---
title: "John Irwin | Park Board | Vancouver election 2026 | voche.me"
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last_updated: "2026-09-23T06:07:53.672Z"
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description: "John Irwin, ballot number 217 for Park Board in Vancouver, OneCity. Profile focus: Park Board governance and transport access."
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Park Board · Vancouver 2026
# John Irwin
Candidate for the Vancouver Park Board.
John Irwin, ballot number 217 for Park Board in Vancouver, OneCity. Profile focus: Park Board governance and transport access.
Explore the record Public schedule
Researched by voche.me · Not a campaign-authored page
OneCity2026
*John IrwinPark BoardBallot no.217*
[Image: OneCity Vancouver](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/people/john-irwin)
Candidate research / September 22, 2026
John Irwin is the OneCity candidate for Park Board at ballot number 217 in the October 17, 2026 election. This record covers one completed term as a Park Board commissioner from 2018 to 2022, two party changes, one named vote on a park encampment bylaw, and the positions Irwin has written for OneCity during the 2026 campaign.
**11**Commitments **1**Programs **5**News articles **13**Sources
Public schedule / Through election day
## Where can you hear John Irwin?
2 upcoming public events were found in the sources checked on September 22, 2026. An event being scheduled does not mean this candidate will attend. Attendance is marked separately.
Checked September 22, 2026 · All event times are Vancouver local time. Recheck the organizer before travelling.
Day after this check
### Sep 23
**Public appearance confirmed**
Mount Pleasant all candidates meeting · 7 pm
- [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 23Confirmed appearance
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 29Event; attendance unconfirmed
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
### Public forums and announcements
Attendance is identified for each event. Unconfirmed listings are not confirmed candidate appearances.
Sep 237 pm
Public forumAttendance confirmed
#### Mount Pleasant all candidates meeting
Mount Pleasant Community Centre, 1 Kingsway
**The organiser's page names John Irwin as the OneCity Park Board candidate attending and describes Irwin as a former parks commissioner.**
Council and Park Board candidates answer opening questions from community centre representatives, followed by a moderated question and answer session with the public.
- [All Candidates Meeting, September 23](https://mountpleasantcc.ca/all-candidates-meeting-sep-23/)Event organizer · Mount Pleasant Community Association
Sep 297 to 9 pm
Public forumAttendance unconfirmed
#### Park Board all candidates meeting
Kerrisdale Community Centre, 5851 West Boulevard
**The organiser's page does not name which Park Board candidates have confirmed attendance.**
A meeting for Park Board candidates in a non-partisan format, moderated by writer and journalist Jarryd Jager.
- [Vancouver Election, Park Board All Candidates Meeting](https://kerrisdalecc.com/vancouver-election-park-board-all-candidates-meeting-on-sep-29th-7-9pm/)Event organizer · Kerrisdale Community Centre
### 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 Irwin
John Irwin appears on the City of Vancouver's final 2026 candidate list for Park Board, with ballot number 217. The City records the affiliation as OneCity.
The page says Irwin is a former Park Board commissioner and has lectured at post-secondary schools for more than 20 years.
Irwin was elected a Vancouver Park Board commissioner in the 2018 election as a Coalition of Progressive Electors candidate, with 46,287 votes, taking the seventh and last seat.
Daily Hive reported on March 17, 2022 that Irwin left COPE and joined Vision Vancouver for the rest of the term.
Irwin ran again for Park Board in the 2022 election as a Vision Vancouver candidate, received 27,186 votes and was not elected.
The OneCity candidate page describes Irwin as a post-secondary lecturer of more than 20 years and a lifelong cyclist. The page does not name the institution.
OneCity confirmed Irwin as one of its three Park Board candidates in May 2026, alongside Dominic Denofrio and Tyler Petersen.
Daily Hive reported in May 2026 that Irwin became known for opposing injunctions aimed at park encampments, including at Oppenheimer Park and CRAB Park, and for supporting bike lanes.
Daily Hive listed Irwin at ballot number 217 for Park Board on September 22, 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.
11 commitments shown · Checked Sep 22
2026 · TransportationCampaign pledge
### Bring back the Park Drive bike lane
In OneCity's August 8, 2026 bulletin Irwin wrote that if returned to the Park Board, Irwin will work to bring the Park Drive bike lane back.
