Vancouver Liberals launch campaign opposing plebiscite question on St. Paul's Hospital
Mayoral candidate Kareem Allam says converting the old hospital campus for involuntary care would place a large secure facility in the heart of Downtown Vancouver.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on dailyhive.com.
The Vancouver Liberals launched a campaign on September 30 opposing the second question on the October 17 public safety plebiscite, according to Daily Hive. Mayoral candidate Kareem Allam and council candidate Moira Stilwell held a press conference to announce the "No Vancouver Prison" campaign, which urges voters to reject both plebiscite questions.
The second question asks whether the City should formally request that the province convert portions of the old St. Paul's Hospital campus on Burrard Street, or another similar site, into a secure medical facility with voluntary care and more than 100 involuntary care beds. Allam told reporters he supports involuntary care in some circumstances but opposes using the old hospital because of its central location. He said a facility that prevents patients from leaving requires security staff and purpose-built design, which he compared to a prison.
When reporters asked him to name an alternative site within Vancouver, Allam said he could not identify one. "I am not aware of any sites that would be appropriate for an involuntary care facility of this size and magnitude in the City of Vancouver," he said at the press conference, as reported by Daily Hive.
What Stilwell said about the buildings
Stilwell, a physician who says she has worked at St. Paul's Hospital for more than 30 years, cited a previous Providence Health Care review that identified earthquake vulnerabilities in parts of the old campus. She described aging equipment spread across buildings from different eras, and said the layout cannot provide the proportion of single-patient rooms required in modern secure facilities. "Safe units are built from the ground up with clear sight lines, safe fixtures, private rooms and calm spaces to de-escalate," she said, as quoted by Daily Hive.
The ABC position and the property context
Mayor Ken Sim and ABC Vancouver support both plebiscite questions and have launched a website urging yes votes, according to Daily Hive. ABC has argued the hospital site offers a practical window: Providence Health Care is relocating to a new building in the False Creek Flats in 2027, leaving the Burrard Street campus without a confirmed tenant for several years. Concord Pacific, which Daily Hive reported acquired the 6.6-acre property in 2020 for a price it put at $1 billion, has said it would discuss temporary uses with governments.
Allam also raised concerns about conversion costs and described the proposal as a potential benefit to the developer, arguing the site should provide residential and public uses once redevelopment proceeds.
The party also opposes the first plebiscite question on open-air drug use. Allam said the Vancouver Police Department already has authority to enforce existing drug laws and that Sim should direct its use without seeking another public vote.
What voters can do
Both plebiscite questions appear on the October 17 ballot alongside the races for Mayor, City Council, Park Board, and School Board. The questions are non-binding and advisory. Voters can find their polling location at /where-to-vote. Advance voting runs October 8 to 14.
Questions this story answers
What is the Vancouver public safety plebiscite?
The October 17 ballot includes two non-binding advisory questions. The first asks whether the City should strengthen laws against open-air hard drug use in public spaces. The second asks whether the City should formally request that the province convert portions of the old St. Paul's Hospital, or another similar site, into a secure medical facility with voluntary care and more than 100 involuntary care beds for people with severe substance use and mental health disorders.
What is the Vancouver Liberals' position on the plebiscite?
The Vancouver Liberals are urging voters to oppose both questions. Mayoral candidate Kareem Allam launched a campaign called 'No Vancouver Prison' on September 30 in opposition to the second question, which concerns the old St. Paul's Hospital site. He also argues the first question on drug use is unnecessary because the Vancouver Police Department already has authority to enforce existing drug laws.
Why does Kareem Allam oppose using the old St. Paul's Hospital site?
Allam told a press conference on September 30 that a secure facility preventing patients from leaving would require security personnel and a purpose-built design, which he described as the characteristics of a prison. He also cited the site's location near Davie Village and the central business district as inappropriate for a large secure institution, and raised concerns about the cost of adapting aging buildings that have known earthquake vulnerabilities, as reported by Daily Hive.
What does the plebiscite question actually ask about the hospital?
The full second question reads: 'Should the City of Vancouver formally ask the Province of B.C. to convert portions of the old St. Paul's Hospital, or another similar site, into a secure medical facility that provides acute voluntary and 100-plus involuntary care beds for individuals posing a serious risk to themselves or others due to severe substance use and mental health disorders?' The question also allows for a different site if the hospital is not used.
What is ABC Vancouver's position on the plebiscite?
ABC Vancouver and Mayor Ken Sim support both plebiscite questions. According to Daily Hive, ABC has launched a dedicated website urging people to vote yes. Sim has argued that a yes vote would give the City a clear political mandate to introduce new enforcement measures against open-air hard drug use and to press the province on expanding treatment capacity.
What did Moira Stilwell say about the old hospital buildings?
Moira Stilwell, a Vancouver Liberals council candidate and physician who says she has worked at St. Paul's Hospital for more than 30 years, cited a previous Providence Health Care review that identified earthquake vulnerabilities in parts of the old campus. She described aging equipment and infrastructure spread across buildings from different construction periods, and said the layout cannot provide the proportion of single-patient rooms required in modern secure facilities, as reported by Daily Hive.
What alternative did Kareem Allam propose?
Allam proposed negotiating what he called a 'Vancouver Accord' to bring together the municipal, provincial, and federal governments on a joint strategy covering mental health, addiction, housing, and public safety. He described expanding the existing four-pillar approach to six pillars by adding youth mental health and housing as separate priorities. He said he supports involuntary care in some circumstances, but could not identify another appropriate site within Vancouver for a facility of the scale proposed.
When and where do Vancouver voters cast their ballots?
The municipal election takes place on Saturday, October 17, 2026. Advance voting runs from October 8 to October 14. Voters can find their polling location and check their registration at the City of Vancouver election office page, and voche.me lists voting place information at /where-to-vote.
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