Vancouver Approves Non-Binding Drug Plebiscites that Mayor-Elect Pete Fry Disavowed
Voters backed tougher limits on open-air hard drug use and asked the province for 100-plus secure care beds, despite the results being non-binding.
- On Wednesday, the City of Vancouver released plebiscite results showing 68 per cent of voters supported banning open-air hard drug use and establishing secure-care medical facilities, proposals championed by outgoing Mayor Ken Sim.
- Sim championed the plebiscite to 're-establish social expectations' around public drug use; critics labeled the $400,000 to $550,000 initiative a 'cynical election move' lacking specific details.
- Approximately 68 per cent of voters supported both measures, with 137,178 ballots cast for banning open-air hard drug use and 135,509 supporting the request for voluntary and involuntary care beds.
- Residents simultaneously elected Green Party candidate Pete Fry as mayor, effectively ending the ABC Vancouver majority while leaving plebiscite results as non-binding recommendations for the incoming administration.
- Mayor-Elect Fry, who defeated Sim by more than 30,000 votes, stated he plans to address homelessness using existing provincial projects, noting secure-care beds are already under construction at Clark and 1st.
14 Articles
14 Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
Vancouver approves non-binding drug plebiscites that mayor-elect Pete Fry disavowed
VANCOUVER - Voters in Vancouver have voted by about two-thirds in favour of two plebiscite questions proposed by the city's outgoing mayor on drug use, despite ejecting him from office in the same election.
Vancouver residents vote yes on 2 plebiscite questions regarding drug use
The plebiscite questions, championed by outgoing mayor Ken Sim, had proposed strengthening the city's laws to "forbid open-air hard drug use" and pushing the province for more involuntary care treatment at a soon-to-be-closed downtown hospital site.
Plebiscite results: Vancouver voters say ‘yes’ to strengthening laws to forbid open-air hard drug use
A total of 137,178 voters in the Oct. 17 municipal election said 'yes' to a plebiscite question asking whether people were in favour of the City of Vancouver strengthening its laws to forbid the open-air use of hard drugs such as heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl and crack cocaine in public spaces. ...
68% approval: Vancouver votes 'Yes' in public safety plebiscite questions
Vancouver voters have backed Mayor Ken Sim’s ABC Vancouver party’s proposal for stronger laws against the public use of hard drugs and a proposal to seek a secure medical treatment facility, voting “Yes” to both questions in the City of Vancouver’s public safety plebiscite held during the October 2026 civic election. While the election results for who will fill the seats of mayor, city councillors, Vancouver Park Board commissioners, and Vancouv…
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