Evidence & next checks
- Evidence reviewed
- The bulletin states the commitment in Irwin's own words on a party website. It does not say how many votes the change would need or when a motion would come forward.
- What still needs checking
- Whether a majority of elected commissioners would support restoring the lane.
- [What happened this week at City Hall: August 1-7, 2026](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/oc_update_8aug26)Campaign · OneCity Vancouver
2026 · Recreation facilitiesCampaign pledge
### Fund community centre renewal
In OneCity's August 29, 2026 bulletin Irwin wrote that the Park Board should fund facility renewals and pointed to Renfrew Community Centre's condition and seismic concerns.
Evidence & next checks
- Evidence reviewed
- The bulletin states Irwin's position. It gives no dollar figure and no construction start date.
- What still needs checking
- What renewal budget Irwin would seek and in which capital plan.
- [What happened this week at City Hall: August 22-28, 2026](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/oc_update_29aug26)Campaign · OneCity Vancouver
2026 · Recreation facilitiesCampaign pledge
### Return to the 2022 Community Centre Strategy
Irwin wrote that the Park Board should return to the 2022 Community Centre Strategy, noting that all 19 community centre associations signed on and that Renfrew ranked second for renewal need.
Evidence & next checks
- Evidence reviewed
- The bulletin is a party source and states Irwin's position and the ranking. The strategy document itself was not opened.
- What still needs checking
- Whether the current board has formally set the 2022 strategy aside, and what would replace it.
- [What happened this week at City Hall: August 22-28, 2026](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/oc_update_29aug26)Campaign · OneCity Vancouver
2026 · LabourCampaign pledge
### Restore the living wage for City workers
Irwin wrote in the August 29, 2026 bulletin that the living wage for City workers, which the ABC majority ended, should be reinstated.
Evidence & next checks
- Evidence reviewed
- The bulletin states Irwin's position. Wage policy for City workers is set by City Council, so a Park Board commissioner would be advocating rather than deciding.
- What still needs checking
- What a Park Board commissioner can do about City wage policy.
- [What happened this week at City Hall: August 22-28, 2026](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/oc_update_29aug26)Campaign · OneCity Vancouver
2026 · Urban forestCampaign pledge
### Plant more street trees and pay to keep them alive
Irwin wrote that street tree planting should speed up and that money should be set aside to care for the new trees, because drought is killing saplings.
Evidence & next checks
- Evidence reviewed
- The bulletin states the position and the reason. It does not give a target number of trees or a care budget.
- What still needs checking
- How much money Irwin would put toward watering and care of new trees.
- [What happened this week at City Hall: August 1-7, 2026](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/oc_update_8aug26)Campaign · OneCity Vancouver
2026 · TransportationCampaign pledge
### Keep the seasonal bus route around Stanley Park
Irwin wrote in support of the seasonal bus route around Stanley Park and said it reduces traffic and parking pressure.
Evidence & next checks
- Evidence reviewed
- The bulletin states Irwin's support. Bus service is run by TransLink, so the Park Board's role is partnership rather than operation.
- What still needs checking
- Whether the seasonal route will run again and who pays for it.
- [What happened this week at City Hall: August 1-7, 2026](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/oc_update_8aug26)Campaign · OneCity Vancouver
2026 · Recreation facilitiesCampaign pledge
### Allocate facility time by public benefit and equity
Irwin wrote in support of the Park Board's new Affiliation Policy, which allocates recreation facility time on public benefit, safety, equity and inclusion rather than on which groups held the time before.
Evidence & next checks
- Evidence reviewed
- The bulletin states Irwin's support for a policy the board has already adopted. The policy text was not opened.
- What still needs checking
- How the policy changes which groups get ice, pool and field time.
- [What happened this week at City Hall: August 1-7, 2026](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/oc_update_8aug26)Campaign · OneCity Vancouver
2026 · GovernanceCampaign pledge
### Keep the Park Board separately elected
The OneCity candidate page says Irwin is running because Vancouver's parks need an independent voice that will protect the Park Board and make it resilient.
Evidence & next checks
- Evidence reviewed
- This is the campaign's wording on the party's own page. No separate statement by Irwin on the subject was found.
