Note: There’s a prettier version of this same post on the OneCity Vancouver site.

2022 was a rollercoaster of emotion. Some laughing, some yelling, a lot of meetings, emails, and knocking doors. Local artists organised amazing street parties and outdoor music, local activists organised important rallies for justice and human rights, advocates fought to keep trans kids safe and supported. We had droughts and storms, prices of everything went up, my kids got older, COVID continues. And there is more of it all – more joy and more struggle – ahead.

Before I dive head-first into 2023, I’m tallying up what I focused on in the past 12 months. It’s part of my commitment to being accountable to you. 

So, here’s some of what I accomplished in 2022:

1. Implementing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP)

In a traditional Coast Salish witnessing ceremony at the MOA, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations presented Vancouver’s UNDRIP strategy, which Council approved unanimously a week later. It’s been a huge honour to co-chair this work alongside Squamish Chairperson Khelsilem. Read more here.

2. Making it easier to build non-market, coop and social housing

This Fall Council unanimously supported my motion to make it faster and easier to build non-market housing (after an amendment by ABC that will slow it down a bit). OneCity has been tirelessly focused on building more housing that allows working people and folks struggling to pay rent to continue to call Vancouver. Getting this motion passed was an important first step, and we will keep working hard on this in 2023 and beyond! Read more here.

3. Seeing the orange Slow Streets barriers transition to permanent infrastructure 

Early in the pandemic, temporary Slow Streets barriers went up around the city, to slow traffic and improve safety for pedestrians and active transportation throughout the city. I’ve spent the past two years working to make this temporary infrastructure permanent. Last year I was successful in getting this funded in the budget, and we’re starting to see the permanent barriers put in place. More info here.

4. Running a strong OneCity election campaign, with incredible candidates, and a platform full of thoughtful, tangible solutions 

The election results weren’t what we had hoped. But I could not be more proud of the team of amazing candidates who ran with OneCity, and the thoughtful platform we ran on. In an election where many parties were running on slogans and misinformation, OneCity was putting forward serious, tangible solutions to the challenges facing Vancouverites, and a team of leaders ready to actually lead. You can read more here. And if you missed it, check out OneCity’s 2022 music video HERE!

5. Safe, secure social housing in neighbourhoods across Vancouver 

In a city as wealthy as Vancouver, it’s unacceptable that we still have neighbours who have nowhere to live except in tents and parks. We need social and supportive housing in every neighbourhood of Vancouver – and in every part of the province. So it was a big deal this year to have Council approve this building at 7th and Arbutus, another at Knight and King Ed, and more. 

6. Approving the Vancouver Plan

I have written a lot about the Vancouver Plan. So I’ll keep it brief here to say that after years of public engagement, I am glad to see this plan move forward, with important amendments to strengthen tenant protections and to add more housing choices in neighbourhoods with declining populations. The real work will be in seeing it actually get implemented, equitably, across the city. That’s where my focus is next 🙂 

7. Getting new buildings in Vancouver off gas 

In Vancouver, ~55% of our carbon emissions come from burning methane gas (so called “natural gas”) for space and water heat in buildings. Health researchers have also been raising alarms about the air quality risks, including higher rates of child asthma, from burning gas in our homes. Getting gas out of our buildings is an urgent health, safety and climate issue.

An emergency level climate plan needs to reflect the urgency of the crisis, with near-term deadlines. So as of January 2022, new buildings in Vancouver are required to have zero-emission heating and hot water systems. These new building standards also include requirements around cooling and air filtration, to improve health and safety for all. And I continue to advocate for strong climate solutions everywhere, from CBC’s The National to Chatelaine Magazine.

8. Holding the world’s biggest fossil companies responsible for their role in local climate impacts

Vancouverites are paying millions of dollars each year for the costs of climate impacts, from damage to city infrastructure like the sea wall and Kits Pool, to storms and extreme heat damage. Back in 2018, OneCity joined other advocates fighting to ensure that Big Oil pays their fair share of these costs. And in 2022 Council passed Cllr Carr’s motion to join a class-action law-suit, modelled after similar lawsuits against Big Tobacco and Big Pharma, to hold Big Oil accountable. Read more here.

