Pete Fry appoints Rebecca Bligh to lead Vancouver mayoral transition
Vancouver Mayor-Elect Pete Fry named his former rival Rebecca Bligh to head his transition team on October 28, one day after the outgoing City Council held its final public meeting.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on dailyhive.com.
Vancouver Mayor-Elect Pete Fry named outgoing City Councillor Rebecca Bligh to lead his transition team on October 28, 2026, one day after Bligh delivered her farewell remarks at the outgoing council's final public meeting. Daily Hive Vancouver reported the appointment.
Bligh ran against Fry as Vote Vancouver's mayoral candidate in the October 17 civic election. She will help Fry work on his priorities for his first 100 days in office and will also chair a group focused on the transition.
"I've worked with Rebecca on Council for eight years. We haven't always agreed, but we've always worked well together, and that's exactly what Vancouverites want to see from their leaders," said Fry in a statement reported by Daily Hive Vancouver. "I trust her judgment and value her insight and counsel. She knows how City Hall works and how to get things done, which is what we need as we start this work for Vancouver."
Bligh said in response: "The election is over, and what matters now is the work ahead for Vancouver. I'm glad to help Pete and his team get off to a strong start. A strong transition sets the foundation for everything that follows, and when the mayor succeeds, Vancouver succeeds."
The mayor's office
Fry has also selected Dominique Damian-Wallace, a lawyer and Green Party of Vancouver election campaign member, as his chief of staff. Cheryl Rowley will be his deputy chief of staff. Bligh will work with both.
COPE City Councillor Sean Orr is also expected to become Fry's deputy mayor, an appointed position that typically rotates between some city councillors during a term. Orr received the most votes of any city councillor candidate in the 2026 election.
Bligh's background
Bligh was first elected as a city councillor in the 2018 civic election under the Non-Partisan Association. She briefly became an independent during that term, then joined Ken Sim's ABC Vancouver before the 2022 election. In February 2025, ABC removed her from the party because of internal disagreements. She served as president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for a large part of her second term.
The new Vancouver City Council will be sworn in on Monday, November 2, 2026. Voters who want to follow what the new council does on its early priorities can read Pete Fry's promise tracker.
Questions this story answers
Who is Pete Fry appointing to lead his transition team?
Pete Fry appointed Rebecca Bligh, the outgoing City Councillor who ran against him as Vote Vancouver's mayoral candidate, to lead his transition team. Daily Hive Vancouver reported this on October 28, 2026. Bligh will help Fry begin work on his priorities for his first 100 days in office and will chair a group focused on the transition.
When is the new Vancouver City Council being sworn in?
The new Vancouver City Council is being sworn in on Monday, November 2, 2026. This is when Pete Fry will formally take office as Mayor of Vancouver. The appointment of Rebecca Bligh to lead the transition was made just ahead of this inauguration date.
Who is Pete Fry's chief of staff?
Pete Fry has selected Dominique Damian-Wallace, a lawyer and member of the Green Party of Vancouver's election campaign, to be his chief of staff in the mayor's office. Cheryl Rowley will serve as deputy chief of staff. Both will work alongside Rebecca Bligh on the transition.
Who is expected to be Pete Fry's deputy mayor?
COPE City Councillor Sean Orr is expected to be Fry's deputy mayor, according to Daily Hive Vancouver. Orr received more votes than any other city councillor candidate in the 2026 civic election. The deputy mayor is an appointed position that typically rotates between some councillors during a term.
What is Rebecca Bligh's background on Vancouver City Council?
Rebecca Bligh was first elected as a city councillor in the 2018 civic election under the Non-Partisan Association. She briefly became an independent and then joined Ken Sim's ABC Vancouver before the 2022 election. In February 2025, she was removed from ABC due to internal disagreements within the party. She also served as president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities during her second term.
Why did Pete Fry choose Rebecca Bligh for his transition team?
Fry said he worked with Bligh on Council for eight years and values her judgment and experience. Daily Hive Vancouver quoted him saying: 'She knows how City Hall works and how to get things done, which is what we need as we start this work for Vancouver.' Bligh ran against Fry in the 2026 election but accepted the transition role after Fry won.
What did Rebecca Bligh say about the transition role?
Bligh said in a statement reported by Daily Hive Vancouver: 'The election is over, and what matters now is the work ahead for Vancouver. I'm glad to help Pete and his team get off to a strong start. A strong transition sets the foundation for everything that follows, and when the mayor succeeds, Vancouver succeeds.'
How can I find out more about the new council and its members?
You can read profiles and tracker pages for every elected councillor at voche.me. The new council includes elected members from COPE, the Green Party of Vancouver, and OneCity, among others. Their promise trackers will be updated as they take action on their commitments once the council meets from November 2 onward.
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