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title: "John Coupar | City Council | Vancouver election 2026 | voche.me"
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City Council · Vancouver 2026
# John Coupar
Candidate for Vancouver City Council.
John Coupar, ballot number 134 for City Council in Vancouver, Vancouver Liberals. Profile focus: Public assets and capital investment.
Explore the record Public schedule
Researched by voche.me · Not a campaign-authored page
Vancouver Liberals2026
*John CouparCity CouncilBallot no.134*
[Image: Vancouver Liberals campaign](https://www.vancouverliberals.com/john_coupar)
Candidate research / September 22, 2026
This record covers John Coupar, a council candidate for the Vancouver Liberals in the October 17, 2026 election. Coupar has a long record in Vancouver civic and provincial politics, including three park board terms, an NPA mayoral nomination that ended in resignation, and a 2024 run for the B.C. legislature.
**7**Commitments **4**News articles **8**Sources
Public schedule / Through election day
## Where can you hear John Coupar?
No public appearance by this candidate was confirmed in the sources checked on September 22, 2026. The voting dates below apply to every voter. An empty day is a gap in the research, not proof that nothing is happening.
Checked September 22, 2026 · All event times are Vancouver local time. Recheck the organizer before travelling.
- [Election dates and voting information](https://vancouver.ca/your-government/2026-election.aspx)Official record · City of Vancouver
- [Where to vote](https://vancouver.ca/election/2026/where-to-vote.aspx)Official record · City of Vancouver
View every date through Oct 17
1. Sep 22No appearance confirmed
2. Sep 23No appearance confirmed
3. Sep 24No appearance confirmed
4. Sep 25No appearance confirmed
5. Sep 26No appearance confirmed
6. Sep 27No appearance confirmed
7. Sep 28No appearance confirmed
8. Sep 29No appearance confirmed
9. Sep 30No appearance confirmed
10. Oct 1No appearance confirmed
11. Oct 2No appearance confirmed
12. Oct 3Voting day
13. Oct 4No appearance confirmed
14. Oct 5No appearance confirmed
15. Oct 6No appearance confirmed
16. Oct 7Voting day
17. Oct 8No appearance confirmed
18. Oct 9No appearance confirmed
19. Oct 10Voting day
20. Oct 11No appearance confirmed
21. Oct 12No appearance confirmed
22. Oct 13Voting day
23. Oct 14No appearance confirmed
24. Oct 15No appearance confirmed
25. Oct 16No appearance confirmed
26. Oct 17Voting day
### Voting dates
- Oct 3Advance voting
- Oct 7Advance voting
- Oct 10Advance voting
- Oct 13Advance voting
- Oct 17Election day
8 am to 8 pm at official Vancouver voting places. These dates apply to every voter and are not candidate appearances. [Find your voting place](https://voche.me/where-to-vote)
- [Election dates and voting information](https://vancouver.ca/your-government/2026-election.aspx)Official record · City of Vancouver
- [Where to vote](https://vancouver.ca/election/2026/where-to-vote.aspx)Official record · City of Vancouver
On dates without a confirmed appearance the public schedule is unknown; the candidate may still have activities that day. This static page changes only when its research is updated.
01 / Introduction
## About John Coupar
John Coupar appears on the City of Vancouver's final 2026 candidate list for City Council, with ballot number 134. The City records the affiliation as Vancouver Liberals.
The party page says Coupar served on the Vancouver Park Board, including two years as its chair. The campaign says Coupar helped start the Friends of the Bloedel Association to defend the Bloedel Conservatory. The page says Coupar's private sector work includes serving as president of a carbon-neutral transportation company.
The Vancouver Liberals announced Coupar as a council candidate on August 6, 2026. The Georgia Straight reported the same day that Coupar is a former park board commissioner and a former Conservative Party of British Columbia candidate.
Coupar served three terms as a Vancouver park board commissioner. In the 2018 election Coupar was re-elected for the NPA with 49,768 votes, or 28.21 per cent.
In 2018 Coupar sought the NPA mayoral nomination and lost the party vote to Ken Sim.
In April 2021 the NPA board appointed Coupar as its mayoral candidate for the 2022 election. Councillors Lisa Dominato, Colleen Hardwick and Sarah Kirby-Yung then left the party, saying they had been shut out of the decision.
