Ken Sim promises 50-metre pool at Vancouver Aquatic Centre and defends plebiscite questions
The ABC Vancouver mayor told Daily Hive he will build a 50-metre pool despite staff saying it cannot fit, and he explained why he put two public safety questions on the Oct. 17 ballot.
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Ken Sim told Daily Hive on Oct. 14 that ABC Vancouver will build a 50-metre pool at the Vancouver Aquatic Centre if he wins re-election on Oct. 17, and explained how the two public safety questions on the ballot would work.
The interview was conducted with Sim and ABC Vancouver councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung, who is also seeking re-election.
The 50-metre pool
ABC Vancouver's platform promises a 50-metre pool at the Vancouver Aquatic Centre. The current plan, approved by the Park Board, calls for a 25-metre pool. Park Board staff said a 50-metre pool cannot be accommodated in the existing building footprint alongside the other planned aquatic amenities while meeting required design standards, and would require a larger footprint, which would raise construction costs, Daily Hive reported.
Sim told Daily Hive he would "make it happen." The B.C. Court of Appeal has temporarily halted further demolition of the current building until Nov. 3, 2026.
The plebiscite questions
The Oct. 17 ballot includes two advisory questions about public safety. The first asks whether voters support the City strengthening its laws to forbid open-air hard drug use in public spaces. The second asks whether the City should formally ask the provincial government to convert portions of the old St. Paul's Hospital, or a similar site, into a secure medical facility with more than 100 involuntary care beds alongside voluntary care options.
Sim told Daily Hive the drug use question is designed to let the City pass a bylaw allowing police to issue a ticket and confiscate drugs without making an arrest. He said the current process can take between half an officer's shift and a full shift per incident. Critics told Daily Hive that open-air hard drug use is already illegal under provincial law, that the old St. Paul's site is not suitable, and that Council could have passed a bylaw without a plebiscite.
Other platform promises
ABC Vancouver's platform has two sections the party calls "restoring Vancouver" and "raising Vancouver," Daily Hive reported. Specific promises include a second consecutive year of no property tax increase, ending parking fees at city beaches and community centres, new public swimming pools, and 4,200 rental homes built on City-owned land.
Sim said the City's reserves were at $33 million when ABC took office in 2022, which he said gave the City no safety margin on its combined operating and capital budget of around $3 billion.
Voters can review what each party has promised at /parties/abc-vancouver. General voting day is Saturday, Oct. 17, with polls open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at any of Vancouver's 85 voting locations. See /where-to-vote for the full list.
Questions this story answers
What does Ken Sim promise about the Vancouver Aquatic Centre pool?
According to Daily Hive, Ken Sim and ABC Vancouver promise to build a 50-metre pool at the Vancouver Aquatic Centre. The current rebuilding plan calls for a 25-metre pool. Park Board staff said a 50-metre pool cannot be accommodated within the existing building footprint while meeting required standards, and that a larger footprint would raise construction costs. Sim told Daily Hive he will make it happen regardless. The B.C. Court of Appeal temporarily halted any further demolition of the current building until Nov. 3, 2026.
What are the two public safety plebiscite questions on the Oct. 17 ballot?
Vancouver voters will answer two advisory questions alongside the main ballot on Oct. 17. The first asks whether they support the City strengthening its laws to forbid open-air hard drug use in public spaces. The second asks whether the City should ask the provincial government to convert portions of the old St. Paul's Hospital, or a similar site, into a secure medical facility with more than 100 involuntary care beds alongside voluntary care options. Both questions are advisory only and do not bind Council to act.
Why did ABC Vancouver put these questions on the ballot?
Ken Sim told Daily Hive the plebiscite was designed to give Vancouverites a direct say on issues that cross both municipal and provincial responsibilities. On drug use, he said a new City bylaw would let police issue a ticket and confiscate drugs without making an arrest, which he said takes less officer time than the current process. On involuntary care, he said the question asks the province to fulfil its responsibility to people who pose a risk to themselves or others.
What do critics say about the plebiscite questions?
As Daily Hive reported, critics and other candidates said open-air hard drug use is already illegal in B.C., that the old St. Paul's site is not suitable for a mental health facility, and that City Council could have taken these actions without holding a plebiscite. The article did not report a specific response from Sim to those points.
What are ABC Vancouver's other key platform promises for this election?
According to Daily Hive, ABC Vancouver's platform has two main sections it calls restoring Vancouver and raising Vancouver. Specific promises include a second consecutive year of no property tax increase, ending parking fees at city beaches and community centres, new public swimming pools, and 4,200 rental homes built on City-owned land. The party came into office with 93 promises in 2022. Sim acknowledged in the interview that his first term did not achieve everything they set out to do.
What does ABC Vancouver say about the city's finances?
Ken Sim told Daily Hive that when ABC took office in 2022 the City's reserves were at $33 million. He said that on a combined operating and capital budget of around $3 billion, that left no safety margin. The interview did not give a figure for the current reserve level, so the change from 2022 to today cannot be confirmed from this source.
Is Sarah Kirby-Yung seeking re-election?
Yes. Daily Hive reported that Sarah Kirby-Yung, an ABC Vancouver councillor, is also seeking re-election in the Oct. 17 election. She took part in the interview alongside Sim. You can read her candidate page at /candidates/sarah-kirby-yung.
When and where can I vote in the Vancouver election?
General voting day is Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Vancouver has 85 voting locations this year, up from 80 in 2022. You can vote at any of the 85 locations regardless of your home address. Two locations, Britannia Community Elementary School and Dunbar Community Centre, are also hosting advance voting for the concurrent provincial election and may be busier than usual. The full list of locations is at /where-to-vote.
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