Ken Sim says he will freeze property taxes and points to 23-year crime low
Mayor Ken Sim told a Vancouver Sun interview series that he will hold property taxes at zero per cent increase and cited violent crime falling to a 23-year low.
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In an interview published by the Vancouver Sun on 10 October 2026, Mayor Ken Sim said he will hold property tax increases to zero per cent for a second year if re-elected and pointed to violent crime falling to a 23-year low as evidence his administration has improved public safety.
The interview is part of the Conversations That Matter series hosted by broadcaster Stuart McNish, which sat down with five leading mayoral candidates in the week before the 17 October election.
Property taxes and business environment
Sim told the series that ABC Vancouver delivered a zero per cent property tax increase this year and is committed to the same for next year. He said this certainty helps businesses plan and stay in the city.
He also said his administration cleared over 2,000 pages of regulatory rules and has sped up the building permit process. Sim described this as part of a broader effort to support both housing construction and local businesses, arguing that the cost of housing and the level of incomes in the city are equally part of the affordability problem.
Public safety
On public safety, Sim cited the 23-year low in violent crime and said the city is in a better position than it was four years ago. He also cited the federal bail reform introduced under Prime Minister Mark Carney, saying the change shifts the burden so the person being detained now has to show why they should be released, rather than the Crown having to argue for detention. Sim said this helps stabilize neighbourhoods with persistent offending.
On involuntary care, Sim said he believes about 400 people account for 80 to 90 per cent of the public safety challenges the city sees. He said getting this group off the streets and into health care for mental health and substance use challenges is a priority. Involuntary care is a major point of difference between ABC Vancouver and other parties in this race.
Infrastructure
Sim said his administration inherited a 500 million dollar a year capital and infrastructure deficit. He said prior governments had not made the necessary investments and that his administration is now doing so, including in community centres and underground pipes. He apologised for the traffic disruption this causes.
Voting day is 17 October 2026. Advance voting is open at multiple locations across Vancouver until 15 October. Voters can find their local voting place at vancouver.ca/where-to-vote.
Questions this story answers
What did Ken Sim say about property taxes?
In the Vancouver Sun's Conversations That Matter interview published on 10 October 2026, Ken Sim said ABC Vancouver delivered a zero per cent property tax increase this year and is committed to a zero per cent increase next year. He framed this as providing certainty for businesses operating in the city.
What crime statistic did Ken Sim cite?
Ken Sim told the interview series that violent crime in Vancouver is at a 23-year low. This matches figures the Vancouver Police Department released earlier in October 2026. Sim cited the number as evidence that public safety has improved under his administration over the past four years.
What did Sim say about regulatory red tape?
Ken Sim said the current administration cleared over 2,000 pages of regulatory rules and has sped up the building permit process on multiple fronts. He connected this to housing affordability, arguing that making it easier for builders to construct homes helps address the supply side of the affordability problem.
What is Sim's position on involuntary care?
Sim said he wants to get about 400 people who pose a safety risk off Vancouver's streets through involuntary care for mental health and substance use challenges. He said this small group accounts for 80 to 90 per cent of the public safety problems the city sees. This position has been a central point of difference between ABC Vancouver and other parties in the race.
What did Sim say about the city's infrastructure debt?
Sim said his administration inherited a 500 million dollar a year capital and infrastructure deficit from prior governments that had not invested in infrastructure. He said his government is now making those investments, including in community centres and underground pipes, and apologised for the disruption this causes to traffic.
What did Sim say about the federal bail reform?
Sim said the federal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney changed bail rules so the burden of proof now falls on the person being detained, rather than on the Crown proving why they should be held. He said this change helps the city stabilize neighbourhoods where repeat offenders were a persistent problem.
How does this interview compare to the Conversations That Matter interview with Pete Fry?
The Vancouver Sun ran Conversations That Matter interviews with all five leading mayoral candidates in the week before the October 17 election. Pete Fry of the Vancouver Greens was interviewed in a separate session. Both interviews are free to read on the Vancouver Sun website. Voters can compare the candidates' positions on affordability, public safety and city services.
When is the Vancouver election and how can voters use this information?
Voting day in the Vancouver municipal election is 17 October 2026. Ken Sim is running for a second term as mayor with ABC Vancouver. Voters who want to compare where he stands against other candidates can visit the candidate pages on this site or read the Conversations That Matter interviews on the Vancouver Sun website.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- Vancouver Sun: Ken Sim Conversations That Matter interviewvancouversun.com
- Ken Sim candidate pagevoche.me
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