Opposition parties in Vancouver’s City Hall are currently mulling over the idea of teaming up for the upcoming municipal election. OneCity, a prominent opposition party, has proposed the idea of a primary election to select a single candidate to challenge Mayor Ken Sim and his ABC party.
OneCity’s mayoral candidate, William Azaroff, expressed the aim of this proposal in a statement, emphasizing the importance of preventing vote splitting among progressive parties and aiming to establish a “progressive majority.”
While the Greens and COPE are considering OneCity’s offer, they noted that a similar proposal had previously been discussed within their ranks. COPE mentioned that the idea of uniting the progressive parties had been raised at a recent party meeting and had the support of the Greens.
However, the Green Party emphasized that any collaboration should involve agreements across various boards to prevent one party from dominating the election.
OneCity has set a deadline for the other parties to respond to their offer by Friday, laying out specific conditions for the primary election process. These conditions include a 45-day timeline for the primary, shared costs, and a commitment from losing candidates to support the progressive candidate who emerges victorious.
UBC’s political scientist, Stewart Prest, pointed out that while the idea of a united front against Ken Sim is appealing, executing it is a complex task. He expressed concern about the potential obstacles posed by setting multiple requirements and conducting the debate through press releases.
With the municipal election scheduled for Oct. 17, 2026, the public is anticipating how this collaboration or lack thereof will unfold, with Councillor Pete Fry emerging as a potential frontrunner in a primary scenario.