2023: ABC refunds millions of dollars of Empty Homes Tax to developers 2025: ABC refuses to use EHT money for its intended purpose, putting 81 affordable homes for women and children at risk What an astonishing decision by Ken Sim and ABC.

My column today, on how police departments' car-first attitude makes them say the darnedest things. Like "leave your e-bike at home."

Vancouver council member Brian Montague got very worked up the other day, claiming without evidence that Vancouver police regularly ask drivers to not drive on Halloween. They don't. He was responding to a notice from @lucymaloney.bsky.social, which would have asked the city to do so.

By sea, land, and air we wish you a happy Halloween! @ptfry.bsky.social @lucymaloney.bsky.social

Great to host Councillors @lucymaloney.bsky.social @lennynanzhou.bsky.social and @mikeklassen.bsky.social this morning to tour the Passive House features of Sunrise Village, Brightside’s upcoming development on Renfrew.

In voting down this motion, Clr Montague indignantly claimed that the VPD "puts out a message telling drivers to avoid non-essential travel every year" and that to suggest otherwise is "outright false." Can anyone find evidence of this? Here's their PSA for this year:

You'd think a Councillor with a record of cutting services and delaying action on safe streets would have the decency to at least live -near- the community he's damaging. He makes the cuts. We'll live with the consequences.

Deeply disappointed to see @cityofvancouver.bsky.social terminated the All Souls Nights at Mountainview Cemetery. This event has been a tradition for us for the last 6 years, and the event has been going for 20. I’ll quote the statement from nightforallsouls.com In a thread:

Just to be clear, the majority "in favour" votes were to an ABC "amendment" to make the motion go away forever by "referring it to staff." I really, really hope the three progressive municipal parties will cooperate and coordinate in 2026, or we'll have more of this crap.

Nothing worse than a party that refuses to acknowledge good ideas from other council members just to be petty and not give anyone else a chance for positive "wins". Especially egregious when the safety of children is the focus #VisionZero

Unbelievable. ABC: All Bow to Cars.

Remember this for elections next year, Vancouver folks.

The party of public safety, everyone:

Our neighbourhood would go bonkers for a block party. We have 500-600 children at our door every year. The neighbourhood has relatively narrow sidewalks, and a little more breathing space would be so welcome.

We're incredibly disappointed in this outcome; this should have been an easy win for the safety of our children. Our response: visionzerovancouver.ca/2025/10/29/h...

Honestly gobsmacked by ABC's referral of my road safety motion to staff. Halloween is the most dangerous night of the year for CHILDREN. This was an attempt to use an existing process to keep CHILDREN safe, and ABC punted it to staff w/o offering an alternative. Really, guys?

don't spook the kiddos, let them spook you (and rule residential roads)

Our Halloween message from Vision Zero Vancouver! 🎃 A little hard to hear, ironically because of all the cars

Plan to leave your car at home on Halloween Night (this Friday night) between 5.00 pm and 9.00 pm, and if you do need to drive, take it slowly and carefully to help keep children safe on the most dangerous night of the year for child pedestrians.

If you have 3 minutes to spare this weekend, please take a moment to write council in support of Clr Maloney's Halloween block party motion! Click the link below, it's super easy.

This Wednesday I'm moving a motion to make Halloween more fun and safe for Vancouver's kids by making it easier to organise Halloween block parties and encouraging drivers to plan to leave the car at home on Halloween night! I hope I can count on your support.

#ideasAtWork "Vancouver leader and bike activist @lucymaloney.bsky.social interviews co-author Melissa Bruntlett @modacitylife.com in the second part of last week’s interview by Diane Alisa (14:26). h/t @biketalk.bsky.social #2541 Countering Car Culture

Halloween is the most dangerous night of the year for kids walking outside: ten times higher risk of being hit by a driver. Our kids deserve better. Support @lucymaloney.bsky.social 's “Safe Streets for Trick or Treats” motion coming to Vancouver council next week. 1/2

oops I meant a very excited person, but then I already that. I was also very excited! And it was so nice to meet @lucymaloney.bsky.social, and see @theaaronchapman.bsky.social who also won a Heritage Award for his book, Vancouver After Dark (pictured here with Danny Filippone from The Penthouse)

Weekend reading...

Take a listen, and then get your tickets because @thewaroncars.bsky.social is coming to town! visionzerovancouver.ca/2025/08/01/l... Lower cost tickets are available if cost is a barrier, just send us an email :)

In 2022, Ken Sim said line item budget comparisons were the cornerstone of his budget policy if he got elected mayor. In 2025, he voted against it happening for a budget presentation with potentially $100 million in cuts because his newly appointed city manager told him no.

Ken Sim's stunt of a motion has put the City Manager in the difficult position of delivering against an unreasonable ask, with an unreasonable timeline. The process is so rushed that we will have NO details when we vote in November. Ken Sim won't know what he's voting to cut. And neither will you.