9. Advocating for Side Guards on trucks, to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists 

Following the heartbreaking death of local student and cyclist Agustin Beltran, road safety advocates renewed their calls to require Side Guards on trucks, to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists. Cllr Bligh and I worked alongside community leaders, and Agustin’s family, to pass a motion to require side guards on City trucks, and to advocate for broader changes. Read more here.

10. Approving Vancouver’s first Accessibility Strategy

Improving accessibility has been a priority for me since my first day in office. In the first budget I was part of approving, I pushed for funding to increase the speed at which we are building curb cuts. And in subsequent budgets I’ve fought to ensure that this accessibility strategy be fully funded. More than 1 in 5 Vancouverites live with a disability. And a city that is designed with disabled residents in mind is also a city that is safer for seniors, for kids, for all of us. Read the plain language version of Vancouver’s Accessibility Strategy here.

11. Separated bike and active transportation lanes in the Broadway Plan

When we create safe space for people to walk and roll, more people choose those options. Especially as e-bikes make cycling more accessible for seniors and families. And with more people using e-scooters to commute or to make deliveries, safe active transportation lanes keep scooters off of sidewalks, improving safety for pedestrians too. Plus the research is clear that bike lanes are good for local businesses. So adding bike lanes on Broadway when the new subway opens is a big win for everyone. And it was a super fun campaign to lead, alongside many local advocates. I can’t wait to ride these new lanes with you all. More here. 

12. Going fine-free at the Vancouver Public Library

Library late fines are especially punitive for low income residents, and have kept thousands of people from accessing library services in Vancouver. Library systems across the globe have been moving to fine-free, and I am so happy to see Vancouver do the same. 

Like all good things, this came about through the passion and effort of many people, including the advocacy of library workers, and the dedication of the volunteer VPL board. Read more and hear stories from those impacted here.

13. Protecting small culturally significant businesses

Local Filipino community leaders have been raising alarm bells about the importance of a stretch of small restaurants and food shops near Joyce Station. I’ve been grateful to work alongside them, and with leaders in the Punjabi Market and Chinatown, to push for policy changes to protect and expand these and other important food + culture spots across Vancouver. Read more here.

14. Politics for the People Podcast with MLA Bowinn Ma

One of the things I find most exciting about this work is building community capacity to make change. So I loved working on this 6-episode podcast mini-series with powerhouse MLA Bowinn Ma and a small but mighty team of volunteers, about working inside and outside of government to make change. You can listen to all six episodes on our website, or find them wherever you listen to podcasts.

Plus I’ve been advocating for alternatives to police responses for mental health and poverty related calls, like the Better Together pilot program, and CMHA’s PACT teams. I continue showing up to stand with workers, and fight for good wages and fair treatment for all. I’ve loved lifting up the voices of other amazing progressive leaders. And there are new progressive elected folks across BC that I’m excited to get to know and support in their work. 

If you’re still reading, you can find my 2021 Year In Review on Twitter here, and on Facebook here. 2020 is on Twitter here, and on Facebook here. 2019 is on Twitter here, and on Facebook here. It’s exhausting really. You don’t have to read it all. 

But here’s my final plug: Amid the big work we have ahead, rest is resistance too. Take care of yourself. Take a nap. And then sign up to get more involved with OneCity Vancouver in 2023. Let’s do this work together. I’ll bring my megaphone, my clipboard, and my dancing shoes.

Happy New Year! So much love. 

Christine

After almost 2 years of effort, and hundreds of residents writing in support, Council unanimously supported my motion to make it faster & easier to build non-profit, co-op and supportive housing in every neighbourhood!

The motion is focused on reducing barriers and deepening affordability for non-profit, co-op and social housing by speeding up the process and delegating final approval for qualifying projects to staff.

This is a win for everyone struggling to afford to stay in Vancouver. A win for renters, for people in precarious housing, for those paying more than 30% of their income in rent, for living in cars or tents, for those already priced out of the city and forced into long commutes into work. OneCity Vancouver believes that you belong here.

