Pete Fry names Sean Orr as deputy mayor and pledges to cut his own office budget
Vancouver Mayor Pete Fry addressed each of the 10 city councillors by name at the new council's first meeting, nominated Sean Orr as deputy mayor, and promised to reduce his office's budget.
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Vancouver Mayor Pete Fry addressed each of his 10 city councillors by name at the new council's first public meeting on Monday, November 2, then council voted unanimously to name Sean Orr as the first deputy mayor of the new term. Daily Hive reported the remarks in full.
Fry began with Orr, a COPE city councillor, praising his work for people facing hardship. He called Orr's appointment as deputy mayor the natural result of a close working relationship. The role covers November 2026 through January 2027. For Lucy Maloney of OneCity Vancouver, Fry combined a personal thank-you with an expectation that she would advance street safety. For Mike Klassen, the only ABC Vancouver member on the new council, Fry said: "You may be the lone representative of your party at this table, but you are not alone," according to Daily Hive.
Fry cited Annette Reilly's television industry background as preparation for managing competing priorities and as a voice for Vancouver's film sector. He pointed to Chloe Leslie's food access work and Devyani Singh's climate science research as council strengths. For Stephanie Smith, he focused on her housing and co-operative housing experience, then nominated her for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities board. Council endorsed her candidacy unanimously.
Fry described Camil Dumont's public service and urban agriculture background as knowledge the new council could draw on. He told Solomon Yi-Kieran of COPE, the youngest-ever Vancouver city councillor, that he expected him to help advance the UBC SkyTrain extension. For Bridget Burns, he said her concern for animal welfare and empathy would be valuable to council.
After addressing each councillor, Fry said he would reduce the mayor's office budget and direct more resources toward supporting councillors. His tracker page records a promise to deliver value for tax dollars and to present a more detailed City budget within the first 90 days of office.
Council also confirmed at the meeting that the Vancouver Park Board will hold its scheduled public meetings at City Hall on a pilot basis, starting November 30. Residents who want to attend Park Board meetings will find them at the same location as council meetings. You can follow each councillor's promises and council decisions at /tracker.
Questions this story answers
What did Mayor Pete Fry do at the first council meeting on Nov. 2, 2026?
Daily Hive reports that Fry gave personal remarks about each of the 10 city councillors, then council voted unanimously to appoint Sean Orr as deputy mayor from November 2026 through January 2027 and to nominate Stephanie Smith to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities board.
Who did Pete Fry name as deputy mayor?
Daily Hive reports that Fry nominated Sean Orr, a COPE city councillor, as the first deputy mayor of the new term. Council approved the appointment unanimously. Orr will serve in the role from November 2026 through January 2027.
What did Fry say about cutting the mayor's office budget?
Daily Hive reports that Fry promised to reduce the mayor's office budget and direct more of those resources toward supporting city councillors and their constituencies. He gave no dollar figures at the meeting. His tracker page records a promise to deliver value for tax dollars and to present a more detailed City budget within the first 90 days.
What is the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and why was Stephanie Smith nominated?
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities is the national association of local governments in Canada. Fry nominated Green city councillor Stephanie Smith for its board, saying her housing and cooperative housing experience would be valuable there. Council endorsed her candidacy unanimously.
Where will the Park Board hold its meetings under the pilot?
Daily Hive reports that the new City Council confirmed the Vancouver Park Board will hold its scheduled public meetings at Vancouver City Hall on a pilot project basis, starting with the board's first meeting of the new term on Nov. 30. Historically, the Park Board met at its Stanley Park headquarters building.
What did Fry say about working across party lines?
According to Daily Hive, Fry said the goal of municipal government is to deliver results for residents, not victories for parties. He told colleagues he would hold regular meetings with each of them and urged them to tell him directly when they thought the administration was heading in the wrong direction.
What did Fry say to the only ABC Vancouver councillor, Mike Klassen?
Daily Hive reports that Fry told Klassen he was the first person Fry consulted when considering a run for council, and praised his thoughtful approach. Fry told him: 'You may be the lone representative of your party at this table, but you are not alone.'
How can residents follow what the new council decides?
Voche.me tracks the promises each elected person made during the campaign. You can see Mayor Pete Fry's promises and their status at /candidates/pete-fry. The council's decisions and promise records are updated at /tracker.
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