Tag Archives: Pete Fry

Community, Environment

Vancouver mayor plans to eliminate city’s climate and sustainability department

By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim is planning to eliminate the city’s sustainability and climate department under the guise of a push to prevent increases to property taxes in his proposed “Zero Means Zero” 2026 budget. 

Canada’s National Observer learned about the planned cuts from sources familiar with internal conversations; the information was then corroborated by opposition city councillor Pete Fry. Opposition councillor Lucy Maloney confirmed that council had received a proposal for cuts to the city’s planning, urban design and sustainability departments but no further details. Under the alleged proposal, Vancouver would gut its entire sustainability and climate team and move staff to other departments, lay them off or see some quit outright. 

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Jobs, Poverty

Vancouver’s Decision to Abandon Living Wage Program Creates Shockwaves

By  Zak Vescera, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

In 2017, the City of Vancouver committed to ensuring its employees — and workers for city contractors — were paid enough to live there. 

At the time, Vancouver was  the biggest employer in the country to offer a living wage based on the  cost of rent, food and other necessities. 

“It was the largest living wage  municipality, and it did a tremendous job over the years in encouraging  other businesses to sign on,” said Anastasia French, the director of Living Wage for Families BC.  Then-mayor Gregor Robertson told media it was a way to guarantee  workers “a basic level of opportunity” in an expensive place to live and  work. 

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