Coupar resigned as the NPA mayoral candidate on August 5, 2022, about two months before the vote. The party said its board had met to discuss campaign progress and accepted the resignation. NPA spokesperson Elizabeth Ball said polls had placed Coupar behind several of the other mayoral candidates.
Coupar ran for the Conservative Party of British Columbia in Vancouver-Little Mountain in the 2024 provincial election, placing second with 7,704 votes, or 30.60 per cent, behind New Democrat Christine Boyle.
In the August 2026 interview Coupar said the party membership has since been given up, and said the reason was unhappiness with the direction the party had taken.
The campaign page says Coupar co-founded the Friends of the Bloedel Association in 2009 when the conservatory was marked for closure, received the City of Vancouver Heritage Award of Honour in 2013, served two years as park board chair, and most recently worked as president of a carbon-neutral transportation company. No independent source for these claims was found.
Coupar appears at position 134 on the council ballot for October 17, 2026.
voche.me assembled this profile from the official candidate list and the campaign material linked under Sources. The campaign has not been contacted, and no candidate-supplied content appears on this page.
Read the sources
Promises / Commitments and evidence
## Commitments and the available evidence.
Published positions and selected commitments, separated by election cycle. Status labels describe the evidence reviewed, not a numerical score or a complete audit of the platform. Council approval is different from delivery.
7 commitments shown · Checked Sep 22
2026 · HousingCampaign pledge
### Amenities alongside new housing
Coupar told the Georgia Straight that the Broadway Plan and the villages plan both lacked amenities and offered nothing for ordinary families, and said the city needs to work on community centres and pools.
Evidence & next checks
- Evidence reviewed
- Coupar named two projects that did not get built, an outdoor pool at Oak Park and a replacement pool at Mount Pleasant Park. The interview does not say how new amenities would be paid for.
- What still needs checking
- Which pools and community centres would be funded first and from which budget.
- [Former Park Board commissioner John Coupar to run for council with Vancouver Liberals](https://www.straight.com/city-culture/former-park-board-commissioner-john-coupar-to-run-for-council-with-vancouver-liberals)Interview · The Georgia Straight
2026 · City hallCampaign pledge
### Less polarised city politics
Coupar told the Georgia Straight that politics has become too polarised and that council should look at other views before deciding, naming work with Overdose Prevention Society co-founder Sarah Blyth as an example.
Evidence & next checks
- Evidence reviewed
- The interview records the position. No procedural change at city hall is proposed.
- What still needs checking
- What would change at the council table to produce this.
- [Former Park Board commissioner John Coupar to run for council with Vancouver Liberals](https://www.straight.com/city-culture/former-park-board-commissioner-john-coupar-to-run-for-council-with-vancouver-liberals)Interview · The Georgia Straight
2026 · City hallCampaign pledge
### Fiscal management at city hall
The Vancouver Liberals page says Coupar would bring fiscal management and fiscal responsibility to city hall.
Evidence & next checks
- Evidence reviewed
- The page states the aim. It names no budget line, tax rate or saving target.
- What still needs checking
- Which spending Coupar would cut or protect in the next operating budget.
- [John Coupar candidate page](https://www.vancouverliberals.com/john_coupar)Campaign · Vancouver Liberals
2026 · ParksCampaign pledge
### Protecting parks and green spaces
The Vancouver Liberals page says Coupar would bring environmental advocacy to city hall and describes a record of defending public assets on the park board.
Evidence & next checks
- Evidence reviewed
- The page states the aim. The Bloedel Conservatory campaign it cites is described only on the party page.
- What still needs checking
- Which park or green space decisions Coupar would change.
- [John Coupar candidate page](https://www.vancouverliberals.com/john_coupar)Campaign · Vancouver Liberals
Earlier term · EconomyNot established
### Tax relief for Broadway businesses
As the Conservative Party of British Columbia candidate in 2024, Coupar proposed a 15 per cent tax reduction for businesses on Broadway between Commercial Drive and Arbutus Street, running until the Broadway subway extension opens.
Evidence & next checks
- Evidence reviewed
- This was a provincial party promise made during the 2024 provincial campaign. Coupar did not win the seat and has since left that party, so the measure was never enacted.
