Council Meeting
February 24, 2026 · 09:30 am
Summary
- Roads and sidewalks capital funding (defeated): Mayor Ken Sim moved to direct staff to include roughly $104 million in the 2027–2031 capital plan to restore arterial roads, local roads, and sidewalks toward a state of good repair. A presentation showed city arterials and local roads are severely underfunded and deteriorating; current budgets allow repaving of about 1% of the arterial network annually. A proposed amendment from Councillor Lucy Maloney to broaden the motion to include active transportation, accessibility, and equity considerations was defeated separately. The main motion was also defeated.
- 2STGD+ Safety and Inclusion Action Plan (passed unanimously): Council approved a renewed action plan for two-spirit, transgender, and gender-diverse residents and staff. The plan covers 30 actions across five goal areas: housing, community spaces and safety, programs and services, visibility and engagement, and human resources. Engagement involved more than 800 community members. Annual progress reports to council are planned.
- Molson Brewery land use change (passed): Council approved initiating a process to redesignate the former Molson Brewery site from industrial/employment to mixed-use high-rise. The site was described as an "orphan" industrial parcel no longer suitable for heavy industry, adjacent to the Squamish Nation's Senakw development. The process involves an official development plan amendment, a Metro Vancouver regional growth strategy amendment, and eventually a rezoning; staff estimate development permits are roughly three years away. Councillor Maloney voted against, citing Concord Pacific's long history of sitting on False Creek lands without development and concerns about planning department capacity.
- Notices of motion for March 11 Standing Committee: Four notices filed — micromobility network connections (Kirby-Yung); a one-time grant for Granville Street activation during FIFA World Cup 2026 (Meiszner and Ken Sim); shared mobility and traffic congestion (Maloney); and advancing the right to food and public food infrastructure (Orr and Meiszner).
- Other matters: Councillor Mike Klassen marked the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine with a statement of solidarity. Councillor Lenny Zhou acknowledged the Lunar New Year parade in Chinatown, noting a record 109 groups marched and over 100,000 attended. Councillor Sean Orr asked staff whether the city would restore a 33% shelter rate requirement in the Downtown Eastside following the province pausing the Community Housing Fund; staff were unable to answer fully on the spot.
Minutes approved
- Jan 20/22/27 Public Hearing
- Jan 22/27 Public Hearing
- Feb 3 Council
- Feb 4 Finance Committee
- Feb 5 Court of Revision
- Feb 5 Public Hearing
Motions
VanStat Roads and Sidewalks Capital Funding
Carried Details
- Proposed directing staff to include approximately $104 million in the 2027–2031 capital plan for arterial road, local road, and sidewalk renewal, representing a major increase from the $34 million allocated in the current capital plan.
- Staff presentation showed city arterials are funded at roughly $3–5 million per year, enough to repave about 1% of the network annually; local roads receive about $2.5 million per year; sidewalks receive about $1 million per year against a $500 million repair backlog.
- Without increased investment, pavement condition index scores for city-managed roads are projected to continue declining.
- Councillors supporting the motion cited safety risks, legal liability from trip and fall claims, and the principle of returning to basic infrastructure funding.
- Councillor Rebecca Bligh asked that any report back clearly identify where the $104 million would come from and what other capital projects it would displace, and called for stronger pursuit of federal and provincial infrastructure funding.
- Councillor Maloney expressed concern the motion was focused on motor vehicle infrastructure and did not adequately address active transportation or accessibility needs.
VanStat Amendment – Accessibility and Equity
Defeated Details
- Proposed amending the roads and sidewalks capital funding motion to broaden its scope to include funding for active transportation infrastructure, accessibility improvements, and more equitable allocation across transit, cycling, and walking.
- Councillor Maloney argued existing city policy prioritizes a hierarchy of transportation modes beyond motor vehicles, and the original motion did not reflect that.
- Councillors Fry and Orr expressed support for the amendment.
2STGD+ Action Plan Renewal
Carried Details
- Council approved a renewed 2STGD+ (Two-Spirit, Transgender, and Gender Diverse) Safety and Inclusion Action Plan, updating the City's original 2016 TGV2S Inclusion Plan to reflect evolving community language and priorities.
- The plan targets five goal areas: housing and homelessness, community spaces and safety, programs and services, visibility and engagement, and internal HR/staff experience for 2STGD+ City employees.
- National data cited in the report highlights significant disparities faced by 2STGD+ people, including a 388% increase in hate crimes against 2SLGBTQI communities between 2016 and 2023, and higher poverty rates among non-binary and transgender individuals compared to cisgender Canadians.
- The plan was developed through broad community engagement with 2STGD+ organizations, City advisory committees, and partner agencies including the Vancouver Police Department, Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, Vancouver School Board, and Vancouver Public Library.
- Staff will implement 2026 priority actions and report back annually with progress updates and recommended actions for 2027 and beyond.
- The renewed plan will also be shared with the Vancouver Public Library Board, the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, and the Vancouver Police Board for their awareness and potential strategic alignment.
BIA Renewals 2026 Approval
- Approves renewal of business improvement area levies for 2026; passed on consent without debate.
Road Closure – East Pender Street
1710-1730 East Pender Street- Council approved the closure and sale of a small strip of City-owned road (approximately 57.2 square metres / 616 square feet) adjacent to 1710–1730 East Pender Street in the Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood.
