Four Indigenous candidates are running in Vancouver's 2026 civic election
Business in Vancouver reports that four Indigenous candidates are on the 2026 Vancouver ballot, all running for Park Board or School Board, while ABC Vancouver, the Greens, Vote Vancouver, and OneCity fielded none.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on vancouverisawesome.com.
Business in Vancouver published a report on September 28, 2026, identifying four Indigenous candidates on Vancouver's 2026 civic ballot. Vancouver Is Awesome carried the same report by journalist Mike Howell.
All four are running for Park Board or School Board. Scott Jensen, who is Metis, is seeking re-election as a Park Board commissioner with Vancouver Liberals. T'uy't'tanat Cease Wyss is running for Park Board with COPE. Derrick O'Keefe is running for School Board with COPE. Kat Nystedt is running for School Board with TEAM for a Livable Vancouver.
ABC Vancouver, the Green Party of Vancouver, Vote Vancouver, and OneCity Vancouver did not field any Indigenous candidates, the report says, based on responses from each party's communications team.
What the candidates said
Business in Vancouver asked each of the four candidates why more Indigenous people are not on the ballot.
Scott Jensen told the outlet he sees himself as one Indigenous person in a civic system where wider representation matters, though he said he has not had the lived experience of many Indigenous people who continue to face racism and poverty. Jensen also noted that the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations have their own band councils, which may offer a more direct form of representation for some community members.
T'uy't'tanat Cease Wyss told Business in Vancouver that it is difficult to get nominated, let alone win an election, and said that Indigenous people do not feel seen or heard. "I've spent 40 years doing advocacy for all Indigenous people in this city," she said. "And I always get told by people that they're so grateful to be given a place to be seen and heard."
Derrick O'Keefe told the outlet that he was disappointed more Indigenous people had not run, and described trying to recruit Indigenous candidates for COPE in 2018 without success. He quoted a conversation with an Indigenous filmmaker who said the demands on Indigenous community leaders make it hard for them to commit to running.
Kat Nystedt said in an email to Business in Vancouver that she was not sure why Indigenous people are underrepresented in civic elections, adding that she hoped they would have the same opportunities as everyone else to run.
The City's relationship with First Nations
Business in Vancouver notes that the City of Vancouver has a small Indigenous relations department and council-to-council relationships with the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations. In 2022, council approved a strategy under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, developed with the three nations.
Business in Vancouver also reports that it asked Mayor Ken Sim at a recent press conference why ABC Vancouver did not have Indigenous candidates in this race. The party's communications director said ABC has representation from other diverse communities, the article reports.
Voters can read the profiles of all four candidates on this site. The election is October 17, 2026; voting locations and advance dates are at /where-to-vote.
Questions this story answers
How many Indigenous candidates are running in Vancouver's 2026 election?
Business in Vancouver, in a report published September 28, 2026 on Vancouver Is Awesome, identifies four Indigenous candidates on the 2026 Vancouver civic ballot: Scott Jensen running for Park Board with Vancouver Liberals, T'uy't'tanat Cease Wyss running for Park Board with COPE, Derrick O'Keefe running for School Board with COPE, and Kat Nystedt running for School Board with TEAM for a Livable Vancouver. All four are running for Park Board or School Board; none are running for City Council or Mayor.
Which parties did not field Indigenous candidates?
According to the Business in Vancouver report from September 28, 2026, ABC Vancouver, the Green Party of Vancouver, Vote Vancouver, and OneCity Vancouver did not field any Indigenous candidates in the 2026 civic election. The report says this is based on responses from the parties' own communications teams. Business in Vancouver also asked Mayor Ken Sim at a press conference why ABC Vancouver did not have Indigenous candidates; the party's communications director said ABC has representation from other diverse communities, the article reports.
Who is Scott Jensen?
Scott Jensen is a Vancouver Liberals candidate for Park Board in the 2026 election, and he is Metis. Business in Vancouver reports he became the park board's first Indigenous chair in 2022 and is a Vancouver elementary school teacher. Jensen is running for re-election. You can read his candidate profile at /candidates/scott-jensen. He is one of four Indigenous candidates identified in the September 28, 2026 Business in Vancouver report.
Who is T'uy't'tanat Cease Wyss?
T'uy't'tanat Cease Wyss is a COPE candidate for Park Board in the 2026 Vancouver election. Business in Vancouver reports she has spent 40 years doing advocacy work in the city and has been the Indigenous storyteller in residence at the Vancouver Public Library. The report says she was awarded an honorary PhD from Emily Carr University in 2022 and won an artist residency in Stanley Park's Field House in 2023. She spoke to Business in Vancouver about the barriers Indigenous people face in running for office. Her candidate profile is at /candidates/t-uy-t-tanat-cease-wyss.
What did T'uy't'tanat Cease Wyss say about running for office?
Business in Vancouver quotes T'uy't'tanat Cease Wyss saying: 'I've spent 40 years doing advocacy for all Indigenous people in this city in all the jobs I've done, whether it's in food sovereignty or youth and child family care, or land-based art and garden stuff. And I always get told by people that they're so grateful to be given a place to be seen and heard.' She also said that Indigenous people do not feel seen or heard, and that it is difficult to get nominated, let alone win an election. These are her own words as reported by Business in Vancouver on September 28, 2026.
Who is Derrick O'Keefe and what did he say about Indigenous representation?
Derrick O'Keefe is a COPE candidate for School Board. Business in Vancouver reports he identifies as Metis of Red River descent. He told the outlet he was disappointed that more Indigenous people had not decided to run, and described trying unsuccessfully to recruit Indigenous candidates for COPE in 2018. He quoted an Indigenous filmmaker he spoke with during research who said the demands on Indigenous community leaders make it difficult for them to commit to running for office. His candidate profile is at /candidates/derrick-o-keefe.
Who is Kat Nystedt?
Kat Nystedt is a TEAM for a Livable Vancouver candidate for School Board in the 2026 election. Business in Vancouver reports she said via email that she was not sure why Indigenous people are underrepresented in civic elections and that she hoped they would have the same opportunities as everyone else. The report also notes that her mother is Colleen Hardwick, TEAM's mayoral candidate, who is also on the ballot. Her candidate profile is at /candidates/kat-nystedt.
When is the election and how can voters find out more about these candidates?
Vancouver's municipal election is October 17, 2026. The four Indigenous candidates in this race are Scott Jensen (Park Board, Vancouver Liberals), T'uy't'tanat Cease Wyss (Park Board, COPE), Derrick O'Keefe (School Board, COPE), and Kat Nystedt (School Board, TEAM for a Livable Vancouver). Their profiles are on this site. Information on where to vote and advance voting dates is at /where-to-vote.
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