- What still needs checking
- What specific measures Irwin would use to protect the board's independence.
- [John Irwin candidate page](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/people/john-irwin)Campaign · OneCity Vancouver
2026 · Party platformCampaign pledge
### Better parks and pools in every neighbourhood
OneCity's platform lists better schools, parks, pipes and pools in every neighbourhood as one of its seven pillars, and says the Park Board can expand public spaces and bring nature back to neighbourhoods that have lost tree cover.
Evidence & next checks
- Evidence reviewed
- This is the party's position, recorded here because Irwin carries the party's endorsement. Irwin is not quoted in the platform text.
- What still needs checking
- Which of these party commitments Irwin would bring to the Park Board table first.
- [OneCity 2026 platform](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/platform)Campaign · OneCity Vancouver
2026 · Safer streets and more transitCampaign pledge
### Safer streets and more transit
The page says Irwin supports safer streets, wider access to transit, and parks that serve every resident.
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 Irwin candidate page](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/people/john-irwin)Campaign · OneCity Vancouver
2026 · Protect the Park BoardCampaign pledge
### Protect the Park Board
The page says Irwin would give the parks an independent voice that protects the Park Board and keeps it able to handle pressure.
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 Irwin candidate page](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/people/john-irwin)Campaign · OneCity Vancouver
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.
Jul 12Approved
### Park Board vote on overnight camping in city parks
Global News reported the Park Board voted 4 to 3 to change the bylaw and allow overnight camping in city parks, during the Strathcona Park encampment. The report names Irwin as one of the three who voted against, with NPA commissioners Tricia Barker and John Coupar. Global News did not name the four who voted in favour.
Scope, limits and sources
Global News quoted Irwin saying an injunction would only move campers from one park to another with no way to deal with it, and that the solution was to bring more housing online. Irwin also said the board technically remained in control of Strathcona Park while the encampment was run by its own organisers.
- [Vancouver Park Board votes 4-3 to allow overnight camping in city parks](https://globalnews.ca/news/7168694/strathcona-park-homeless-concerns/)Reporting · Global News
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 8Statement
### Park Board update in OneCity's weekly City Hall bulletin
Irwin wrote the Park Board section of OneCity's bulletin covering July 27 to August 7, 2026, setting out positions on the Affiliation Policy for recreation facilities, street tree planting and care, the seasonal Stanley Park bus route, and restoring the Park Drive bike lane.
- [What happened this week at City Hall: August 1-7, 2026](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/oc_update_8aug26)Campaign · OneCity Vancouver
Aug 29Statement
### Park Board update on community centre renewal
Irwin wrote the Park Board section of OneCity's bulletin covering August 22 to 28, 2026, on community centre renewal, the condition of Renfrew Community Centre, the 2022 Community Centre Strategy, staff layoffs under the operating budget, and reinstating the living wage for City workers.
- [What happened this week at City Hall: August 22-28, 2026](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/oc_update_29aug26)Campaign · OneCity Vancouver
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.
No reviewed entries have been added to this section yet. This is a research gap, not a finding about the candidate.
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.
July 12, 2020Reporting
Global News
### Vancouver Park Board votes 4-3 to allow overnight camping in city parks
Global News covered the bylaw change during the Strathcona Park encampment, named Irwin among the three commissioners who voted against, and quoted Irwin on injunctions, housing and who controlled the park.
- [Vancouver Park Board votes 4-3 to allow overnight camping in city parks](https://globalnews.ca/news/7168694/strathcona-park-homeless-concerns/)Reporting · Global News
March 17, 2022Reporting
Daily Hive
### Park Board commissioner John Irwin ditches COPE for Vision Vancouver
Daily Hive reported Irwin's move from COPE to Vision Vancouver, quoted Irwin on Vision's record on climate action, reconciliation and active transportation, and noted Irwin had been left off COPE's tentative candidate list the week before.
- [Park Board commissioner John Irwin ditches COPE for Vision Vancouver](https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/john-irwin-vision-vancouver-park-board)Reporting · Daily Hive
May 11, 2026Reporting
Georgia Straight
### OneCity Vancouver announces council, school board, and park board candidates
The Georgia Straight named Irwin as one of three OneCity Park Board candidates and identified Irwin as a former commissioner. No candidate is quoted.
