Orr Report: A new column from COPE’s City Councillor

I can’t believe it’s been just over a month since the election. It feels like a whole year has passed, and I’ve got the gray hairs to prove it. Even before being sworn in, the police lobby and the far-right unleashed their attacks. This just proves that the local oligarchs are shook. They are terrified that a (somewhat) normal, working-class guy topped the polls.

I’m still blown away and humbled by the amazing support we got for our Fight for Vancouver platform in the by-election. To everyone who voted, to all the volunteers, to everyone who waited in line for hours on April 5th because you cared enough about Vancouver – thank you. 

We served notice. Ken Sim and his billionaire-backed party have lost their mandate. We took their so-called swagger. But Ken Sim and ABC aren’t going to show integrity and change course. And they’re not going to give up without a fight. 

On April 16th, my second day as a City Councillor, Sim phoned in to the Council meeting to cast the tiebreaking vote to defeat a motion that would have strengthened tenant protections across the city. 

And the cuts continue as a result of ABC’s misplaced priorities. School lunch grants were slashed (but later restored), there were cuts to 311, school bus drivers no longer receive a living wage, ABC voted against mental health support for kids and additional psychologists to help assess kids’ learning needs in a timely manner, and cuts to hours have kicked in at many of the vital neighbourhood branches of our public library system. 

So we have a lot of work ahead. I’ll be working hard at City Hall, but it’s vital we continue building the movement we’ve started in every corner of Vancouver. 

With your help, next year we’ll finish the job. 

Drinking from a Firehose

I was sworn in early on the morning of April 15th, and then promptly found myself at City Hall for 15 hours - a city council meeting, and a public hearing that went late into the night.

It’s been like drinking from a firehose! So much information has been coming at me every day.

I’m taking these new responsibilities that you’ve entrusted me with very seriously. My new role comes with a new workstation, a new office, and a new platform to fight for Vancouver. It also comes with some limitations and new parameters on how I can do my advocacy. 

The Code of Conduct bylaw looks like it could be weaponized against me (am I even allowed to say that?). I have to be very careful about what I say about my colleagues on social media and in public (oh and to the lady that gave me a gift card, I’m sorry I couldn’t accept it!). 

Additionally, public hearings are a quasi-judicial process. This means I legally have to have an open mind and if you email or DM me with concerns after the comments have closed I cannot answer you. And believe me, this happens a lot.

One really interesting and consequential public hearing took place on the Jericho Lands Official Development Plan. I listened intently to concerned residents, although I was somewhat dismayed by the overt racism and covert dogwhistles. In the end, I felt the applicant made the best case: the population of West Point Grey hasn’t changed since 1996, they can’t get funding without an ODP, it will pressure the feds to build the Skytrain, there was almost zero displacement at the site, 2600 units of social housing, tons of non-market rentals, tons of green space, and an Indigenous learning centre. 

There have been a number of other important motions and public hearings already. I voted in favour of a new development behind VGH that includes 24-hour daycare, voted to change the RTB to allow pets in rentals, and voted to enforce mould, water damage, and indoor air quality in the The Vancouver Standards of Maintenance Bylaw. I voted against a hotel bylaw which would see corporate amenities in hotels included as community amenity contributions, and voted against allowing owners of the Clifton Hotel SRO to only pay $1 million in SRA conversion fees which could have been up to $22 million.  

As a City Councillor, I also will be representing Vancouver at gatherings of local elected officials. I got to attend one really good news press conference: the announcement that Vancouver is finally getting a women’s professional hockey team! And last week I travelled to Whistler for the Lower Mainland Local Governance Association conference. I was pleased with much of the work accomplished at the LMLGA, voting along with other delegates to pass resolutions on the Right to Cool (max temperatures in units), poverty reduction, and Indigenous rights. I was also honoured to present an official proclamation to Good Night Out along with fellow councillor Lucy Maloney, representing the work that our predecessors Jean Swanson and Christine Boyle began years ago. 

In addition to these column which will be published every couple of weeks, I’ve been posting weekly video updates to try my best to be transparent about my work on your behalf – and to share what I learn about how our local democracy works. 

Difficult days for our city 

My first weeks as a City Councillor have been heavy with loss. There was the death of Trey Helten, who did so much for the Downtown Eastside community. I have tabled a motion to formally name the alley between Hastings and Pender east of Cambie St “Ashtrey Alley.” 

And, of course, there was the devastating tragedy at the Lapu Lapu festival on the evening of Saturday, April 25. It was such a beautiful day, such a meaningful and joyous community event and celebration. Along with tens of thousands of others, I was there throughout the day along with colleagues from COPE. I went back late that night just to be present, and have attended vigils, masses, and other meetings since as we all do everything in our power to support the Filipino community that organized the event and to mourn the victims and support survivors. These efforts are ongoing.

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In the next column, I’ll have more about my first two motions to Council and how you can sign up to speak in support of restoring public library funding and hours. 

And of course, follow COPE on Instagram and other socials for more frequent updates like the great news this week about the reversal of cuts to school meal programs.

(Header photo: Ryan Walter Wagner)