Lots of talk about the capital plan - what is it, where does the money come from and what say are you going to have in what priorities your tax dollars are spent on?

Hearing was rescheduled to an already scheduled leave of absence for civic business wrt my role at union of B.C. Municipalities quarterly executive meetings

After Cllr Lenny Zhou is caught publishing defamatory libel, manufacturing falsehoods accusing us of being drug users/dealers and fomenting ugly divisive rhetoric
--this statement is not an apology, it's not even an excuse.

Zhou, communicating solely to media, while mayor so far fails to disavow.

There have been conversations ongoing since summer where Greens and COPE have both advocated for the idea of some sort of "progressive primary" to consider getting behind or out of the way of a unity mayor candidate. Grounded in clear rational analysis, not partisanship, I am supportive of the idea.

I appreciate the idea, but it feels a bit early. I’d be open to a fulsome debate once all progressive mayoral candidates are confirmed - it’s important that everyone has a fair chance to participate. But I’m also working that evening -with some pretty important council and public hearing on deck.

Lit candles against a dark background - a symbolic representation of International Holocaust Remembrance Day

On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, thinking about the 6 million Jews murdered by the Nazis, along with hundreds of thousands of dissidents, LGBT, Roma, people with disabilities. Reflecting on those horrors, the statement "never again" and the systems that enable genocide today and ongoing.

Meanwhile - the right wing trolls see my reasonable comments quite differently. Cue the anonymous hewers of outrage and drawers of rhetoric to spin up some angry misinformation...

Long-term impacts of the recent London Drugs closures

Last week after posting here on bsky - i went on to Jill Bennets CKNW show to talk about the London Drugs at Woodwards the current and historic context and what the future could look like.
Pretty reasonable please give it a listen: open.spotify.com/episode/7nmN...?

It's hard to imagine a 27k ft retailer filling this space (see nearby empty Bay and Nordstroms), big footprint retail is challenged in this online age --but thoughtful interventions to support local-serving small business, third spaces other than streets, and curtail criminal activity would help.

This is in no way to diminish the very real challenges that London Drugs staff and stab proof vested security guards would have had to deal with on a daily basis here and as LD president admits are issues across BC - but the business model and consumer market at this location are part of the reality

This left an oversized shopping destination with an undersized consumer market expending scant resources and staff's wellbeing on safety and security. And the promise of redevelopment bringing new residents and new customers had all but evaporated.

By the time the tax exemption ended in 2020, the foreign investment-driven Vancouver real estate market had dried up, and COVID-19 catalyzed a broken system and challenges around mental health, substance use and acquired brain injury, exploding into a crisis of theft, violence and street disorder.

London Drugs in Woodwards opened as an outsized flagship sort of a store at 27,000 sq ft: almost as big at the Georgia and Granville location; twice the size of Olympic Village. The logic was likely that a super size London Drugs would attract more investment and development, as downtown moved east

When the new Woodward's mixed use development opened with housing and cultural spaces and retail it was heralded as a success, and anchor tenants like London Drugs were welcomed with a permissive ten year property tax exemption (thanks to sec 396A of the Vancouver Charter).

In 1998, a well-intentioned but disastrous decision by the council of the day shut down 'undesirable' businesses: 24h cafes, convenience stores, buy & sell markets and pawn shops. With nowhere indoors to go, more people ended up on the streets, and small businesses faced increasing street disorder

The site stayed vacant for several years, but for the Artropolis show and later Woodsquat occupation. Planners, pundits, and small businesses alike recognized the Woodwards Block served as a bulwark to the chaos of DTES drifting west. Activists recognized that any redevelopment needed social justice

In 1993, when Woodward's closed I was owner/operator of a print shop on that same block at 159 West Hastings. The impacts of the department store's demise were immediate and profound: foot traffic dropped off, street disorder rose and many small businesses on that same block folded within the year.

The closure of London Drugs at Hastings/Abbot is a loss for the neighbourhood. Yes, safety/security issues are a challenge for this and any operator, but there is more to consider in this story: the outsized location relied on a market that doesn't exist.
History🧵
vancouversun.com/news/london-...