- What still needs checking
- Whether Coupar proposes any city-level relief for businesses affected by construction.
- [BC Conservative candidate John Coupar proposes tax relief for businesses along Broadway subway line](https://thenorthshorelocal.com/bc-conservative-candidate-john-coupar-proposes-tax-relief-for-businesses-along-broadway-subway-line/)Reporting · North Shore Local
- [Former Park Board commissioner John Coupar to run for council with Vancouver Liberals](https://www.straight.com/city-culture/former-park-board-commissioner-john-coupar-to-run-for-council-with-vancouver-liberals)Interview · The Georgia Straight
2026 · City budgets and the environmentCampaign pledge
### City budgets and the environment
The party page says Coupar would bring budget management, public consultation and environmental work to City Hall.
Evidence & next checks
- Evidence reviewed
- Taken from the campaign page listed in the sources. No independent confirmation was found.
- What still needs checking
- What would this cost, who would deliver it, and by when?
- [John Coupar candidate page](https://www.vancouverliberals.com/john_coupar)Campaign · Vancouver Liberals
2026 · Practical leadership and livable areasCampaign pledge
### Practical leadership and livable areas
The page says Coupar speaks for practical leadership, careful spending and livable neighbourhoods across the city.
Evidence & next checks
- Evidence reviewed
- Taken from the campaign page listed in the sources. No independent confirmation was found.
- What still needs checking
- What would this cost, who would deliver it, and by when?
- [John Coupar candidate page](https://www.vancouverliberals.com/john_coupar)Campaign · Vancouver Liberals
City programs / Scope and delivery
## Policies, budgets & programs
Each entry below names its source. Campaign material is the candidate's own account. Nothing here is presented as a verified outcome unless the entry says so.
No reviewed entries have been added to this section yet. This is a research gap, not a finding about the candidate.
Recent appearances / Read and watch
## Talks, interviews & statements
Read original statements and reporting, or open the publisher’s video. A summary of a speech is labelled separately from a full recording.
Aug 5Statement
### Resignation statement as NPA mayoral candidate
In a statement posted on Twitter and reported by the Canadian Press, Coupar confirmed the resignation, thanked the NPA and its candidates, said the previous 11 years of service to Vancouver residents had been enjoyable, and said the aim had always been to act with integrity.
- [Vancouver Non-Partisan Association mayoral candidate John Coupar quits as vote looms](https://cfjctoday.com/2022/08/05/vancouver-non-partisan-association-mayoral-candidate-john-coupar-quits-as-vote-looms/)Reporting · CFJC Today, Canadian Press
Sep 4Statement
### Provincial campaign announcement on Broadway businesses
Coupar said businesses along Broadway had dealt with four years of construction affecting their sales and that the provincial government had left the issue alone for too long, and set out a 15 per cent tax reduction proposal.
- [BC Conservative candidate John Coupar proposes tax relief for businesses along Broadway subway line](https://thenorthshorelocal.com/bc-conservative-candidate-john-coupar-proposes-tax-relief-for-businesses-along-broadway-subway-line/)Reporting · North Shore Local
Aug 6Interview
### Georgia Straight interview on joining the Vancouver Liberals
Coupar told reporter Nathan Caddell about being unhappy with the direction of the city, particularly on public amenities, about leaving the Conservative Party of British Columbia, and about an assessment of Vancouver Liberals leader Kareem Allam as energetic and full of ideas.
- [Former Park Board commissioner John Coupar to run for council with Vancouver Liberals](https://www.straight.com/city-culture/former-park-board-commissioner-john-coupar-to-run-for-council-with-vancouver-liberals)Interview · The Georgia Straight
Accountability / Findings, disputes and responses
## Controversies & public scrutiny
Records are labelled by type, including official findings, civil proceedings and political disputes where applicable. Each entry identifies the response found in the sources and the latest status verified for this page.
Campaign disputeApril 21, 2021
### Three NPA councillors left the party over the mayoral nomination
After the NPA board appointed Coupar as its 2022 mayoral candidate, sitting councillors Lisa Dominato, Colleen Hardwick and Sarah Kirby-Yung left the party to sit as independents. Hardwick said the board had acted without a clear democratic process and that the actions of the board and of Coupar did not meet the standards members expect. The dispute was about how the party board chose a candidate, and no allegation of wrongdoing in public office was made.