I am disappointed that ABC Councillors added a large amendment that could delay implementation of this badly needed step. We are in a housing crisis. We need to act with urgency, not with more studies and delays.

But still, this is a step in the right direction.

The motion was supported by the BC Nonprofit Housing Association (BCNPHA), Cooperative Housing Federation of BC (CHFBC) and other organizations and experts that build and operate non-profit and co-op housing, alongside business leaders like the Downtown Vancouver BIA, and community groups including Women Transforming Cities and the Single Mothers Alliance, arts leaders, labour leaders, and more. Read more about the motion, including quotes of support, here.

THANK YOU to the 600+ residents who wrote into or spoke at Council. And the support and input of local non-profit and co-op housing leaders.

There is still work ahead to see this important change implemented. I will keep pushing, alongside you and OneCity Vancouver, for the housing we need.

More info here: https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/boyle_motion_passes
Stay involved at: https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/

It is a huge honour and a huge responsibility to have been re-elected to a second term on City Council.

Thank you to everyone who volunteered, donated or spoke up to help OneCity Vancouver spread our message of economic, social & climate justice this election. I am incredibly proud of the strong campaign that OneCity Vancouver ran.

Our candidates, staff & volunteers worked incredibly hard, consulting experts, crafting thoughtful & transformative policy, and tirelessly hitting the doors to talk to voters about a city where we ALL belong.

We didn’t have the big money of the Mayoralty campaigns, but what we lacked in advertising dollars, we made up for with the largest volunteer crew of any party. And an impressive ground game that reached residents across Vancouver.

An especially big thank you to the amazing OneCity candidates. Matthew Norris, Ian Cromwell, Iona Bonamis, Krista Sigurdson, Kyla Epstein, Rory Brown, Gavin Somers, Serena Jackson, Caitlin Stockwell and Kristen Rivers. You brought such important voices and insights to the election. And you were incredible to work alongside.

And my whole heart to Jennifer Reddy for School Board Trustee, my ongoing collaborator and dear friend.👏🏾❤️

OneCity ran an ambitious campaign, and put forward transformative ideas. Rental & non-market housing everywhere, banning natural gas, mental health crisis response, implementing UNDRIP & more.

Vancouverites want leadership and OneCity will continue to provide it.

I’m proud of the fact that we presented to Vancouverites the most detailed and comprehensive policy platform this city has seen. We are facing urgent crises that need more than vague commitments. They need clear and tangible action.

Congratulations to the new and returning Councillors: Adriane Carr, Pete Fry, Rebecca Bligh, Lisa Dominato, Sarah Kirby-Yung, Mike Klassen, Peter Meiszner, Lenny Zhou and Brian Montague.

We have big and important work ahead.

And congratulations to Ken Sim on his win last night. He’s Vancouver’s first Chinese-Canadian Mayor. This is an achievement a hundred years in the making.

Ken Sim and ABC ran a strong campaign. Now it’s time to govern.

Where we share priorities, I look forward to working together to get real things accomplished. I remain deeply committed to action on housing, climate justice, the drug poisoning crisis & more.

But if ABC makes cuts to important services, cuts that will make life even harder for families, seniors, people with disabilities, young people and workers already struggling to get by in this city, I will fight back. So will thousands of others.

Here’s the good news. That’s what OneCity Vancouver is built for. We fight for progressive change on every front.

We join unions on picket lines. We join climate activists on marches. And every day we organize, organize, organize to lift up people who society holds down.

We’ll be there to defend & expand affordable & coop housing. Defend people who need help, not handcuffs. Protect the climate plan, tenant protections & school board land.

If ABC wants to work with us on these priorities – we’re ready to work alongside them and the Vancouver Greens.

In this election, progressive parties ran too many candidates. Progressive voters were faced with too many good choices. We split the vote. And now we see the result: the first right-of-centre government Vancouver has seen in over a decade.

We can’t let this happen again. We need to come together. We need to coordinate – at City Hall, in the streets, and at the ballot box in 2026.

We are going to need solidarity. But if we can do it – if we can stand together – so much is possible.