While voting as an ABC block, Cllr Zhou - quoted in the article -- professed to be solidly "pro housing," but his voting record suggests he's "solidly" voted against new supportive housing, rentals in Shaughnessy, and now, social housing city-wide #notallhousing

Important reckoning.
Sadly, this is a broken record / broken system where supposedly well intentioned child apprehensions often result in real harm to the kids and parent(s) and very little accountability. I know and have worked with many of the people involved in this story 🙌🏽 gratitude and respect.

US: ICE Arrest at FIFA Event Spotlights Dangers for World Cup The arrest and return of an asylum seeker who took his children to the Club World Cup soccer tournament final on July 13, 2025, raises serious concerns about the safety of noncitizens attending the 20...

The beautiful game, used as a cover for deportation and breaking up families, while FIFA strokes Trump's ego with some symbolic prize. Please let's do something meaningfully symbolic and stand for Sanctuary, and Access without Fear in Vancouver's FIFA plan

www.hrw.org/news/2025/12...

PHOTO: Donald Trump celebrates 'great honour' of winning FIFA peace prize, shaking hands with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, with cup in foreground

Today, as Trump awarded new "FIFA Peace Prize" his militarized ICE agents are targeting football-loving racialized migrants

Wednesday, I ask Vancouver to affirm our commitment to Sanctuary City: Access Without Fear as part of our FIFA Human Rights Plan. Please
council.vancouver.ca/20251210/doc...

A Vancouver Landlord Keeps Being Allowed to Evict Tenants. Why? | The Tyee Residents want to know why BC’s Residential Tenancy Branch keeps siding with Plan A.

Another timely call out of this serial tormentor that landlords over many renters in our city. Plan A is quite literally one of the worst, and keeps successfully gaming the system. thetyee.ca/News/2025/12...

AI generated Grinch in front of cartoon rendering of Vancouver skyline. Grinch is smiling as snow falls lightly around and red Dr Seuss style lettering at top right reads "Zero Means Zero!"

'Twas weeks before Christmas
And staff at the City
Checked stockings for pink slips
Such a Holiday pity...
"'Tis best for our budget!" laughed our malevolent hero
"More layoffs to come, 'cause Zero Means Zero!"

www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/ar...

I posted details above - but I think recognizing the damage these cuts will inflict and the value these volunteer committees bring to our city is helpful

If you share concerns about eliminating the public advisory committees, you can sign up to speak to it at Dec 9 Council, its Report #1 on the agenda.
Link to report and details to sign up:
council.vancouver.ca/20251209/reg...

❌2SLGBTQ+
❌Arts and Culture
❌Children, Youth and Families
❌Older Persons and Elders
❌Persons with Disabilities
❌Racial and Ethno-Cultural Equity
❌Renters
❌Transportation Advisory
❌Food Policy Council
❌Women’s Advisory

#zeromeanszero

Vancouver logo atop a staff report dated Dec 1, 2025. Reads in part: Recommendations THAT Council change the term of all Council Advisory Committees (Type A Civic Agencies), except for the Urban Indigenous Peoples’ Advisory Committee, to end on January 30, 2026. Purpose To seek Council approval to change the term for 10 of the 11 “Type A” Council Advisory Committees to end on January 30, 2026, to address timing constraints and capacity pressures arising from the simultaneous scheduling demands of an intense Council and Public Hearing meeting schedule due to significant volume of public hearing referrals, FIFA World Cup 2026, and the 2026 general local election.

Zero Means Zero Meets FIFA
Staff report Dec 9 recommends terminating 10/11 Advisory Committees. As the World Cup looms and we've yet to see a Human Rights Plan, volunteer-led citizens advisories are scrapped.
Eliminating Committees saves $160,000 @ department targeted by #zeromeanszero cuts

Vancouver's Celebration of Light fireworks festival cancelled indefinitely | CBC News Organizers of a public fireworks festival, which has brought millions of people to Vancouver's English Bay over the past three decades, says it can’t go ahead without long-term government and private-...

Budget silver lining?
Disappointing to hear the Celebration of Lights are being cancelled. BUT on the upside, this does free up over $1m of in-kind policing City of Vancouver contributes, perhaps we can refund some of the cuts to community services?

#zeromeanszero

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Also. Admittedly, song was in the context of the budget, the speakers opposed to it, and a council week that at times has felt like a bit of a (metaphoric) street fight, so for me, from the trenches it was the perfect motivator 🎯