#### Candidate or party response
The CBC report carries no reply from Coupar. No published response was found.
#### Verified status and limits
Coupar remained the NPA nominee until resigning on August 5, 2022. Kirby-Yung and Dominato later joined ABC Vancouver and Hardwick later led TEAM for a Livable Vancouver.
- [3 Vancouver NPA councillors quit party to sit as independents](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/3-vancouver-councillors-quit-npa-1.5997058)Reporting · CBC News
- [Vancouver Non-Partisan Association mayoral candidate John Coupar quits as vote looms](https://cfjctoday.com/2022/08/05/vancouver-non-partisan-association-mayoral-candidate-john-coupar-quits-as-vote-looms/)Reporting · CFJC Today, Canadian Press
Campaign disputeAugust 5, 2022
### Resignation as NPA mayoral candidate
The NPA board met to discuss the progress of the campaign and accepted Coupar's resignation about two months before voting day. Party spokesperson Elizabeth Ball agreed that recent polls had placed Coupar behind several of the four other mayoral candidates, and said the decision was based on the information Coupar had.
#### Candidate or party response
Coupar issued a statement thanking the party, saying the 11 years serving Vancouver residents had been enjoyable, and saying the aim had always been to act with integrity.
#### Verified status and limits
The NPA named Fred Harding as its replacement mayoral candidate later that month.
- [Vancouver Non-Partisan Association mayoral candidate John Coupar quits as vote looms](https://cfjctoday.com/2022/08/05/vancouver-non-partisan-association-mayoral-candidate-john-coupar-quits-as-vote-looms/)Reporting · CFJC Today, Canadian Press
- [2022 Vancouver municipal election](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Vancouver_municipal_election)Reporting · Wikipedia
News coverage / Original publishers
## Read the reporting
A dated reading list from independent publishers. The headings below are voche.me summaries; follow each link for the original article, context and any corrections.
April 21, 2021Reporting
CBC News
### 3 Vancouver NPA councillors quit party to sit as independents
Meera Bains reports that Lisa Dominato, Colleen Hardwick and Sarah Kirby-Yung left the NPA after the board appointed Coupar as its mayoral candidate, describing the process as a closed decision.
- [3 Vancouver NPA councillors quit party to sit as independents](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/3-vancouver-councillors-quit-npa-1.5997058)Reporting · CBC News
August 5, 2022Reporting
CFJC Today, Canadian Press
### Vancouver Non-Partisan Association mayoral candidate John Coupar quits as vote looms
A Canadian Press report on the resignation, with the NPA statement, comment from spokesperson Elizabeth Ball, and Coupar's own statement.
- [Vancouver Non-Partisan Association mayoral candidate John Coupar quits as vote looms](https://cfjctoday.com/2022/08/05/vancouver-non-partisan-association-mayoral-candidate-john-coupar-quits-as-vote-looms/)Reporting · CFJC Today, Canadian Press
September 4, 2024Reporting
North Shore Local
### BC Conservative candidate John Coupar proposes tax relief for businesses along Broadway subway line
A report on the Broadway business tax proposal, quoting Coupar, party leader John Rustad and Mount Pleasant Business Improvement Area head Neil Wyles.
- [BC Conservative candidate John Coupar proposes tax relief for businesses along Broadway subway line](https://thenorthshorelocal.com/bc-conservative-candidate-john-coupar-proposes-tax-relief-for-businesses-along-broadway-subway-line/)Reporting · North Shore Local
August 6, 2026Interview
The Georgia Straight
### Former Park Board commissioner John Coupar to run for council with Vancouver Liberals
Nathan Caddell's interview-led report on the candidacy, which also describes the mix of backgrounds on the Vancouver Liberals slate.
- [Former Park Board commissioner John Coupar to run for council with Vancouver Liberals](https://www.straight.com/city-culture/former-park-board-commissioner-john-coupar-to-run-for-council-with-vancouver-liberals)Interview · The Georgia Straight
Research / 8 linked sources
## Check the evidence
Sources checked September 22, 2026. Official records establish decisions; campaign material establishes stated positions; reporting adds investigation and context. None alone establishes every claim.