- [OneCity Vancouver announces council, school board, and park board candidates](https://www.straight.com/city-culture/onecity-vancouver-announces-council-school-board-and-park-board-candidates)Reporting · Georgia Straight
May 12, 2026Reporting
Daily Hive
### OneCity confirms 13 candidates for Vancouver election, including Frances Bula
Daily Hive listed OneCity's confirmed slate and described Irwin's record as opposing injunctions against park encampments, including at Oppenheimer and CRAB Park, and supporting bike lanes.
- [OneCity confirms 13 candidates for Vancouver election](https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/onecity-vancouver-confirmed-candidates-2026-election)Reporting · Daily Hive
September 22, 2026Reporting
Daily Hive
### Vancouver's 2026 civic election candidate list is set: All 130 names in ballot order
Daily Hive published the full ballot order and placed Irwin at number 217 among 35 Park Board candidates.
- [Vancouver's 2026 civic election candidate list is set](https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-2026-civic-election-candidates-ballot-order)Reporting · Daily Hive
Research / 13 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 4 sources
- John Irwin candidate page
OneCity Vancouver
- OneCity 2026 platform
OneCity Vancouver
- What happened this week at City Hall: August 1-7, 2026
OneCity Vancouver · August 8, 2026
- What happened this week at City Hall: August 22-28, 2026
OneCity Vancouver · August 29, 2026
Reporting 5 sources
- Park Board commissioner John Irwin ditches COPE for Vision Vancouver
Daily Hive · March 17, 2022
- OneCity confirms 13 candidates for Vancouver election
Daily Hive · May 12, 2026
- OneCity Vancouver announces council, school board, and park board candidates
Georgia Straight · May 11, 2026
- Vancouver Park Board votes 4-3 to allow overnight camping in city parks
Global News · July 12, 2020
- Vancouver's 2026 civic election candidate list is set
Daily Hive · September 22, 2026
Event organizer 2 sources
- All Candidates Meeting, September 23
Mount Pleasant Community Association
- Vancouver Election, Park Board All Candidates Meeting
Kerrisdale Community Centre
The OneCity page does not say where Irwin lectures, and no independent record of the teaching role was found. Daily Hive's description of Irwin opposing park encampment injunctions was not matched to a named recorded vote at Oppenheimer Park or CRAB Park. The one named vote found from Irwin's term is the July 2020 bylaw change on overnight camping, where Global News recorded Irwin voting against the change while also speaking against injunctions. No 2026 interview with Irwin by a news outlet was found; all 2026 statements found are written by Irwin on the party website. The City of Vancouver website returns an error to automated requests, so the official Park Board minutes for Irwin's term were not reviewed.
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 1 background fact recorded here, each checked against a quotation from that page.
Checks still to do: Verify previous terms and retrieve the relevant votes and implementation reports.
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
2018 to 2022
### Vancouver Park Board commissioner
Irwin served one full term, elected under COPE in 2018 and sitting for Vision Vancouver from March 2022 to the end of the term.
[Park Board commissioner John Irwin ditches COPE for Vision Vancouver](https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/john-irwin-vision-vancouver-park-board)
More than 20 years, dates not given
### Post-secondary lecturer
The OneCity candidate page says Irwin has lectured at the post-secondary level for more than 20 years. No institution is named and no independent record of the role was found.
[John Irwin candidate page](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/people/john-irwin)
2026
### OneCity Park Board candidate and author of the party's weekly Park Board update
OneCity's weekly City Hall bulletins for August 8 and August 29, 2026 carry Park Board sections signed by Irwin as a OneCity candidate for Park Board.
[What happened this week at City Hall: August 1-7, 2026](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/oc_update_8aug26)
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 decisions from your previous term would you continue or change now?
No response has been submitted.
How would you divide funding between existing-facility maintenance, affordable access and new construction?
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 Park Board candidate list ](https://vancouver.ca/your-government/2026-candidates-park-board-commissioner.aspx)Checked September 22, 2026
- [OneCity · candidate page ](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/people/john-irwin)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.
[OneCity · candidate page](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/people/john-irwin) [OneCity official website](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/)
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