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What Vancouver's seven civic parties say about public safety

Vancouver Is Awesome compiled public safety positions from all seven mainstream parties ahead of the October 17 election, covering policing, drug use, mental health response, and crime prevention.

By voche.me editorsPublished Wednesday, October 7, 2026 at 8:44 pm PT2 min read · 2 sources

Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on vancouverisawesome.com.

A person on a bicycle on a Vancouver street — Vancouver Is Awesome

Vancouver Is Awesome published a side-by-side of all seven mainstream parties' public safety platforms on October 7, compiled by reporter Mike Howell from news conferences, press releases and party websites. With ten days until the October 17 election, the comparison covers policing, open-air drug use, mental health response, and crime prevention.

VPD data cited in the article shows overall violent crime in Vancouver was up 6 per cent in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. Assaults rose from 2,011 to 2,153 reported cases and robberies from 232 to 250. Break-ins to vehicles, however, fell from 16,431 in 2019 to 5,385 in 2025.

The parties' stated positions cover a wide range. ABC Vancouver calls for banning open-air hard drug use and pursuing more than 100 involuntary care beds. COPE calls for an audit of the VPD and says mental health calls should move to peer-assisted care teams instead. The Green Party of Vancouver proposes a 24-hour non-police mobile response team called CROW to handle non-emergency calls involving people experiencing homelessness or addiction. OneCity wants a single crisis response system where mental health professionals and peer responders take calls that do not need police. TEAM for a Livable Vancouver prioritizes working with the province on long-term solutions and wants improved public washrooms and syringe collection across the city. Vote Vancouver calls for a community safety strategy built across police, health providers and community organizations. The Vancouver Liberals want to fund 15 new VPD financial crime officers and close Bitcoin ATMs and unregulated currency exchanges they say are used to launder drug proceeds.

All seven positions are the parties' own claims, compiled by Vancouver Is Awesome from party materials. A voter comparing platforms can read each party's full profile at /parties. Advance voting is open through October 10.

Questions this story answers

What does ABC Vancouver say about public safety?

ABC Vancouver's platform calls for banning open-air hard drug use in public spaces and giving police a new tool to seize hard drugs. The party wants more than 100 involuntary care beds in Vancouver and says provincial drug consumption sites should be located away from schools and parks. ABC also proposes non-profit oversight for all public housing with street disorder issues. These are ABC's own stated positions, as compiled by Vancouver Is Awesome from party materials.

What does COPE say about public safety?

COPE calls for an audit of the Vancouver Police Department and a shift that removes mental health calls from VPD priorities, directing that funding toward peer-assisted care teams and other community safety programs. COPE also commits to implementing five calls to action from Battered Women Support Services on intimate partner violence, and supports evidence-based interventions for the overdose crisis including drug testing, safe-supply programs and supervised consumption sites. These are COPE's own stated positions.

What does the Green Party of Vancouver say about public safety?

The Green Party of Vancouver proposes a 24-hour non-police, non-medical mobile response team called CROW (Community Response Outreach Workers) to handle non-emergency calls involving people experiencing homelessness, addiction or other vulnerabilities. The party also wants a comprehensive municipal strategy and task force on intimate partner violence, and restored funding for sex worker safety coordinators. These are the Green Party's own stated positions, as compiled by Vancouver Is Awesome.

What does OneCity say about public safety?

OneCity calls for a single coordinated crisis response system where trained mental health professionals and peer responders handle calls that do not need police, freeing police to focus on organized and major crime. The party supports community violence intervention through trusted community messengers and plans to build on the Downtown Community Court and Indigenous-led safety models. OneCity also commits to well-lit streets, parks, pathways and bus stops in every neighbourhood. These are OneCity's own stated positions.

What does TEAM for a Livable Vancouver say about public safety?

TEAM's platform prioritizes prevention and education and commits to working with the province on long-term solutions for people experiencing homelessness, addiction and mental health issues. The party supports the provincial advisor for the Downtown Eastside and calls for consulting with residents on neighbourhood health and safety policy, along with improved public washrooms and more frequent syringe collection on streets and playgrounds. These are TEAM's own stated positions, as compiled by Vancouver Is Awesome from party materials.

What does Vote Vancouver say about public safety?

Vote Vancouver's platform includes developing a community safety and wellbeing strategy in collaboration with police, health-care providers, non-profit organizations, Indigenous organizations, businesses and community groups. The party wants to reinstate community policing centres as neighbourhood hubs and review the adequacy of emergency services to meet the needs of a growing city. These are Vote Vancouver's own stated positions.

What does the Vancouver Liberals party say about public safety?

The Vancouver Liberals want to fund 15 new VPD financial crime officers to investigate criminal proceeds and dismantle the local drug economy, and to close Bitcoin ATMs, unregulated currency exchanges and predatory lenders it says are used to launder criminal proceeds. The party also plans to launch a Vancouver Violence Reduction Unit that would bring police, schools, health and community groups together to reach at-risk youth. These are the Vancouver Liberals' own stated positions.

What do VPD crime statistics show for the first half of 2026?

According to VPD data cited by Vancouver Is Awesome, the first six months of 2026 showed a 6 per cent increase in overall violent crime compared with the same period in 2025. Assaults rose from 2,011 to 2,153 reported cases, and robberies increased from 232 to 250. By contrast, break-ins to vehicles fell from 16,431 in 2019 to 5,385 in 2025, and break-and-enters to homes and businesses dropped from 4,695 to 2,157 over the same period.

When and where can I vote in the Vancouver municipal election?

Voting day is Saturday, October 17, 2026. Advance voting is open now through October 10 at locations across Vancouver. You can find the full list of advance voting and election day voting places on the City of Vancouver's website or at voche.me under Where to Vote. Party platforms on public safety and other topics are compared at voche.me/parties.