Vancouver Liberals say ABC drug-use plebiscite is unnecessary
Kareem Allam and the Vancouver Liberals say the ABC-proposed ballot question on open-air drug use should not be on the October 17 ballot because the VPD already has authority to enforce existing laws.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca.
The Vancouver Liberals launched a campaign on September 29 against two ballot questions that ABC Vancouver placed on the October 17 election ballot. CTV News reported that the party says neither question should be there.
Mayoral candidate Kareem Allam said the plebiscite on open-air drug use is redundant. Speaking to CTV News, he said open-air drug use is already illegal under existing laws, and the Vancouver Police Department already has the authority to act on it. "The VPD already has the authority to enforce current drug laws on open-air drug use. Rather than ask the public to strengthen the laws that already make this illegal, Ken Sim should utilize the powers at his disposal to get the VPD to enforce the existing laws," Allam said.
On the second ballot question, which would ask voters whether the city should pressure the province to place 100 involuntary care beds at St. Paul's Hospital, Allam called the location wrong. "It is a prison. Let me be clear. The worst place for a prison is between Davie Village and our central business district," he told CTV News.
How the plebiscite questions got on the ballot
CTV News reported that ABC Vancouver, which held the council majority in the last term, called an emergency council meeting before the term ended and used its majority to add both questions to the October 17 ballot. They will appear on every voter's ballot alongside the races for mayor, city council, park board, and school board.
Incumbent mayor Ken Sim has said the plebiscite is necessary to give the city the tools it needs to strengthen laws around public drug consumption, and to pressure the province on involuntary care. ABC launched a dedicated campaign in support of the questions.
Property taxes also in dispute
The CTV article also covered a separate platform announcement from OneCity. Councillor Lucy Maloney said ABC's "Zero Means Zero" property tax freeze is not sustainable and will lead to higher fees for other city services. CTV News reported that ABC raised property taxes 10.7 per cent in 2023, 7.3 per cent in 2024, and 3.9 per cent in 2025, before freezing them in the most recent budget. OneCity says it would instead set predictable, moderate annual increases.
Both plebiscite questions will be on the ballot on October 17. Voters who want to compare where all parties stand can visit /parties/vancouver-liberals and /parties/abc-vancouver. Advance voting locations and dates are at /where-to-vote.
Questions this story answers
What is the ABC plebiscite on the October 17 ballot?
ABC Vancouver, which holds the current council majority, called an emergency council meeting at the end of the last council term and used its majority to place two questions on the ballot alongside the municipal election. One question asks voters whether the city should strengthen laws around open-air drug use. The other asks whether City Hall should pressure the provincial government to convert part of St. Paul's Hospital into a facility with 100 involuntary care beds. Both questions appear on every Vancouver ballot on October 17, 2026.
What did Kareem Allam say about the drug-use plebiscite?
CTV News reported on September 29 that Kareem Allam, the Vancouver Liberals' candidate for mayor, said the plebiscite question on open-air drug use is unnecessary. He said open-air drug use is already illegal under existing laws, and the Vancouver Police Department already has the authority to enforce those laws. His quoted words to CTV were: 'The VPD already has the authority to enforce current drug laws on open-air drug use. Rather than ask the public to strengthen the laws that already make this illegal, Ken Sim should utilize the powers at his disposal to get the VPD to enforce the existing laws.'
What did the Vancouver Liberals say about the St. Paul's Hospital involuntary care plan?
CTV News reported that Kareem Allam called the ABC plan to place involuntary care beds at St. Paul's Hospital a mistake based on location. His quoted words were: 'It is a prison. Let me be clear. The worst place for a prison is between Davie Village and our central business district.' He also said no other major city is planning a facility of that kind in its downtown core. The Vancouver Liberals launched what CTV described as their own campaign in response to the ABC plan.
What has ABC Vancouver said about the plebiscite?
CTV News reported that ABC Vancouver's mayoral candidate Ken Sim has called the plebiscite necessary to give the city the tools it needs to strengthen laws around public drug consumption, and to pressure the provincial government to convert portions of St. Paul's Hospital into a medical facility with 100 involuntary care beds. ABC launched a dedicated campaign in support of the plebiscite. Voters who want to read more about ABC Vancouver can visit the party's page at /parties/abc-vancouver.
How does this affect what voters see on the ballot on October 17?
The two plebiscite questions will appear on every Vancouver ballot on October 17, 2026, alongside the races for mayor, city council, park board, and school board. Voters will be asked to say yes or no on each question. The results are not binding on the incoming council, but they are meant to signal public opinion. Voters who want information on where to vote can visit /where-to-vote.
What position does OneCity take on property taxes, and how does it compare to ABC?
CTV News reported on September 29 that OneCity councillor Lucy Maloney called the ABC 'Zero Means Zero' property tax freeze unsustainable, saying it would lead to fee increases for other city services. She said the party would instead pursue predictable, moderate annual increases. CTV reported that ABC raised property taxes by 10.7 per cent in 2023, 7.3 per cent in 2024, and 3.9 per cent in 2025, before freezing them in the most recent budget. OneCity is running candidates for city council, park board, and school board; it has no candidate for mayor.
Who is Kareem Allam?
Kareem Allam is the Vancouver Liberals' candidate for mayor in the October 17, 2026 municipal election. He is running against incumbent mayor Ken Sim of ABC Vancouver, along with other mayoral candidates. Voters can read his full candidate profile at /candidates/kareem-allam. The Vancouver Liberals are also running candidates for city council and other offices.
Where can I read more about the parties and their positions on the plebiscite?
Voters can read about the Vancouver Liberals at /parties/vancouver-liberals and about ABC Vancouver at /parties/abc-vancouver. The full party comparison page at /parties lists all 11 parties running in the October 17 election. Advance voting begins before election day; check /where-to-vote for dates, locations, and registration information.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- CTV News: Municipal parties roll out new platform planks in Vancouver electionvancouverisland.ctvnews.ca
- Vancouver Liberals party pagevoche.me
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