves me very concerned about what this budget is going to look like in a few months,' independent Coun. Rebecca Bligh said. 'At the end of the day there are very real organizations, very real Vancouverites who are depending on these programs.' 2:04 Vancouver Police Department $10M over budget Sim was asked whether the proposal was related to the fact it was the city's last budget before voters go back to the polls. Story continues below advertisement 'I think the better question is, what are Vancouverites going through? We are probably going into a recession, we have the threat of tariffs, there is a lot of uncertainty, and there are a lot of people across this great city of ours who are struggling to put a meal on the table,' Sim said. 'It doesn't matter what year in the process it is.' Vancouver's next municipal election will be held in the fall of 2026.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Vancouver's Water Street to go car-free on Sundays this summer
Water Street in Vancouver's Gastown will be closed to vehicles on Sundays until the end of August, in the city's latest attempt to pedestrianize the popular tourist area. Last year, the heart of the Gastown neighbourhood at Maple Tree Square was closed to cars from July until mid-August, and Water Street was partially closed — with the city aiming to boost foot traffic in the area and improve the pedestrian experience. This year, Water Street will be closed to cars on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., from Richards Street to Columbia Street, until the end of August. Meanwhile, nearby Cordova Street will open to two-way traffic between Gore and Richards streets, and multiple events will be held in the area all summer by the local business improvement society. City planners say the plan is part of a pilot project and the ongoing Gastown Public Spaces Plan, and businesses say they're cautiously optimistic for the summer ahead. "This isn't just about one street or one season," Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim told a Sunday news conference. "It's about shaping the future of Gastown and public spaces across our entire city."A city staff report last year found that foot traffic had increased by 35 per cent in Gastown, compared to the period before the summer pilot project began. Gastown is a popular tourist area with cobblestone streets and a steam clock. CBC News spoke to people walking in Gastown on Sunday. Vancouver resident Michelle Arthur said the idea of pedestrianizing the area was great for her, saying she wouldn't have to worry about traffic and parking. "I never come to Gastown. So [the pedestrian zone] brought me down here today, and I've been living in Vancouver since COVID," she told CBC News. "So, you know, I think it's fantastic." Businesses cautiously support idea The plans to pedestrianize Water Street have been ongoing for decades, and the 2024 pilot project came after months of construction and roadwork in the area. This year, however, the car-free pilot is only running on Sundays, as opposed to last summer's seven days a Wargolet, the executive director of the Gastown Business Improvement Society, said that businesses suffered due to the construction work last year and some lost business from locals during the largely car-free summer. "Certainly the tourism traffic was here, visitor traffic was ... actually pretty solid," he said. "So I think if you came down here, things looked good. "But from a revenue perspective, a lot of those businesses were negatively impacted, and we saw revenues that did go down." Emiliano Orozco, the supervisor at the Kit and Ace clothing store on Water Street, said that car-free days would be great for the store in terms of tourist foot traffic. "But on the other hand, I might be worried because many of our regular customers come here by car, right?" he said. "So I think that can affect us a bit. We'll just have to see how it goes."
CBC
5 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Vancouver's Water Street to go car-free on Sundays this summer
Social Sharing Water Street in Vancouver's Gastown will be closed to vehicles on Sundays until the end of August, in the city's latest attempt to pedestrianize the popular tourist area. Last year, the heart of the Gastown neighbourhood at Maple Tree Square was closed to cars from July until mid-August, and Water Street was partially closed — with the city aiming to boost foot traffic in the area and improve the pedestrian experience. This year, Water Street will be closed to cars on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., from Richards Street to Columbia Street, until the end of August. Meanwhile, nearby Cordova Street will open to two-way traffic between Gore and Richards streets, and multiple events will be held in the area all summer by the local business improvement society. City planners say the plan is part of a pilot project and the ongoing Gastown Public Spaces Plan, and businesses say they're cautiously optimistic for the summer ahead. "This isn't just about one street or one season," Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim told a Sunday news conference. "It's about shaping the future of Gastown and public spaces across our entire city." WATCH | Businesses were optimistic about last year's pilot program: Part of Vancouver's Gastown goes car-free for summer 12 months ago Duration 6:17 The city has completed a project that will see Water Street go car-free as part of a pilot project. Matthew Senecal-Junkeer, the owner of the nearby Birds and Beets cafe, discusses his observations with the CBC after a weekend of the pilot project being active. A city staff report last year found that foot traffic had increased by 35 per cent in Gastown, compared to the period before the summer pilot project began. Gastown is a popular tourist area with cobblestone streets and a steam clock. CBC News spoke to people walking in Gastown on Sunday. Vancouver resident Michelle Arthur said the idea of pedestrianizing the area was great for her, saying she wouldn't have to worry about traffic and parking. "I never come to Gastown. So [the pedestrian zone] brought me down here today, and I've been living in Vancouver since COVID," she told CBC News. "So, you know, I think it's fantastic." Businesses cautiously support idea The plans to pedestrianize Water Street have been ongoing for decades, and the 2024 pilot project came after months of construction and roadwork in the area. This year, however, the car-free pilot is only running on Sundays, as opposed to last summer's seven days a week. WATCH | Construction deals a hit to Gastown businesses: Gastown businesses say they're being hurt by revitalization efforts 1 year ago Duration 4:34 Eleanor Chow Waterfall, owner of Cadeaux Bakery, and Birds and Beets owner Matthew Senecal-Junkeer are not happy the city has closed Powell Street to repair and revitalize Gastown's Maple Tree Square. They say the move comes at a time when businesses, which should be busy, are hurting. Walley Wargolet, the executive director of the Gastown Business Improvement Society, said that businesses suffered due to the construction work last year and some lost business from locals during the largely car-free summer. "Certainly the tourism traffic was here, visitor traffic was ... actually pretty solid," he said. "So I think if you came down here, things looked good. "But from a revenue perspective, a lot of those businesses were negatively impacted, and we saw revenues that did go down." Emiliano Orozco, the supervisor at the Kit and Ace clothing store on Water Street, said that car-free days would be great for the store in terms of tourist foot traffic. "But on the other hand, I might be worried because many of our regular customers come here by car, right?" he said. "So I think that can affect us a bit. We'll just have to see how it goes."
