City denied FOI request for records on Ken Sim's taxpayer-funded X account

Journalist Bob Mackin asked Vancouver city hall for records about the production of two videos posted to Mayor Ken Sim's X account in September 2026. Both videos featured retired Vancouver Fire Department Chief Karen Fry and were used in Sim's re-election campaign. Mackin reported this on October 16, 2026, one day before the municipal election.

Vancouver's access and privacy office, through employees Kevin Tuerlings and April Miller, denied the request. They wrote that the 'requested records do not relate to the business of the city' and that 'The referenced video was not produced by the Mayor's Office.' Ken Sim did not comment on the denial, according to Mackin's report. The denial means the production records are not in the public record before the October 17 vote.

Vancouver taxpayers are charged $9.55 a month for the subscription to Mayor Ken Sim's X account, @kensimcity, according to Bob Mackin's report. The city's access and privacy office told Mackin that the account does not relate to city business, while city funds cover its cost. Ken Sim did not respond to questions about this, according to the report.

Bob Mackin reported that on May 28, 2026, at a Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel event about the 900 Helmcken overdose prevention site, Mayor Sim spent at least five minutes on a campaign interview recorded by Conservative social media consultant Adam Beattie, also known as Robin Skies. Sim then spent three minutes answering questions from reporters before leaving. The 900 Helmcken project was later cancelled by the NDP health minister on August 31.

ABC Vancouver's 2022 platform promised to limit partisan activity in the Office of the Mayor, according to Bob Mackin's October 16 report. Mackin reported that since late spring 2026, Sim's X account has focused on political messaging for ABC Vancouver rather than city information. The city denies the account is a city record.

Bob Mackin is a Vancouver journalist who publishes independently through his Substack newsletter, theBreaker.news. He has reported on Vancouver city hall through freedom-of-information requests and public records. This article was published October 16, 2026, the day before the municipal election.

Adam Beattie, also known as Robin Skies, is a Conservative social media consultant. Bob Mackin reported that Beattie recorded Mayor Sim's campaign interview at the May 28 Sheraton Wall Centre event on a smartphone. Beattie is not a candidate in the October 17 election.

Voters in the Vancouver mayor's race go to the polls on October 17, 2026. The FOI denial means production records for the videos on Sim's X account are not public before the vote. Voters can read Ken Sim's full profile at voche.me to compare all candidates. Visit the where-to-vote page at voche.me to find your polling place.