Thank you, everyone. It has been the honour of a lifetime to be your City Councillor, and I am incredibly honoured to have been re-elected.

No matter what happens, no matter who you are, the whole OneCity Vancouver team will continue to work for a Vancouver where you belong.

Here are some highlights from OneCity’s 2022 campaign!

And the biggest highlight of all was talking to tens of thousands of Vancouverites alongside this amazing team of candidates and volunteers.

Some folks have been asking me about last week’s Council endorsement of the IHRA definition of antisemitism, which I voted against. I want to say a little about my own deliberations, and my commitment to tackling antisemitism and hate in all forms. 

The IHRA definition has vocal supporters and vocal opponents within the Jewish community (largely summarized here). Council received hundreds of emails on both sides, and heard from roughly 70 speakers, most of them Jewish, with diverse opinions on it. It was hard, because so many people I respect oppose each other on this particular issue.

The IHRA definition itself is relatively simple, it’s the “illustrative examples” included with the definition that muddy the water. There was debate about whether this definition could or would be used to limit criticism of the government of Israel or advocacy for the  rights of the Palestinian people. There was debate about whether we can adequately address antisemitism if we don’t understand and define it. There were statements that the organized Jewish community is united in support of this definition. There was tension on both sides about who gets to decide which voices matter and which don’t. There was discussion about land and conflict and atrocities in the Middle East. It was a local microcosm of a heated international conversation, to be voted on by City Councillors.

It was… hard.

What we heard clearly from nearly all speakers was a concern about the rise in antisemitism – online and offline. We heard painful stories of family experiences of antisemitism. And we heard a strong shared desire to ensure everyone can pray, gather, and exist without fear of hate or violence.

I have been involved in multifaith community and antiracism advocacy for much of my adult life. As a grad student at an multifaith theological school I studied alongside Jewish leaders (and Muslim leaders, Buddhist leaders, Hindu leaders, Indigenous leaders, Christian leaders and many Unitarians). I have worked, marched and prayed alongside a diversity of Jews and other people of faith, for marriage equality, for climate justice, for workers rights, for peace and justice locally and globally.

I married into a Jewish family almost ten years ago, and I am a parent to two mixed-faith kids. As the most religious and spiritual of their parents, it matters a lot to me that they feel connected to their traditions and ancestors, and the communities that keep those traditions alive. Wherever they land, I want my kids to have access to the rich histories of their people, and to be able to experience belonging within those communities if they choose. 

I am imperfect at it. But I try my best, with the food, the holidays, the music, the stories and the questions. And I’ve asked for advice many times, from Bubbies, Rabbis, and other mixed-faith families (and, my favourite source of advice on this topic, my kids’ Bubbie, who once dreamed of becoming a Rabbi, and then married a Jewish atheist, and so raised her own kids in a mixed-faith family of sorts). 

By and large, my own Jewish family and many of my closest Jewish friends were against endorsing the IHRA definition. Some of them are involved in Independent Jewish Voices. They worry that it will be used to stifle Palestinian rights voices. All of them have experienced antisemitism in a variety of forms. These are the folks I see most close up, wrestling with their faith and how they live it out, modelling the tradition of questioning everything. 

I know my own family and networks aren’t a representative sample. So, like always, I read every email I received, and I listened with my head and with my heart to each speaker before Council. And I read plenty of articles people sent me, including Kenneth Stern, one of the drafters of the IHRA definition, raising concerns about how it was being used. And the IHRA definition has certainly been used in some places to stifle legitimate criticism of the Israeli government.

I voted no with these concerns in mind. One of the many times when a yes-or-no vote feels deeply inadequate for such a complex issue. And I knew that, however I voted, I was going to upset people and communities whom I love and care about. The IHRA definition debate is a fraught one, and in truth I don’t believe it belongs before city councils – it creates more divisions, not less. 

Above all, I want to be part of building bridges and strengthening our collective commitment to Justice for all. Though you may disagree with me, I hope you know my values led me to the decision and that I will continue to find ways to bring light to issues of injustice everywhere.

I’ve received plenty of feedback since the vote, including anger that I voted against it, and also anger that I “didn’t oppose it strongly enough”. It’s been hard on my heart. I know the whole issue weighs heavily in the lives of many people.

