---
title: "Pete Fry appoints Rebecca Bligh to lead Vancouver mayoral transition"
description: "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."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/news/pete-fry-bligh-transition-team-october-28"
last_updated: "2026-10-28T19:54:16.359Z"
---

Vancouver Mayor-Elect Pete Fry named outgoing City Councillor [Rebecca Bligh](/candidates/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](/candidates/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](/candidates/pete-fry).

## Sitemap

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