Official record 2 sources
- Election dates and voting information
City of Vancouver
- Where to vote
City of Vancouver
Campaign 1 sources
- John Coupar candidate page
Vancouver Liberals · August 6, 2026
Reporting 4 sources
- 3 Vancouver NPA councillors quit party to sit as independents
CBC News · April 21, 2021
- Vancouver Non-Partisan Association mayoral candidate John Coupar quits as vote looms
CFJC Today, Canadian Press · August 5, 2022
- BC Conservative candidate John Coupar proposes tax relief for businesses along Broadway subway line
North Shore Local · September 4, 2024
- 2022 Vancouver municipal election
Wikipedia
Interview 1 sources
- Former Park Board commissioner John Coupar to run for council with Vancouver Liberals
The Georgia Straight · August 6, 2026
The two years as park board chair, the 2013 City of Vancouver Heritage Award of Honour, the Friends of the Bloedel Association role and the named park board projects appear only on the Vancouver Liberals page and could not be checked against a city or award record. Wikipedia's park board lists show Coupar for the 2014 to 2018 and 2018 to 2022 terms but do not name a chair for those years. The carbon-neutral transportation company is not named anywhere, so the role could not be verified. No forum or debate listing between September 22 and October 17, 2026 names Coupar as attending; Women Transforming Cities named Moira Stilwell and Jessica Walton as the Vancouver Liberals panellists at its council debate.
Research status
## What voche.me has checked
Evidence reviewed on September 22, 2026: Current campaign material; biographical claims require corroboration.
Campaign page read on September 22, 2026. 2 stated positions and 3 background facts recorded here, each checked against a quotation from that page.
Checks still to do: Verify previous terms and specific decisions; clearly identify the move from Park Board to council.
The ballot name, office, ballot number and party label come from the City's final candidate list. Everything described as campaign material is the campaign's own account and has not been confirmed by an independent source.
03 / Background
## Experience & community
2011 to 2022
### Vancouver park board commissioner
Elected three times with the NPA. The campaign page says the period included two years as chair and work on Bloedel Conservatory restoration funding, marine upgrades at Vanier Park, the Killarney Seniors Centre and the False Creek dragon boat facility.
[John Coupar candidate page](https://www.vancouverliberals.com/john_coupar)
2021 to 2022
### NPA mayoral candidate
Appointed by the party board in April 2021 and resigned on August 5, 2022.
[3 Vancouver NPA councillors quit party to sit as independents](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/3-vancouver-councillors-quit-npa-1.5997058)
2024
### Conservative Party of British Columbia candidate, Vancouver-Little Mountain
Campaigned on tax relief for Broadway businesses affected by subway construction and finished second.
[BC Conservative candidate John Coupar proposes tax relief for businesses along Broadway subway line](https://thenorthshorelocal.com/bc-conservative-candidate-john-coupar-proposes-tax-relief-for-businesses-along-broadway-subway-line/)
Dates not given
### President of a carbon-neutral transportation company
Described this way on the Vancouver Liberals candidate page. The company is not named and no dates are given.
[John Coupar candidate page](https://www.vancouverliberals.com/john_coupar)
04 / Questions & answers
## Questions for the candidate
Proposed questions for a future interview. They have not been sent to the candidate, and no answers have been supplied.
Which lessons from Park Board would change your approach to citywide capital spending?
No response has been submitted.
Which of your proposals can council enact directly, and which require provincial, federal or regional agreement?
No response has been submitted.
05 / Candidate contributions
## Space for campaign updates
### No campaign updates yet
Announcements, event details and messages can be added here, with their source and publication date. No campaign submission has been added.
## Sources & transparency
- [City of Vancouver · official City Council candidate list ](https://vancouver.ca/your-government/2026-candidates-councillor.aspx)Checked September 22, 2026
- [Vancouver Liberals · candidate page ](https://www.vancouverliberals.com/john_coupar)Checked September 22, 2026
Missing information does not imply a candidate’s position. [Read our editorial standards.](https://voche.me/about)
Campaign contact
## Campaign links & contact.
Find the candidate’s website, social accounts and contact information.
[Vancouver Liberals · candidate page](https://www.vancouverliberals.com/john_coupar) [Vancouver Liberals official website](https://www.vancouverliberals.com/)
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