I want to be absolutely clear about is this: I oppose antisemitism in all its forms. Everyone deserves to feel safe, and to live free from hate and fear of violence. I oppose Islamophobia, homophobia, transphobia, racism and injustice for these same reasons. And the responses required are both specific to each type of hate, and also contain a multitude of intersections. 

I remain committed, in words and in actions, to the work of countering antisemitism and hate. And I will show up to do this work, again and again. As a parent, as a neighbour, as a person of faith, and as an elected leader, in the service of Tikkun Olam, repairing our shared world. 

—

I’m happy to hear from you or talk about it more. You are welcome to send me an email and I’m happy to talk from there: christine.boyle (at) vancouver.ca. 

I am thrilled to be running for re-election this Fall as part of a team of 12 outstanding OneCity candidates.

These dedicated, progressive Vancouverites already doing the work in their communities — and their voices will make a huge difference on issues that matter at the Council, School Board and Park Board tables.

It was a Thank you so much to everyone who put their name forward for nomination. Together we can make sure these folks will lead Vancouver and provide the bold solutions this city urgently needs.

This was the most competitive nomination process our party has ever had, we more than tripled our membership and a huge majority of our members voted. I’m so grateful to everyone who put their names forward. And I look forward to working hard to elect this whole team on Oct 15th.

City Council

Christine Boyle

Christine Boyle (she/her) is the leading progressive voice on Council since she was elected with OneCity in 2018. Boyle has championed the city’s Climate Emergency Action Plan, the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and expanding non-market, co-op and rental housing across Vancouver.

Iona (思穎) Bonamis

Iona (思穎) Bonamis (she/her) works for the City of Vancouver as a senior transportation planner, with a Masters of Science in Community and Regional Programming from UBC and more than 13 years experience as an urban planner. Bonamis is a small business owner and a Vancouver-born, first-generation Chinese-Canadian who speaks fluent Cantonese.

Ian Cromwell

Ian Cromwell (he/him) is a health economist at the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, where he provides advice to healthcare decision-makers to ensure the best use of public resources. Cromwell is a classically-trained violinist and founder of Locals Lounge, a grassroots incubator for Vancouver’s music community.

Matthew Norris

Matthew Norris (he/him) is the president of the Urban Native Youth Association, which provides programming for Indigenous youth and their families. Norris brings years of policy experience with the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, and as an Indigenous delegate to the United Nations. He is Nehithaw and a proud member of Lac La Ronge First Nation.

School Board

Jennifer Reddy

Jennifer Reddy (she/her) is a determined advocate for access and equity as a OneCity Trustee, working to establish safe school streets, remove police from schools and prevent the sale of public land. Reddy holds a Masters in Social Policy and Development from the London School of Economics.  

Kyla Epstein

Kyla Epstein (she/her) is a former chair of the Vancouver Public Library and past director with the BC Library Trustees Association. Epstein was a co-founder of OneCity, and has been on a Parent Advisory Council Executive for more than 10 years. 

Krista Sigurdson

Krista Sigurdson (she/her) served as executive on the Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council, and is a regular correspondent on CBC’s parent panel. Sigurdson teaches sociology at UBC, and is on the Parent Advisory Council for her childrens’ school in the Downtown Eastside.

Gavin Somers

Gavin Somers (they/them) is the education director for Out In Schools, an award-winning 2SLGBTQIA+ education program that offers workshops in schools across British Columbia. Somers is currently on parental leave with their first child.   

Rory Brown

Rory Brown (he/him) is the former president of the Vancouver Secondary Teachers Association and served on the executive of the BC Teachers Federation. Brown taught high school in Vancouver for 15 years before joining the BCIT Department of Mechanical Engineering. 

Park Board

Tiyaltelut Kristen Rivers

Tiyaltelut Kristen Rivers (she/her) is an elected councillor for the Squamish Nation. Rivers serves on the board of Nch’ḵay̓ Corporation, the Nation’s economic development arm, and is pursuing her Masters of Business Administration at SFU. 

