VANCOUVER, Oct 20: Green Party candidate Pete Fry has been elected the new mayor of Vancouver, defeating incumbent Ken Sim in the Canadian city’s municipal election on October 17, in a significant political shift for British Columbia’s largest city.
Fry, a two-term city councillor first elected in 2018, won the mayoral contest after campaigning on housing, transportation, affordability and improving the city’s overall governance. He emerged as a leading alternative to Sim, whose administration had faced criticism from progressive councillors over its policies and approach to city management.
According to the City of Vancouver’s unofficial election results, Fry secured 98,494 votes, while Sim received 67,467. Fry won about 47.1 per cent of the votes, compared with Sim’s 32.2 per cent. The official results are scheduled to be declared by the city’s chief election officer by 4 pm on October 21.
Addressing supporters after his victory, Fry thanked voters for their confidence and pledged to work for the city. “We love this city a lot, and we’re here to work for the city, to fight for the city,” he said.
Fry said housing would be a major priority for his administration. He also indicated that he would seek greater cooperation with the provincial government on community safety, including measures to address street disorder. He stressed the need to put political differences aside and focus on delivering results for Vancouver residents.
The election also marked a strong performance by progressive candidates, with the Greens and the Coalition of Progressive Electors (COPE) securing substantial representation on the city council. The outcome is expected to reshape the political dynamics at Vancouver City Hall, where Sim’s ABC Vancouver had held a dominant position during the previous term.
Fry’s victory places housing affordability, effective governance and community safety at the centre of expectations for the incoming administration. His challenge will be to translate his campaign promises into practical policies while building cooperation among councillors from different political groups.
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