"Recent actions announced by the City of Vancouver do not add up for our economic survival. Asking every city department to arbitrarily cut budgets by a blanket percentage is not only a ineffective short-term measure, it could negatively affect our long-term recovery." -- Ken Sim in 2020

Ken Sim's property tax stunt starts with an arbitrary, politically-motivated number and asks staff to cut until they meet it. We should be asking what it will take to meet the expectations of the people we serve. I oppose Ken Sim's cuts.

On Wednesday, Ken Sim will direct staff to make brutal cuts to the City's budget - putting the services you and I rely on at risk. We need to stand up to him. SIGN UP TO SPEAK on the City's website, in OPPOSITION to Motion 1 on October 8: vancouver.ca/your-governm...

The Venn diagram of urban density and average household GHG emissions is pretty much a circle. Interesting study on “Mapping household GHG emissions in the Greater Golden Horseshoe” from the University of Toronto School of Cities schoolofcities.utoronto.ca/mapping-hous...

Vancouver City Councillors @seanorr.bsky.social and @lucymaloney.bsky.social are calling to prioritize a SkyTrain extension to UBC, which I wholeheartedly support. To voice your opinion Wed at the council meeting: vancouver.ca/your-governm... #vanpoli #cdnpoli @davidebybc.bsky.social

We deserve a government that is stable, thoughtful, and predictable. What we’ve got with Ken Sim and his enablers in ABC is a political roller coaster. Instead of leadership, performance and politics.

It’s underappreciated just how radical ABC's budget proposal is. It requires deep, deep cuts. If they are approved, it’s impossible to tell what’s on the chopping block. Libraries? Community centres? Investments that improve public safety? I don’t know - and I don’t think ABC knows, either.

How do you move 1000 people into a city centre? 1 train, 20 buses or 650 personal vehicles (with a LOT of parking required!) HT @davidloisuned.bsky.social for the Spanish translation of one of my favourite graphics originally from Sydney. #CityMakingMath

Park adjacent small-lot apartments, as envisioned by the recent council motion by @lucymaloney.bsky.social - to allow these types of accessible flats next to all parks and bike routes throughout the city

Leveraging the Expo's international visibility to reimagine one of its main shopping streets, Osaka now has an undeniable proof-of-concept: cars don't spend money, people do. And attracting economic activity means reshaping urban road space into places where those people feel welcome to spend time.🔚

We had the pleasure to interview @lucymaloney.bsky.social about road safety for the Paper Rag zine! Here's a sneak peak. There are no digital copies; if you want to read more, buy it in person (Book Warehouse on Main carries them) or subscribe to them to support: www.patreon.com/PaperRag

I was so pleased to have unanimous support for my & Cllr Orr’s motion to streamline approvals processes for vertical farming businesses in Vancouver. @seanorr.bsky.social @onecityvan.bsky.social @copevancouver.bsky.social www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/vi...

Listen to housing advocate Peter Waldkirch speak to Amy Bell about my motion yesterday to build more housing on Vancouver's quiet streets: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-91-the-early-edition/clip/16170332-vancouver-city-council-considers-density-challenges-low-traffic-streets

The next civic election is on Saturday, October 17, 2026.

Ken Sim and ABC have voted to bury Lucy Maloney’s motion that would have brought six floors and corner stores to side streets across Vancouver, unlocking thousands of family-friendly homes.

More evidence of ABC incompetence today at City Hall. Having directed City institutions to extract the most revenue possible from our public assets, they were confronted with the consequences: a beloved business shuttered in the pursuit of greater profit.

IMPORTANT: Here in Vancouver on Sept 17th, City Council will consider a motion by Councillor @lucymaloney.bsky.social directing Staff to look at allowing 6-storey apts & retail at corners along active transport streets & around parks. This idea should have been done 10+ years ago. Please support.

Bike / Park Oriented Development (BPOD?) ! A motion from OneCity councilor @lucymaloney.bsky.social aims to end the apartment ban next to bike streets and parks! We need liveable density on quiet leafy streets. Don’t like arterial density? Want alternatives to towers? Speak in support sept 17

Apartments (including rentals and below market homes!) are banned from most of the city's nice side streets. That sucks! @lucymaloney.bsky.social's motion to legalize 6 floor apts by parks and bike routes could help change that. Here's how you can show support: pwaldkirch.ca/2025/09/12/s...

On Wed Sep 17, City of Vancouver Councillor @lucymaloney.bsky.social will intro a motion that aims to unlock new apartment buildings up to six floors, and corner stores, on quiet Vancouver streets, including cycling routes and local streets around parks. (1/3)

After 3 years, the Stanley Park Mobility Study has been released. You can read it here: parkboardmeetings.vancouver.ca/2025/2025091... It is very, very underwhelming. A return of a separated bike lane is contemplated, but not specifically recommended, in the 7-15 year timeframe. #bikeyvr 1/4

I support a democratically elected park board. Part of democracy is ensuring that the government’s decisions match the city’s values. Vancouver is a city for all its people. Trans people included. I am calling on the Park Board to rethink this event and make this right.