Serena Jackson

Serena Jackson (they/them) is the co-chair of Vancouver’s 2SLGBTQ+ Advisory Committee. Jackson works as a case manager for at-risk youth at Pacific Community Resource Society where they support young people with transitioning into adulthood.  

Caitlin Stockwell

Caitlin Stockwell (she/her) Caitlin Stockwell is a lawyer at First Peoples Law, where she supports the work of Indigenous Peoples in advancing their rights and upholding Indigenous laws and governance. Stockwell has a background in environmental law and holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Victoria.

Join me in helping get them elected

Click here to volunteer for OneCity Vancouver.

Click here to donate to the OneCity Vancouver campaign.

The Vancouver Plan is in front of Council this month. It’s an important document, and I want residents to know what’s in it!

Here are some key aspects of the plan. You can read the full report here, and my twitter thread full of charts and pictures here.

First I want to say: I have been ambivalent about a City Wide Plan. This Council hasn’t acted with the urgency that the housing crisis requires, and I worried this would cause further delays. BUT there is a lot of good ideas in the Vancouver Plan that we should implement quickly.

Van Plan is a high level land use plan. Land use is “the most powerful lever within Council’s jurisdiction to address the systemic environmental, social and economic challenges and opportunities that we face as a community.” There are still MANY steps ahead to implement it (which will largely fall to the next City Council. And which, as I’ve noted, I think we should move quickly on).

As the Vancouver Plan outlines, “by 2050, Vancouver is expected to add ~260K more people for a total population of ~920K and up to 210K more jobs, for a total of about 638K.”

This plan sets a course for a more equitable, livable, affordable & sustainable city where people & nature thrive.

The Vancouver Plan is rooted in three principles – Reconciliation, Equity and Resilience. These foundational principles come out of Council direction, through the 2021 Equity Framework & ongoing work to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP). And they are woven through the Plan.

The Vancouver Plan focuses on 3 Big Ideas:

1. Equitable Housing and Complete Neighbourhoods
2. An Economy that Works for All
3. Climate Protection and Restored Ecosystems

It also acknowledges the many strengths & challenges facing Vancouver today. And proposes solutions that build on those strengths to address the challenges, today and over the next 30+ years.

I’m excited to see the Vancouver Plan connect the dots between Land Use and Equity. Embedding Equity in a land use plan is important for:

• Addressing historically unequal investments between neighbourhoods,
• Minimizing displacement, and
• Adding mixed income housing options in lower density, more exclusive neighbourhoods that tend to be better served by parks and other amenities.

Land Use is also a vital tool for taking equitable action on the Climate Emergency. Achieving our climate goals requires increased housing options in existing neighbourhoods that are well-served by amenities, and providing needed amenities in densely populated areas.

Specifically on housing, the Vancouver Plan proposes permitting many more housing options (townhomes, and a range of low and mid-rise multi-family buildings) near rapid transit routes and neighbourhood centres. As well as allowing multiplexes EVERYWHERE.

Multiplexes are still out of reach for many working families, young people, and renters. I would like to see us do more to allow the density needed for co-ops, non-profit and rental housing throughout these low-density neighbourhoods. But for now, multiplexes are a step in that direction.

Historically, Vancouver has put rental & affordable housing on arterials, with higher levels vehicle noise & pollution (what many have referred to as the “Grand Bargain”, using rental housing as a buffer to block noise and pollution for higher cost housing off-arterials).

The Vancouver Plan shifts this. Allowing more residents to live *OFF* arterials, building community, supporting local businesses, and improving the public realm.

Plus it suggests new & strengthened commercial areas. Vibrant, comfortable shopping streets with safe and welcoming sidewalks, plazas and open spaces. And small storefronts to promote walkability and more affordable spaces for small businesses.

The Vancouver Plan has good building ideas too, that echo the good work of @HappyCitiesTeam & @HeyNeighbourBC! Designing homes for health, well-being, & social connection by providing access to outdoor & communal spaces, light, ventilation, air filtration, accessibility, and intergenerational living.

