What Vancouver's Seven School Board Parties Are Promising on Six Key Issues
The Tyee surveyed every party running for the Vancouver School Board on seismic upgrades, student mental health, school land, police in schools, AI chatbots, and board transparency.
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The Tyee compared all seven parties running for Vancouver's nine school board trustee seats across six issues: seismic safety, student mental health, police in schools, AI chatbots, school land, and board transparency. The piece was published October 15, 2026 by reporter Katie Hyslop.
Seismic upgrades. Vancouver has 43 schools the province lists as future priorities for seismic upgrading, with no current plans, The Tyee reports, more than any other district in BC. The school district says earthquake-proofing them will cost $1.4 billion. COPE, the Greens, and the Vancouver Liberals each promise to make seismic upgrades the top capital priority. TEAM says they will demand the province act. ABC's platform does not mention the issue.
Student mental health. The 2023 BC Adolescent Health Survey found nearly 20 per cent of young people could not access the mental health services they needed, according to The Tyee. COPE, Vote Vancouver, and the Vancouver Liberals promise to push for more school counsellors. ABC promises teacher training and classroom supports for students with disabilities but makes no mental health pledges.
Police in schools. Vancouver cancelled its School Liaison Officer program in 2021 after consultation showed 60 per cent of Black respondents and half of Indigenous respondents had negative views of police in schools, The Tyee reports. ABC trustees brought the program back in 2023 and have no new platform position on it. Vote Vancouver supports it with conditions. The Greens call for a review. COPE wants counsellors instead.
AI chatbots. The Vancouver School Board introduced AI chatbot accounts for all students 13 and older in May 2026, with no board vote or advance public notice. TEAM, COPE, and the Greens promise to pause the rollout. OneCity would limit access to Grades 10 to 12. ABC has no platform position.
School land. The school board holds around $9.5 billion in real estate, including the Kingsgate Mall site. OneCity pledges to build a new school there. TEAM promises to reverse the closure of Sir Guy Carleton Elementary. Most parties say they will protect district lands; ABC is silent.
Board transparency. ABC trustees increased private meetings during their current term and amended a OneCity transparency motion. COPE and OneCity both promise to open meetings to public attendance. ABC has no platform position.
Voters choosing school board trustees can read each party's platform at /parties. Voting day is Saturday, October 17. If you have a mail ballot, the deadline to return it in person is October 17.
Questions this story answers
How many school board trustee seats are on the ballot in Vancouver in 2026?
Nine school board trustee seats are on the ballot on October 17, 2026. According to The Tyee, 27 candidates from 7 parties are running, plus independent candidates. Voters can cast up to 9 votes in the school board race. Each party's school board platform is at /parties.
How many Vancouver schools are at risk in an earthquake?
According to The Tyee, citing provincial data, Vancouver has 43 schools that are listed as future priorities for seismic upgrading with no current renovation or rebuild plans. Two others have already been closed. The school district says it will cost $1.4 billion to earthquake-proof the remaining 43 schools. The province will not provide money until the district submits a separate business case for each building.
Which parties support the police School Liaison Officer program in Vancouver schools?
According to The Tyee, TEAM for a Livable Vancouver, the Vancouver Liberals, and Vote Vancouver support keeping the School Liaison Officer program, which returned to Vancouver schools in September 2023 after the ABC-majority board voted to bring it back. Vote Vancouver adds conditions: officers must be paired with counsellors and focus on early intervention. COPE wants to fund school counsellors instead of the program. The Greens call for a review. ABC Vancouver has no platform position.
Which parties want to pause the AI chatbot rollout in Vancouver schools?
According to The Tyee, TEAM, COPE, and the Greens all promise to pause the AI chatbot accounts that the Vancouver School Board introduced for students 13 and older starting in May 2026, pending consultation and review. OneCity would limit access to Grades 10 to 12. Vote Vancouver and the Vancouver Liberals promise consultation before expanding AI tools further, but do not commit to pausing the current rollout. ABC has no platform position.
Which party promises to build a new school at the Kingsgate Mall site?
According to The Tyee, OneCity pledges to build a new school at the Kingsgate Mall site as part of a complex that would also include childcare, before- and after-school care, a community centre, and housing. The Vancouver School Board owns the land the Kingsgate Mall sits on. The board holds around $9.5 billion in real estate in total, according to Vancouver Sun reporting cited in The Tyee's article.
Which parties promise more school counsellors in Vancouver schools?
According to The Tyee, COPE, Vote Vancouver, and the Vancouver Liberals all promise to advocate for more school counsellors. The Greens and OneCity also commit to lobbying the province for more per-student funding for mental health supports. The 2023 BC Adolescent Health Survey found nearly 20 per cent of young people could not access the mental health services they needed, according to The Tyee.
Which parties promise more transparent Vancouver School Board meetings?
According to The Tyee, COPE promises fewer private board meetings and the return of public question periods during regular meetings. OneCity pledges to open board and district standing committee meetings to in-person public attendance, building on a 2025 transparency motion by outgoing trustee Jennifer Reddy. ABC Vancouver has no platform position on board transparency. The Greens, Vote Vancouver, and the Vancouver Liberals do not specifically address the issue in their platforms.
Where can I read about school board candidates before voting on October 17?
The nine Vancouver School Board trustee seats are on the ballot on Saturday, October 17. You can find each candidate's profile, including their background and the sources behind their record, at voche.me. Party platforms are at /parties. If you have a mail ballot, the deadline to return it in person is October 17.
Sources
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