--- title: "Melanie Cheng | School Board | Vancouver election 2026 | voche.me" canonical_url: "https://voche.me/candidates/melanie-cheng" last_updated: "2026-09-23T06:07:56.807Z" meta: description: "Melanie Cheng, ballot number 314 for School Board in Vancouver, COPE. Profile focus: Public school land and Board transparency." "og:description": "Melanie Cheng, ballot number 314 for School Board in Vancouver, COPE. Profile focus: Public school land and Board transparency." "og:title": "Melanie Cheng | School Board | Vancouver election 2026" "twitter:description": "Melanie Cheng, ballot number 314 for School Board in Vancouver, COPE. Profile focus: Public school land and Board transparency." "twitter:title": "Melanie Cheng | School Board | Vancouver election 2026" --- School Board · Vancouver 2026 # Melanie Cheng Candidate for the Vancouver School Board. Melanie Cheng, ballot number 314 for School Board in Vancouver, COPE. Profile focus: Public school land and Board transparency. Explore the record Public schedule Researched by voche.me · Not a campaign-authored page COPE2026 ![Melanie Cheng, published by the COPE campaign.](https://voche.me/images/candidates/melanie-cheng-640.webp) *Melanie ChengSchool BoardBallot no.314* [Image: COPE campaign](https://www.votecope.ca/schools) Candidate research / September 22, 2026 This record covers school board candidate Melanie Cheng's ten years of parent advocacy in Vancouver schools, which CBC, CityNews and The Tyee have reported on since 2023, the COPE platform Cheng runs on, and two published disputes from the period as chair of the district parent advisory council. **9**Commitments **1**Programs **6**News articles **16**Sources Public schedule / Through election day ## Where can you hear Melanie Cheng? 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 Melanie Cheng Melanie Cheng appears on the City of Vancouver's final 2026 candidate list for School Board, with ballot number 314. The City records the affiliation as COPE. The party page says Cheng works as a senior paralegal and has used a law and governance background to speak for students and families in education over the past ten years. The party page says Cheng is a former chair of the Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council. COPE's school board page says Cheng is a senior paralegal who has used a background in law and governance to advocate for students and families in education over the past ten years. Cheng's campaign site says Cheng grew up in East Vancouver, holds a sociology degree from the University of British Columbia and has worked for more than 20 years as a senior paralegal in estates and trusts. CBC reported on June 15, 2023 that Cheng was vice-president of the Graham Bruce Elementary parent advisory council and had attended the school as a student. CBC, CityNews and The Tyee identified Cheng as chair of the Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council in reports published between December 2024 and November 2025. The Tyee described Cheng on August 11, 2026 as a former Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council chair who is running for school board with COPE alongside Suzie Mah, Derrick O'Keefe and Gwen Giesbrecht. COPE members chose Cheng as one of four school board candidates at the party's nomination meeting on May 12, 2026. Cheng's campaign site says Cheng led the Save Bruce Field campaign from 2023, found the school board's subdivision plan through freedom of information requests in 2021, and that the field was kept as public land on October 1, 2025. The site also says Cheng received the King Charles III Coronation Medal in September 2024 for that work. No independent record of the medal was found. CityHallWatch has republished analyses written by Cheng, including a February 23, 2026 piece on the gap between new housing approvals and school capacity and a March 6, 2026 piece on changes to the city's draft Official Development Plan. Cheng appears on the Vancouver ballot as number 314 for school board trustee, according to the candidate list published 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. 9 commitments shown · Checked Sep 22 2026 · School landCampaign pledge ### Stop the sale and long-term lease of school land COPE's school board page says Cheng has fought to protect public school land and will continue that work as a trustee. The party's school board platform lists protecting public school land from sale or privatisation.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The party page states the commitment. It does not say what would happen to the 99-year Fleming Elementary lease that the board has already signed.
What still needs checking
Whether Cheng would try to unwind existing leases or only block new ones.
- [COPE school board candidates and platform](https://www.votecope.ca/schools)Campaign · COPE Vancouver 2026 · GovernanceCampaign pledge ### More transparency in board decisions COPE's page says Cheng will push for transparency and accountability in school board decision-making.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The party page states it. In November 2025 The Tyee reported that the board kept meeting rules that parent and labour groups said reduced public input, and quoted Cheng's objection.
What still needs checking
Which specific meeting or reporting rules Cheng would move to change.
- [COPE school board candidates and platform](https://www.votecope.ca/schools)Campaign · COPE Vancouver - [Asked to Improve Transparency, School Board Keeps Private Meetings](https://thetyee.ca/News/2025/11/06/Vancouver-School-Board-Keeps-Private-Meetings/)Reporting · The Tyee 2026 · GovernanceCampaign pledge ### Stronger role for parents in decisions COPE's page says Cheng will strengthen parent voice in school board decisions.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The party page states the aim. No process change is named.