Building more non-profit, co-op, & rental housing in every neighbourhood has been a key priority for me & OneCity Vancouver. The Vancouver Plan outlines opportunities for inclusion of very low to moderate-income households across all residential areas. To make every neighbourhood for everyone.

There’s a lot about supporting local businesses, and space for arts & non-profits too! Including affordable economic spaces to address displacement. And a diverse & accessible mix of small biz & jobs in every n’hood that enable communities and culture to thrive.

There’s also a beautiful layer of the plan that supports restoration of ecosystems, provides equitable access to parks & wild spaces, tree canopy, & ecological corridors. These are important health & livability priorities, alongside aggressively reducing GHGs and getting off gas.

And there is great Transportation content, related to people-first streets, universal accessibility, and an integrated network of public spaces, ecological corridors, greenways and space for walking and biking.

There’s also direction to:

• Expand not-for-profit operated #Childcare spaces.
• Deliver community amenities.
• Expand Public Libraries.
• Improve access to Safe Public Washrooms.
• All alongside planning for housing and jobs, as part of complete neighbourhoods.

The Vancouver Plan proposes elevating arts, culture & heritage in ways that reflect Vancouver’s diversity and right relations with Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. Supporting and building on culture that already exists.

And it has strong direction on Public Space. Supporting MST in shaping public spaces, promoting inclusive public life, prioritizing underserved areas, and growing universally accessible public spaces that accommodate all people, throughout the day and across all seasons.

There’s also great stuff on Watersheds, Food Security, and so much more.

You will likely hear people say that we should delay this plan because there wasn’t enough consultation. I disagree. Van Plan consultation has gone through 4 phases, over 3 years. 300K postcards mailed. 52,480 points of contact with residents. 90M impressions.

The current Council will vote on the Vancouver Plan this month (July 2022). But the NEXT Council will need to actually implement it, and ensure these good high-level ideas actually hit the ground. That is one of many reasons that the Oct 15th municipal election matters.

Are we going to truly tackle the Housing Crisis and the Climate Emergency? Are we going to create healthier, more inclusive neighbourhoods for all?

That’s what OneCity Vancouver is committed to. Sign up to help out here.

Last Summer MLA Bowinn Ma and I started talking about launching a podcast as a way of working to demystify politics and the political process.

As young-ish community leaders elected into government at different levels, we both recognized that there were things we were learning on the inside of government that we thought would be of use to those working for change on the outside, and that would be of interest to those thinking of getting more involved in electoral politics.

Knowing how full our schedules were, we opted for a 6-part mini series. And we were able to make it happen thanks to an amazing team of volunteers. The result is: People’s Pod – Politics for the People with Bowinn & Boyle!

More information below and at www.peoplespod.ca.

I hope you enjoy it – and share it with others!

Christine

People’s Pod: Politics for the People with Bowinn & Boyle is a limited series podcast with BC MLA Bowinn Ma and Vancouver City Councillor Christine Boyle.

What is it like to be a passionate politician fighting for change in BC? Bowinn Ma, British Columbia MLA, and Vancouver City Councillor Christine Boyle offer insights into what they’ve learned as young(er) women serving in elected office. A six-part limited series, People’s Pod: Politics for the People with Bowinn & Boyle is an outsider’s inside look on the often opaque and complex world of political involvement. Whether you’re thinking of putting your name on the ballot or just trying to understand how best to contact a politician on an issue you care about, People’s Pod was created to be an accessible crash course on civic engagement.

Produced & engineered by Kate Milberry and Liz Hunter. Graphic design by Shivangi Sikri. Web development by Stefan Avlijas.

SUBSCRIBE on Apple Podcast, Buzzprout, Spotify or Google Podcasts.

I’m excited to let you know that I am running for re-election this Fall, with Trustee Jennifer Reddy and the amazing OneCity Vancouver team.

We have a number of great folks interested in running. You can read about them here: https://nominate.onecityvancouver.ca. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to serve you, alongside more strong OneCity voices, for another four years.

You can become a OneCity member HERE. Or sign up to volunteer on the upcoming election HERE. Thank you for your support, and for everything you are doing to make this city a better place for all of us.

Happy New Year!

