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City of Vancouver voters overwhelmingly back $790 million in borrowing for new community facilities and infrastructure

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Voters in the City of Vancouver have strongly supported all three capital borrowing plebiscite questions in the 2026 civic election, with preliminary results showing roughly four in five votes cast on each question were in favour.

The results have provided the municipal government with the legal green light to borrow $790 million to help fund a portion of its $3.5-billion capital plan between 2027 and 2030, which covers new and improved community and recreational facilities, transportation infrastructure, and utilities.

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The largest borrowing request, $438 million for community-serving and essential civic infrastructure, received 149,938 votes in favour and 38,802 against. That amounts to 79 per cent support among those who voted on the question.

This includes $338 million to renew or replace community facilities, such as community centres, pools, rinks, libraries, childcare spaces, and social facilities. Another $100 million would support work on facilities such as fire halls, service yards, and cultural venues, including Vancouver Civic Theatres.

Voters also backed $292 million for transportation and street infrastructure, with 147,171 voting yes and 41,572 voting no — 78 per cent in favour.

That borrowing would provide $154 million for bridges and other structures, including repairs to the Granville Street Bridge and Cambie Street Bridge, along with $92 million for roads and sidewalks. The remaining $46 million would go toward traffic signals and street lighting.

The $60-million borrowing request for parks and open public spaces attracted the strongest support of the three questions, with 152,587 votes in favour and 36,489 opposed or 81 per cent in support.

Those funds would help repair and upgrade parks, park buildings, and features such as the seawall, pathways, playgrounds, sports fields, and courts.

Together, the three borrowing requests account for 23 per cent of the $3.5-billion capital plan. Mayor Ken Sim’s outgoing ABC Vancouver-led Vancouver City Council approved the components of the capital plan in July 2026, with borrowing for these three categories requiring voter approval.

The City must seek voter approval for certain types of borrowing to fund capital projects. These requests appear on the ballot in each civic election and are typically approved.

In the 2022 civic election, background materials supporting the capital borrowing vote specifically referenced a new 50-metre pool as part of the Vancouver Aquatic Centre’s replacement. The City’s subsequent decision to proceed with a 25-metre lap pool sparked controversy, opposition from swim clubs and advocates, and legal challenges.

The borrowing approvals during the 2026 civic election came as Vancouver voters ousted Mayor Sim and swept away ABC’s majority in City Council. Green Party of Vancouver mayoral candidate Pete Fry has won top job, with Mike Klassen the only ABC city councillor re-elected. COPE and the Greens each won four city councillor seats, while OneCity secured one, giving the three left-wing/progressive parties 10 of City Council’s 11 seats, including Fry’s. Candidates from these parties also swept every seat on the Vancouver Park Board and Vancouver School Board.

The result figures from the election night count remain preliminary and are subject to change.

Results of the separate non-binding public safety plebiscite — covering restrictions on public hard-drug use and a proposed secure treatment facility — are expected on Wednesday, Oct. 21, alongside the official election results. The separate ballot form for the public safety plebiscite will be scanned and counted after election night.

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