What still needs checking
What a strengthened parent role would look like in board procedure.
- [COPE school board candidates and platform](https://www.votecope.ca/schools)Campaign · COPE Vancouver 2026 · Education fundingCampaign pledge ### Stable funding and universal school meals COPE's school board platform calls for stable funding for public education and expanded universal school meal programs. This is the party's position.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The party page lists both. Operating money for school districts comes from the province, and the page does not say how a trustee would secure it.
What still needs checking
The cost of a universal meal programme in Vancouver and where the money would come from.
- [COPE school board candidates and platform](https://www.votecope.ca/schools)Campaign · COPE Vancouver 2026 · School closuresCampaign pledge ### Reopen Sir Guy Carleton Elementary Cheng's campaign site says Cheng leads the Save Carleton campaign and wants the school reopened to serve new family housing in Joyce-Collingwood.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
CityNews reported on November 24, 2025 that Cheng started the Save Carleton campaign and was collecting petition signatures. The Vancouver School Board voted to close the school in December 2025, so reopening would require a new board decision and provincial money for seismic work.
What still needs checking
What the board would have to do to reverse the closure, and what the seismic upgrade would cost today.
- [My Journey](https://melaniecheng.ca/my-journey/)Campaign · melaniecheng.ca - [Vancouver School Board to hear discussion on closing city's oldest school](https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/11/24/vancouver-school-board-to-hear-discussion-on-closing-citys-oldest-school/)Reporting · CityNews Vancouver 2026 · Education and technologyCampaign pledge ### Pause student use of generative AI in schools COPE wants a pause on Microsoft Copilot accounts for students and on any student use of generative AI and chatbots in district schools until wider consultation happens. This is the party's position, reported by The Tyee.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The Tyee reported the position on August 11, 2026 and listed the concerns COPE wants consultation to cover: student privacy and safety, missing district policy, effects on learning and mental health, and environmental impact. Cheng is named in the article as a COPE school board candidate and is not quoted on this point.
What still needs checking
Whether Cheng states a personal position on the Copilot accounts already issued.
- [Where Do Vancouver Parties Stand on AI?](https://thetyee.ca/News/2026/08/11/Where-Vancouver-Parties-Stand-AI/)Reporting · The Tyee 2026 · ChildcareCampaign pledge ### Childcare on and around school sites Cheng's campaign site lists childcare as a core issue and says Cheng stood up for childcare while chairing the district parent advisory council.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The site states it. Cheng's February 2026 analysis on CityHallWatch made the same argument about a Joyce-Collingwood rezoning that added family housing without childcare spaces.
What still needs checking
How many childcare spaces Cheng would seek on school district land, and by when.
- [Melanie Cheng campaign home page](https://melaniecheng.ca/)Campaign · melaniecheng.ca - [When new family housing comes without childcare: a warning sign](https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2026/02/11/new-family-housing-no-childcare-warning-intracorp-vanness-cheng/)Reporting · CityHallWatch 2026 · Protect public school landCampaign pledge ### Protect public school land The party page says Cheng has worked to stop public school land being sold and would continue that work as a trustee.
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?
- [COPE school board candidates and platform](https://www.votecope.ca/schools)Campaign · COPE Vancouver 2026 · Open and accountable board decisionsCampaign pledge ### Open and accountable board decisions The party page says Cheng wants school board decisions to be open and accountable and based on what students and school communities need.
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?
- [COPE school board candidates and platform](https://www.votecope.ca/schools)Campaign · COPE 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. Oct 1Approved ### Graham Bruce Elementary soccer field kept as public land Cheng's campaign site says the Bruce field was saved on October 1, 2025, ending the plan to subdivide part of it.
Scope, limits and sources CBC reported in June 2023 that the Vancouver School Board was looking at subdividing 0.4 hectares of the field for sale or lease under its land asset strategy, and quoted Cheng opposing the plan as vice-president of the school's parent advisory council. The date of the final decision comes from the campaign site, not from an official record that was opened for this file.
- [My Journey](https://melaniecheng.ca/my-journey/)Campaign · melaniecheng.ca - [Board's plan to subdivide soccer field raises fears of Vancouver schools losing playing surfaces](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/graham-d-bruce-elementary-field-1.6877138)Reporting · CBC 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. Feb 23Statement ### Density without classrooms: the growing crisis in Vancouver's school planning An analysis by Cheng, republished by CityHallWatch, arguing that about 16,118 housing units approved across the city between 2023 and 2025 will add school-aged children in areas where schools are already full, and that the city, the school board and the province need to plan together. - [Density without classrooms: the growing crisis in Vancouver's school planning](https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2026/02/23/vancouver-growth-vs-school-capacity-data-analysis-cheng/)Reporting · CityHallWatch Mar 6Statement ### Changes to the draft Official Development Plan removed school land protections An analysis by Cheng, republished by CityHallWatch, reporting that wording saying residential uses are not intended on existing school sites was removed between the October 2025 and January 2026 drafts of the city's Official Development Plan, and asking how that change was made and why school communities were not told. - [Stealth changes to Vancouver's draft Official Development Plan removed school land protections](https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2026/03/06/stealth-changes-vancouver-risk-school-liquidation-cheng/)Reporting · CityHallWatch 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. Policy disputeOctober 29, 2024 ### Dispute over the district parent council's antisemitism workshop The Tyee reported that Independent Jewish Voices Vancouver and Parents 4 Palestine Vancouver objected to an antisemitism training session booked by the Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council, which Cheng chaired. The two groups said the training could treat criticism of Israel as antisemitism and shut down discussion of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The provider said it does not offer education or advocacy on that conflict. #### Candidate or party response The Tyee reported that Cheng declined an interview request and instead forwarded a letter from the Rabbinical Association of Vancouver supporting the training, signed by nine rabbis, which said the provider was chosen through a months-long process and a vote of the council executive. The Tyee reported that Cheng did not answer follow-up questions about that process. #### Verified status and limits The workshop was scheduled for the day after the article was published. No later published record of what happened at the session was found, and no finding by any body was made against Cheng. - [Antisemitism Training for Vancouver Parents Sparks Controversy](https://thetyee.ca/News/2024/10/29/Antisemitism-Training-Vancouver-Parents/)Reporting · The Tyee Policy disputeNovember 6, 2025 ### Disagreement over who spoke for the district parent council The Tyee reported on school board meeting rules that parent and labour groups said reduced public input. Cheng, then chair of the district parent advisory council, spoke to The Tyee only as a concerned parent and said no executive member would speak on the policy updates because they feared reprimand by the school board. #### Candidate or party response After publication, the council's secretary, Sherry Breshears, told The Tyee that the executive had not been consulted by Cheng about how they felt on the issue and that the executive had sent written feedback to the school board. No published reply from Cheng was found. #### Verified status and limits The Tyee added the secretary's statement to the article. No body made a finding, and Breshears is now a school board candidate for OneCity. - [Asked to Improve Transparency, School Board Keeps Private Meetings](https://thetyee.ca/News/2025/11/06/Vancouver-School-Board-Keeps-Private-Meetings/)Reporting · The Tyee - [Vancouver's 2026 civic election candidate list is set](https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-2026-civic-election-candidates-ballot-order)Reporting · Daily Hive 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. June 15, 2023Reporting CBC ### Board's plan to subdivide soccer field raises fears of Vancouver schools losing playing surfaces CBC quoted Cheng, then vice-president of the Graham Bruce Elementary parent advisory council, saying the school board was refusing to update its plan with housing and rezoning data and was defaulting to closure and consolidation. - [Board's plan to subdivide soccer field raises fears of Vancouver schools losing playing surfaces](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/graham-d-bruce-elementary-field-1.6877138)Reporting · CBC December 7, 2024Reporting CBC ### Vancouver developer pays $8.5M for 99-year lease of school property CBC quoted Cheng, as chair of the Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council, saying the Fleming Elementary community had made clear it did not want the development and that a 99-year lease set a precedent for other school sites, because the school board is the second-largest land owner in Vancouver. - [Vancouver developer pays $8.5M for 99-year lease of school property](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-school-board-developer-lease-1.7404564)Reporting · CBC November 17, 2025Reporting CBC ### After controversial land deal, Vancouver school's basketball courts are set to become rental housing CBC quoted Cheng saying parents heard nothing about the Fleming Elementary lease between two public sessions in 2021 and the board's 2024 decision, and that the district needs to plan infrastructure with communities. - [After controversial land deal, Vancouver school's basketball courts are set to become rental housing](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-school-board-sir-sandford-fleming-elementary-lease-9.6982529)Reporting · CBC November 24, 2025Reporting CityNews Vancouver ### Vancouver School Board to hear discussion on closing city's oldest school CityNews reported that Cheng started the Save Carleton campaign, carried a quote questioning the board's growth plans for the area, and said the campaign would bring thousands of petition signatures to the public delegation night. - [Vancouver School Board to hear discussion on closing city's oldest school](https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/11/24/vancouver-school-board-to-hear-discussion-on-closing-citys-oldest-school/)Reporting · CityNews Vancouver August 11, 2026Reporting The Tyee ### Where Do Vancouver Parties Stand on AI? A survey of all seven municipal parties on AI data centres and AI chatbot accounts in schools. It names Cheng as a COPE school board candidate and former district parent advisory council chair and sets out COPE's call for a pause on student use of generative AI. - [Where Do Vancouver Parties Stand on AI?](https://thetyee.ca/News/2026/08/11/Where-Vancouver-Parties-Stand-AI/)Reporting · The Tyee September 22, 2026Reporting Daily Hive ### Vancouver's 2026 civic election candidate list is set: All 130 names in ballot order The published ballot order lists Cheng at number 314 for school board trustee, running for COPE. - [Vancouver's 2026 civic election candidate list is set](https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-2026-civic-election-candidates-ballot-order)Reporting · Daily Hive Research / 16 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 3 sources - COPE school board candidates and platform COPE Vancouver - Melanie Cheng campaign home page melaniecheng.ca - My Journey melaniecheng.ca
Reporting 11 sources - Board's plan to subdivide soccer field raises fears of Vancouver schools losing playing surfaces CBC · June 15, 2023 - Vancouver developer pays $8.5M for 99-year lease of school property CBC · December 7, 2024 - After controversial land deal, Vancouver school's basketball courts are set to become rental housing CBC · November 17, 2025 - Vancouver School Board to hear discussion on closing city's oldest school CityNews Vancouver · November 24, 2025 - Antisemitism Training for Vancouver Parents Sparks Controversy The Tyee · October 29, 2024 - Asked to Improve Transparency, School Board Keeps Private Meetings The Tyee · November 6, 2025 - Where Do Vancouver Parties Stand on AI? The Tyee · August 11, 2026 - Density without classrooms: the growing crisis in Vancouver's school planning CityHallWatch · February 23, 2026 - Stealth changes to Vancouver's draft Official Development Plan removed school land protections CityHallWatch · March 6, 2026 - When new family housing comes without childcare: a warning sign CityHallWatch · February 11, 2026 - Vancouver's 2026 civic election candidate list is set Daily Hive · September 22, 2026
No campaign event, all-candidates forum or debate naming Cheng was found in the period from September 22 to October 17, 2026. COPE's website has no events page. The King Charles III Coronation Medal, the sociology degree and the exact start date of the chair role at the district parent advisory council come only from campaign pages and were not confirmed elsewhere. The date the Bruce field was kept as public land comes from the campaign site; no board record confirming it was opened. COPE's general platform page covers city council issues and contains no school planks, so the school board commitments come from the party's separate school board page. 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 2 background facts recorded here, each checked against a quotation from that page. Checks still to do: Verify advisory roles and compare proposals with existing Board policies. 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 More than 20 years, dates not stated ### Senior paralegal The campaign site says the work covers estates and trusts and included supporting families after the 2021 heat dome. COPE's page describes Cheng as a senior paralegal. [COPE school board candidates and platform](https://www.votecope.ca/schools) 2023 to 2025 ### Vice-president, Graham Bruce Elementary parent advisory council, and lead of Save Bruce Field CBC reported the parent council role in June 2023 while the school board was considering subdividing 0.4 hectares of the school's soccer field. The campaign site says the campaign ran until the field was kept as public land on October 1, 2025. [My Journey](https://melaniecheng.ca/my-journey/) 2024 to 2025 ### Chair, Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council News reports in this period quote Cheng in the chair's role on school land leases, school closures and school board meeting rules. [Vancouver developer pays $8.5M for 99-year lease of school property](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-school-board-developer-lease-1.7404564) 2025 to 2026 ### Organiser, Build Schools Now CityHallWatch described Cheng as the organiser behind the campaign, which held a rally at Vancouver City Hall on October 21, 2025 and asks the city, the school board and the province to plan housing and schools together. 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.
What process should govern decisions to retain, lease or dispose of school property? No response has been submitted.
How would you balance student learning support, facilities and staffing within the district’s available funding? 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 school trustee candidate list ](https://vancouver.ca/your-government/2026-candidates-school-trustee.aspx)Checked September 22, 2026 - [COPE · candidate page ](https://www.votecope.ca/schools)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. [COPE · candidate page](https://www.votecope.ca/schools) [COPE official website](https://www.votecope.ca/) ## View more candidates. [All candidate spaces ](https://voche.me/candidates) [School Board**Darren Boidman**](https://voche.me/candidates/darren-boidman) [School Board**Krista Sigurdson**](https://voche.me/candidates/krista-sigurdson) ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.