In 2021, amid overlapping crises, in seemingly endless meetings, I continued working hard on the issues you have told me matter to you. Here is what some of that work looked like in this past year:

10. Advocating for Electoral Reform through Local Choice, and supporting the youth-led Vote16 campaign.

9. Supporting important new housing, like this Vancouver Native Housing Society building in my neighbourhood, and this great project that brought together the Community Land Trust, Qmunity, the McLaren Housing Society, Rainbow Refugee. And more secure rental housing across the city.

8. Continued action on the drug poisoning crisis, including harm reduction, safe supply and decriminalization. 

7. Supporting (and funding) Arts and Culture, including working with arts organizations to protect existing spaces, and to create new spaces.

6. Safer Streets for pedestrians, for bikes, for kids, for seniors, for everyone! Including School Streets & Slow Streets. And advocating for the funding to do more, faster, to tangibly improve transportation safety and accessibility across the city.

5. Unanimous support for my motion to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People working alongside leaders from Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. 

4. Housing for people who are homeless, like this and this. As well as implementing (and funding) vacancy control in SROs, to prevent even more people from becoming homeless.

3. A LOT of work alongside affordable housing leaders and co-op members, on co-op lease renewals and on the future of False Creek South.

2. Pushing back against delays to our Climate Emergency Action Plan (and winning!) and opposing new fossil fuel infrastructure.

1. Constantly trying to make it easier to build more co-op, non-profit and social housing, in every neighbourhood. (Remember how that vote went? More on that here.)

OneCity Trustee Jennifer Reddy has been hard at work too, fighting to keep public land in public hands, to improve transparency at School Board meetings, to fund Indigenous language programs, and more. I am continually blown away by Jennifer’s strength and persistence.

2021 was the sixth year of a provincial health emergency due to poisoned drugs, the second year of a global health pandemic, and saw our highest ever temperatures and some of our lowest as the climate emergency continues to escalate. And you all continue to show up for one another, providing mutual aid and advocating for badly needed systemic changes. Thank you. 

Last year Georgia Straight readers voted me best local politician, and I couldn’t be more honoured. This year Jennifer & I are running again, with a big focus on getting more OneCity folks elected alongside us. Will you be a OneCity donor this year and help make that happen? 

Thank you for all of your support, and for the good work you are doing in the community. It makes a difference.

Hope to see you in real life in 2022!

In solidarity,

Christine

This week, Council voted to move forward on tacking Vancouver’s permitting backlog *without delaying* our important Climate Emergency Action Plan. In a 6-5 votes, Council narrowly defeated a proposal to delay the zero emission building plan.

You can hear my closing comments to Council here, or read them below:

Climate scientists have made it abundantly clear: Every action matters. Every bit of warming matters. Every year matters. Every choice matters. Climate delay is climate denial.

Council heard from building experts & businesses that a delay would create uncertainty. A delay would punish those leaders who already made investments & changes based on the timeline we passed. A delay would add a future retrofit cost of $20-30K on to every new home built this year.

We heard from medical professionals, scientists, grandparents, parents & teenagers, from nearly all of our speakers, and hundreds of emails, that a delay would be a serious step backward on our promise to treat the climate crisis like the emergency it is.

We heard from residents and industry leaders who said: YES address permitting, AND keep moving forward on the zero emission plan.

I’ve been deeply engaged in climate work for the last decade. And I can tell you that when the industry says “delay a year and then we’ll do even better”, it’s just a delay. There’s no evidence, no track record, that it results in anything better. Delay is the new climate denial. That’s how we’ve gotten to where we are now, globally, with so little action to show for our time, and so little time left.

Acting on the #ClimateEmergency, at the speed & scale required, isn’t easy. But Vancouver’s Zero Emission Building Policy is GOOD climate policy. It will decrease emissions, costs almost nothing (in fact save homeowners money) AND it has broad support from across sectors. It is a big win.

In 2019 Council unanimously approved my motion to declare a Climate Emergency, and act in line with that emergency, rooted in justice.

In 2020 we showed we meant it by approving a comprehensive plan.

This week we kept our word. Climate Action remains a priority in Vancouver.