COPE is fighting for an affordable Vancouver.
Around the world, billionaires are buying politicians and elections to make governments work for them instead of us. But Vancouver doesn’t have to be this way. We can fight back.
On October 17th, vote for 4 COPE on City Council, 4 COPE on School Board, and 4 COPE on Park Board.
Sean Orr
For City Council
Sean Orr is an outspoken advocate for affordable housing, justice, and public integrity. He was elected to City Council in 2025 to expose Ken Sim and his billionaire backers for what they are doing to our city.
Sean was working as a dishwasher before being elected to City Council, but quickly became one of the hardest working city councillors, moving over 30 motions in one year, and leading the resistance against Ken Sim's brutal austerity budget.
Since being elected, Sean has moved to open libraries 7 days a week, protect our public services, cut Ken Sim's office budget, give tenants the right to buy their rental buildings to convert into co-ops, protect climate programs and arts & culture programs, increase the empty homes tax, create a free transit pilot, protect low-income modular housing, and fight ultra-bright headlights.
He was the only city councillor to vote against removing affordable rental protections in new builds, the only city councillor to vote against the million dollar Vancouver sign for tourists, the only city councillor to vote against a floating hotel.
sean@copevancouver.ca
Chloe Leslie
For City Council
Chloe Leslie is a food security worker and poverty reduction advocate with years of experience working in Vancouver's non-profit sector.
She'll fight to strengthen our local economy, protect arts and cultural spaces, invest in libraries, and ensure everyone can access affordable food.
chloe@copevancouver.ca
Devyani Singh
For City Council
Dr. Devyani Singh is a climate scientist and a financial analyst who knows that the root of the climate crisis and the affordability crisis is the same thing: the political power of the super-rich.
As a lead researcher at Stand.earth, she’s helped stop millions of dollars in financing for deforesting the Amazon, and she’s also helped design climate action strageties for multiple cities across North America.
On Council, she’ll fight relentlessly to tackle climate change while making life more affordable with things like free transit and better libraries, push for climate-safe affordable housing that people can afford to live in, and to make Vancouver a climate leader again.
devyani@copevancouver.ca
Solomon Yi-Kieran
For City Council
Solomon Yi-Kieran 易行天 is fighting for fast, free transit, government transparency and accountability, and to make it affordable to build a life in Vancouver.
Solomon is an on-campus organizer and student organizer, and the VP External at AMS, the UBC student union. They worked with other student unions and activists to lobby MPs to create a Youth Climate Corps, and won a $40m investment for youth climate jobs, even amidst cuts in the federal budget.
They also led a student team to campaign for the UBC SkyTrain, collecting over 15,000 signatures, and contributed a motion to city council co-moved by Sean Orr that passed unanimously.
solomon@copevancouver.ca
Suzie Mah
For School Board Trustee
Suzie Mah is fighting for an education system where everyone has the ability to raise a family in this city and has the right to the best educational experiences.
A retired teacher and union organizer of over 30 years, Suzie has taught every grade from Kindergarten to Grade 12, including non-graduated adults. She knows what our students need and understands our system.
As COPE's VSB Trustee since 2022, Suzie has held the line and fought back against ABC's callous agenda – and won for students. Since being elected, she has helped win life-saving defibrillators in schools, saved school meal programs threatened by cuts, led the fight for free transit for teens, and she's opposed ABC's war on democracy and their handouts of city land to private developers every step of the way.
suzie@copevancouver.ca
Derrick O’Keefe
For School Board Trustee
Derrick O'Keefe is fighting for fully funded and high quality education for all students – regardless of learning needs. As a parent of two school-aged kids, he has seen up-close how the system is failing under Ken Sim and ABC’s cuts.
Bringing his experience in advocacy for public education and his work as a journalist and writer, Derrick will fight for the needs of the many ahead of the wealthy few. He understands that in order to empower the next generation to fight for their communities, we need universal meal programs, affordable and accessible childcare, and public land that is used for the public benefit.
derrick@copevancouver.ca
Melanie Cheng
For School Board Trustee
Melanie Cheng has seen first-hand the need for transparent, accountable decision-making grounded in the needs of students and school communities.
A mom of three teenagers and a senior paralegal, Melanie has used her background in law and governance to advocate for students and families in education over the past ten years.
As Former Chair of the Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council and a leader against school land sell-offs under ABC, Melanie has fought hard to protect public school land, strengthen parent voice, and push for transparency and accountability in decision-making. She is ready to bring this experience and continue this work as a School Board Trustee.
melanie@copevancouver.ca
Gwen Giesbrecht
For School Board Trustee
Gwen Giesbrecht understands that public education is a public good. While provincial dollars go to private schools, our public schools are being starved of the stable funding they need.
As the former Chair of the Vancouver District Parent Advisory Committee and a former Park Board Commissioner with COPE, Gwen has the experience and integrity to fight for families, students, and teachers on the Vancouver School Board.
Gwen will fight to use public land for community good, not subsidise budget shortfalls, and for every student to have access to school meal programs.
gwen@copevancouver.ca
T’uy’t’tanat
Cease Wyss
For Park Board Commissioner
T’uy’t’tanat Cease Wyss is an Indigenous matriarch of the Skwxwu7mesh, Sto:lo and Hawaiian people, who understands the critical role our Park Board has in strengthening and preserving our green spaces.
Throughout her 30 year practice as an ethnobotanist, artist, activist, and educator, Cease’s work encompasses storytelling and collaborative initiatives through their knowledge and restoration of Indigenous plants and natural spaces. Cease strives to share Indigenous customs, teachings, and futures for cultural and environmental preservation.
Cease will use this experience to be a strong voice on Park Board for everyone. She will fight for sustainable and vibrant parks, affordable and enjoyable recreation, and to always support vulnerable people, families, and children.
cease@copevancouver.ca
Sacia Burton
For Park Board Commissioner
Sacia Burton believes that public spaces should be places where everyone can come together to grow, learn, and build connections with our neighbours – no matter where you live in the city.
As Co-director of the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition, Sacia brings a depth of knowledge of governance systems and processes alongside a well of relationships across the social policy advocacy and organizing sector in Vancouver.
On the Park Board, they will fight to ensure our parks, community centres, and public spaces are affordable, enjoyable, and sustainable for generations to come.
sacia@copevancouver.ca
Jamie Han
For Park Board Commissioner
Jamie Han is fighting for real investment in public parks and recreation, not bare minimum upkeep while Ken Sim and ABC give tax-cuts to the super rich.
Using her experience in political organizing, Jamie is ready to dig through documents, records, and by-laws to pick apart systems that are failing people, and build something better.
On the Park Board, Jamie will fight for more cycling infrastructure, real investment in public parks and recreation, and better parks, pools, and playgrounds in every neighbourhood.
jamie@copevancouver.ca
Tamiko Suzuki
For Park Board Commissioner
Tamiko Suzuki is fighting to upgrade neglected parks, expand our tree canopy to protect neighbourhoods from extreme heat, restore natural ecosystems, and grow the green spaces that will make this city livable for generations to come.
Tamiko has spent her life working in healthcare at the BC Children's hospital, and has a history of environmental activism, including against the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion.
Tamiko will use her experience and knowledge to fight for better parks and recreation facilities, to make the city accessible for families and seniors, and to grow green spaces for public health and well-being.
tamiko@copevancouver.ca
Vancouver doesn’t have to be this way.
On October 17, we can elect a Mayor and City Council that works for people instead of the billionaires.
We got this.