- The road portion, originally set aside in 1944 for a planned widening of East Pender Street, is no longer needed for road or utility purposes as the City's transportation priorities have since changed.
- The land will be sold to the owner of the adjacent properties for $280,000 (assessed as fair market value by Real Estate Services), with proceeds credited to the City's Capital Fund; the owner also pays a Road Closure Fee of $14,360.
- Consolidating this land parcel with the adjacent site is a condition of a previously approved rezoning that will enable construction of an 18-storey mixed-use building containing 191 social housing units with ground-floor commercial/retail space.
- The property owner is responsible for all associated costs including plans, Land Title Office fees, and the relocation of any impacted sewer service connections or inspection chambers within the road portion.
FIFA Special Use Lane Designation
- Council approved allowing FIFA-accredited vehicles to travel (but not stop) in Vancouver's special use lanes — currently reserved for buses and cyclists — from June 11 to July 19, 2026, to support the FIFA World Cup 26 tournament.
- This measure fulfills a mobility obligation under the Host City Agreement between the City of Vancouver and FIFA, which requires safe and efficient movement of FIFA constituent groups including teams, match officials, dignitaries, and workforce.
- The number of FIFA-accredited vehicles is described as relatively small, and staff expect minimal disruption to existing transit and cycling operations during the temporary designation period.
- Because several of Vancouver's special use lanes fall within 800 metres of a provincial arterial highway, provincial ministerial approval is legally required before the designation can take effect; Council directed the Mayor to write to the BC Minister of Transportation and Transit to seek that authorization.
- Specific street segments requiring ministerial sign-off include portions of Granville Street, West Georgia Street, East Hastings Street, McGill Street, West 41st Avenue, and Pender Street.
- There are no financial implications associated with this temporary measure.
Molson Brewery Land Use Change
1550 Burrard Street and 1655 West 1st Avenue Carried Details
- Staff are seeking Council direction to begin the process of re-designating the former Molson Brewery site (1550 Burrard Street / 1655 West 1st Avenue) from "Industrial and Employment" to "Mixed-Use High-Rise 2" in the Vancouver Official Development Plan (ODP).
- The Molson Brewery operated on the site from 1953 until 2019, when it relocated to a larger facility in Chilliwack; the surrounding False Creek area has since transformed into a mixed-use neighbourhood, making stand-alone heavy industrial use no longer appropriate for the site.
- Unlike the four other "exceptional industrial" sites under review, the Molson site is self-contained and not connected to adjacent industrial lands, which staff say makes it suitable for an accelerated re-designation process ahead of broader planning reviews.
- Staff recommend consulting with Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, the Province, Metro Vancouver, TransLink, school boards, and the general public as part of preparing the ODP amendment.
- Staff are also seeking direction to begin discussions with Metro Vancouver about a Regional Growth Strategy amendment to re-designate the site from "Industrial" to "General Urban," a necessary step for any future mixed-use or residential development.
- Approval of this motion does not create any legal rights for the property owner or obligate the City to rezone the site; a Public Hearing would still be required before any by-law changes are enacted.
Enact By-laws 1–10 and 12–15
Carried Details
- Enacts 14 bylaws on the agenda (bylaw 11 withdrawn); councillors who were absent for the relevant public hearing confirmed whether they had reviewed the proceedings before voting.
Road Closure Administrative Motion – East Pender
1710-1730 East Pender Street Carried Details
- The City proposes to close, stop up, and sell a small surplus strip of road (approximately 57.2 square metres / 616 square feet) adjacent to 1710–1730 East Pender Street in the Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood to the owner of the abutting property.
- The road strip was originally acquired in 1944 for a planned widening of East Pender Street that was never carried out; Engineering Services has confirmed the land is no longer needed for road or utility purposes.
- The road portion will be consolidated with the adjacent parcels to support the development of an approved 18-storey mixed-use building containing 191 social housing units with ground-floor commercial space (Development Application DP-2025-00314).
- The negotiated sale price of $280,000 has been confirmed by the Director of Real Estate Services as fair market value, with proceeds directed to the City's Capital Fund; a road closure fee of $14,360 will also be charged to the buyer.
- The abutting land owner is responsible for all associated costs, including plans, legal documents, utility adjustments, and Land Title Office fees, and must assume ownership of existing sewer service connections within the road portion.
- The road closure was a condition of the rezoning approved in principle at a Public Hearing on December 14, 2023, and completing this conveyance is necessary before the rezoning by-law can be enacted.
Agenda documents (16)
ADOPTION OF MINUTES
PRESENTATIONS
1. VanStat Update on Roads and Sidewalks
REPORTS
1. 2STGD+ Safety and Inclusion Action Plan Renewal
2. Approval of Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) Renewals 2026
3. Closure and Sale of a Portion of Road Adjacent to 1710-1730 East Pender Street
5. FIFA World Cup 26 Vancouver™ Special Use Lane Designation
6. Issues Report: Proposed Land Use Change for Former Molson Brewery Exceptional Industrial Site
BY-LAWS
ADMINISTRATIVE MOTIONS
1. Closure and Sale of a Portion of Road Adjacent to 1710-1730 East Pender Street
ENQUIRIES AND OTHER MATTERS
Vote matrix
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ken Sim🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Rebecca Bligh🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |||||
| Lisa Dominato🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Pete Fry🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Sarah Kirby-Yung🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Mike Klassen🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Lucy Maloney🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Peter Meiszner🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Brian Montague🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Sean Orr🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Lenny Zhou🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |