--- title: "Spencer van Vloten | Park Board | Vancouver election 2026 | voche.me" canonical_url: "https://voche.me/candidates/spencer-van-vloten" last_updated: "2026-09-23T06:07:53.233Z" meta: description: "Spencer van Vloten, ballot number 212 for Park Board in Vancouver, Green Party of Vancouver. Profile focus: Accessible parks and recreation." "og:description": "Spencer van Vloten, ballot number 212 for Park Board in Vancouver, Green Party of Vancouver. Profile focus: Accessible parks and recreation." "og:title": "Spencer van Vloten | Park Board | Vancouver election 2026" "twitter:description": "Spencer van Vloten, ballot number 212 for Park Board in Vancouver, Green Party of Vancouver. Profile focus: Accessible parks and recreation." "twitter:title": "Spencer van Vloten | Park Board | Vancouver election 2026" --- Park Board · Vancouver 2026 # Spencer van Vloten Candidate for the Vancouver Park Board. Spencer van Vloten, ballot number 212 for Park Board in Vancouver, Green Party of Vancouver. Profile focus: Accessible parks and recreation. Explore the record Public schedule Researched by voche.me · Not a campaign-authored page Green Party of Vancouver2026 ![Spencer van Vloten, published by the Green Party of Vancouver campaign.](https://voche.me/images/candidates/spencer-van-vloten-640.webp) *Spencer van VlotenPark BoardBallot no.212* [Image: Green Party of Vancouver campaign](https://www.vangreens.ca/spencer_van_vloten) Candidate research / September 22, 2026 This record covers Spencer van Vloten, the Green Party of Vancouver candidate for Park Board at ballot number 212 in the October 17, 2026 Vancouver election. It sets out the campaign biography, the platform published on the campaign site, the one award confirmed by an independent body, and the party announcements and reporting that name the candidate. **10**Commitments **2**News articles **7**Sources Public schedule / Through election day ## Where can you hear Spencer van Vloten? 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 Spencer van Vloten Spencer van Vloten appears on the City of Vancouver's final 2026 candidate list for Park Board, with ballot number 212. The City records the affiliation as Green Party of Vancouver. The page says van Vloten is a writer and accessibility expert who has had over 150 articles published across Canada about accessibility, inclusion and public spaces. The page says Van Vloten founded the Vancouver Community Inclusion Fest and chairs Community Living BC's Vancouver Council. The page says Van Vloten was named Difference Maker of the Year by the Rick Hansen Foundation and received the City of Vancouver Excellence Award for Accessibility. The Green Party candidate page describes van Vloten as a writer, community advocate and accessibility expert, and says more than 150 articles have been published across Canada on accessibility, inclusion and public spaces. The Green Party candidate page and the campaign site both say van Vloten founded the Vancouver Community Inclusion Fest and chairs Community Living BC's Vancouver Council. BC Disability, a British Columbia disability resource website, names van Vloten as its editor. The site publishes a directory of disability resources, guidance on BC Persons with Disabilities assistance and other funding, and accessibility guides. The BC Achievement Foundation lists van Vloten as a recipient of its Community Award in 2023. This is the one honour found on the awarding body's own page. The campaign site also lists the Rick Hansen Foundation Difference Maker of the Year award, the City of Vancouver Excellence Award for Accessibility and the BC Medal of Good Citizenship. These are the campaign's own claims and were not confirmed with the awarding bodies. The Green Party announced van Vloten as one of five approved Park Board contestants on May 1, 2026, and confirmed the nomination on June 8, 2026 alongside Tom Digby and Gabi Tremblay. Daily Hive published the final ballot order on September 22, 2026, listing Spencer Van Vloten at number 212 for Park Board under the Green Party. 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. 10 commitments shown · Checked Sep 22 2026 · Parks fundingCampaign pledge ### Restore spending on parks and community centres Restore care and spending on parks, public spaces and community centres that the campaign describes as inaccessible, outdated or unsafe.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The campaign issues page states this and cites 11 million dollars in cuts. That figure comes from the campaign and was not confirmed against a Park Board budget document.
What still needs checking
Which budget decision produced the 11 million dollar figure, and over what period?
- [The Issues](https://www.spencervancity.ca/the-issues)Campaign · Spencer van Vloten campaign 2026 · AccessibilityCampaign pledge ### Accessibility audits of parks and facilities Run accessibility audits of parks and community centres before problems are reported, rather than after.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The campaign issues page states this. It does not say how many sites would be audited or on what schedule.
What still needs checking
How many sites, over how long, and who would carry out the audits?
- [The Issues](https://www.spencervancity.ca/the-issues)Campaign · Spencer van Vloten campaign 2026 · AccessibilityCampaign pledge ### Universal design standards on every upgrade Apply universal design standards to all park and facility upgrades and to all new construction.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The campaign issues page states this. It does not name a standard document or say whether the Park Board already has one.
What still needs checking
Does the Park Board have an existing design standard, and how would it change?
- [The Issues](https://www.spencervancity.ca/the-issues)Campaign · Spencer van Vloten campaign 2026 · AccessibilityCampaign pledge ### Consult the disability community directly Involve people with disabilities in design decisions so that improvements go beyond the minimum that the building code requires.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The campaign issues page states this. No consultation structure is described.
What still needs checking
What form would the consultation take, and would it be a standing body?
- [The Issues](https://www.spencervancity.ca/the-issues)Campaign · Spencer van Vloten campaign 2026 · AccessibilityCampaign pledge ### Fix the barriers listed in parks and community centres Address uneven entrances, paths that are hard to use with a mobility device, washrooms that do not work for everyone, heavy doors, too little seating, poor lighting and signage that excludes people.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The campaign issues page lists each of these barriers. It does not name specific parks or facilities.
What still needs checking
Which sites carry the most barriers today?
- [The Issues](https://www.spencervancity.ca/the-issues)Campaign · Spencer van Vloten campaign 2026 · SafetyCampaign pledge ### Park safety programme Work on trail upkeep, safe entrances, lighting, clear sightlines, playground inspections, water safety, staffing at facilities, park rangers, emergency call points and faster response to vandalism.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The campaign issues page lists all of these items together under safety. No budget or staffing number is attached.
What still needs checking
Which of these items would need new Park Board funding, and how much?
- [The Issues](https://www.spencervancity.ca/the-issues)Campaign · Spencer van Vloten campaign 2026 · FacilitiesCampaign pledge ### Renew ageing community centres Make sure every neighbourhood has a safe, modern facility, starting with the community centres the campaign says are in poor condition.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The campaign issues page states that 72 percent of community centres are in poor condition, and the campaign home page repeats the figure as 72 percent of city facilities. The two statements describe different sets of buildings, and neither is sourced to a city or Park Board report.
What still needs checking
Which report produced the 72 percent figure, and does it cover community centres or all city facilities?
- [The Issues](https://www.spencervancity.ca/the-issues)Campaign · Spencer van Vloten campaign - [Campaign home page](https://www.spencervancity.ca/)Campaign · Spencer van Vloten campaign 2026 · Parks and environmentCampaign pledge ### Long term stewardship of parkland Protect and improve parks while balancing public use, environmental sustainability and long term planning as the city's population grows.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The campaign issues page states this as a general commitment. No policy or target is attached.
What still needs checking
What would this mean for a specific park decision?
- [The Issues](https://www.spencervancity.ca/the-issues)Campaign · Spencer van Vloten campaign 2026 · GovernanceCampaign pledge ### Open decision making Keep Park Board decisions open and accountable by listening to residents and consulting people affected before decisions on public space are made.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The campaign issues page states this. It does not name a change to current Park Board meeting or consultation practice.
What still needs checking
Which current practice would change?
- [The Issues](https://www.spencervancity.ca/the-issues)Campaign · Spencer van Vloten campaign 2026 · Parks everyone can use safelyCampaign pledge ### Parks everyone can use safely The page says Van Vloten would work so that every person can use Vancouver parks for nature, recreation and community programs.
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?
- [Candidate page for Spencer van Vloten](https://www.vangreens.ca/spencer_van_vloten)Campaign · Green Party of 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. 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. No reviewed entries have been added to this section yet. This is a research gap, not a finding about the candidate. 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. May 1, 2026Reporting Daily Hive ### Vancouver Green Party Park Board contestants include celebrated chef Amir Ali reported the five approved Green Party Park Board contestants and described van Vloten as an award winning accessibility advocate and the founder of the Vancouver Community Inclusion Fest. Mayoral candidate Pete Fry was quoted on the group as a whole rather than on van Vloten. - [Vancouver Green Party Park Board contestants include celebrated chef](https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-green-party-park-board)Reporting · Daily Hive 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 Spencer Van Vloten at number 212 for Park Board, one of three Green Party candidates in that race alongside Breanne Smart and Tom Digby. - [Vancouver's 2026 civic election candidate list is set: All 130 names in ballot order](https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-2026-civic-election-candidates-ballot-order)Reporting · Daily Hive Research / 7 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 - Candidate page for Spencer van Vloten Green Party of Vancouver - Campaign home page Spencer van Vloten campaign - The Issues Spencer van Vloten campaign
Reporting 2 sources - Vancouver Green Party Park Board contestants include celebrated chef Daily Hive · May 1, 2026 - Vancouver's 2026 civic election candidate list is set: All 130 names in ballot order Daily Hive · September 22, 2026
The campaign site links to an opinion piece in the Vancouver Sun under the headline about a city that forgets its parks. That page could not be opened, so it is not recorded here and the authorship and date are unconfirmed. The VoteMate profile carries a biography but no platform promises. The Rick Hansen Foundation award, the City of Vancouver Excellence Award for Accessibility and the BC Medal of Good Citizenship were not checked against the awarding bodies' own records, so only the 2023 BC Achievement Community Award is confirmed independently. The 11 million dollar cut figure and the 72 percent facility condition figure come from the campaign and were not traced to a Park Board or City report. No all candidates meeting names van Vloten as attending; the Mount Pleasant meeting on September 23 lists Breanne Smart for the Green Party. No public accountability record was found. 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. 1 stated position and 3 background facts recorded here, each checked against a quotation from that page. Checks still to do: Verify named organizational roles and use published accessibility assessments where available. 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 As of 2026 ### Chair, Vancouver Council, Community Living BC The Green Party candidate page and the campaign site both list this role. Community Living BC is the provincial agency that funds services for adults with developmental disabilities. The pages do not say when the chair role began. [Candidate page for Spencer van Vloten](https://www.vangreens.ca/spencer_van_vloten) As of 2026 ### Founder, Vancouver Community Inclusion Fest The Green Party candidate page and the campaign site name van Vloten as the founder of this event. Neither page gives a start year or attendance figure. [Candidate page for Spencer van Vloten](https://www.vangreens.ca/spencer_van_vloten) As of 2026 ### Editor, BC Disability The BC Disability website lists van Vloten as editor. The site's stated purpose is to help people with disabilities and their allies find resources, funding and accessibility guidance in British Columbia. As of 2026 ### Editor, Community Conversations newsletter The campaign site says van Vloten edits this monthly newsletter and puts its circulation at 50,000 people in Vancouver. The circulation figure is the campaign's own. 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 accessibility barriers would you remove first, and how would users assess the changes? 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 - [Green Party of Vancouver · candidate page ](https://www.vangreens.ca/spencer_van_vloten)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. [Green Party of Vancouver · candidate page](https://www.vangreens.ca/spencer_van_vloten) [Green Party of Vancouver official website](https://www.vangreens.ca/) ## View more candidates. [All candidate spaces ](https://voche.me/candidates) [Park Board**Stephen Menon**](https://voche.me/candidates/stephen-menon) [Park Board**Allan Fawley**](https://voche.me/candidates/allan-fawley) ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.