Vancouver's new School Board to be sworn in today at 5 pm
The nine trustees elected on October 17 take office at a ceremony at VSB offices at 1580 W Broadway on November 2 at 5 pm.
Announcement. A campaign, a party or the City chose to say this. voche.me reports it as their claim. Read the original report on votecope.ca.
Vancouver's nine newly elected School Board trustees are to be sworn in today at 5 pm, according to an announcement COPE published on November 2. The ceremony is at the Vancouver School Board offices at 1580 W Broadway.
The October 17 election returned a board made up of four COPE trustees, three from OneCity, and two from the Green Party of Vancouver. No ABC Vancouver trustee won a seat.
Who is on the new board
The four COPE trustees are Suzie Mah, who held a seat on the previous board, and three members elected for the first time: Derrick O'Keefe, Gwen Giesbrecht, and Melanie Cheng.
The three OneCity trustees are Krista Sigurdson, Steve Cardwell, and Rory Brown.
The two Green Party of Vancouver trustees are Alisha Masongsong and Julie Strilesky.
What COPE said
In its announcement, COPE said its trustees would work to end what it described as years of cuts and neglect under the previous board, restore what it called meaningful participation for parents and community groups, and fight for changes it said would benefit students. These are the party's stated goals. The new board has not yet held a meeting or taken any vote.
Suzie Mah was quoted in the announcement saying it had been "an ongoing battle" opposing the previous board's decisions. The announcement cited the long-term lease of Fleming Elementary's basketball courts to a private developer, the closure of Carleton Elementary, and cuts to staff positions as examples of decisions COPE opposed.
Newly elected trustee Melanie Cheng was quoted saying she had led inquiries into what she described as school property subdivisions and had challenged the previous board on several decisions. These are her own account of her record, as given in the party announcement.
When to follow the board's work
The board takes office today. Its promises, as found across each trustee's campaign materials, are on this site: see the pages linked above for each trustee. The VSB's meeting schedule will be updated at vsb.bc.ca once the new board sets its calendar.
Residents who want to attend tonight's ceremony can go to the VSB offices at 1580 W Broadway at 5 pm today.
Questions this story answers
When and where is the swearing-in ceremony for Vancouver's new School Board?
COPE's November 2 announcement says the ceremony takes place on Monday, November 2, 2026 at 5 pm at the Vancouver School Board main offices at 1580 W Broadway in Vancouver. The announcement does not say whether it is open to the public, so contact the VSB at vsb.bc.ca to confirm before attending.
Which parties hold seats on the new Vancouver School Board?
Based on the October 17 election results, COPE holds four seats, OneCity holds three, and the Green Party of Vancouver holds two, for a total of nine trustees on the new board. No ABC Vancouver trustee won a seat, ending the party's majority on the board.
Who are the four COPE trustees on the new board?
The four COPE trustees are Suzie Mah, who returned from the previous board, and three members elected for the first time: Derrick O'Keefe, Gwen Giesbrecht, and Melanie Cheng. Each of their pages on this site lists their campaign promises and what they are tracking in office.
Who are the OneCity trustees elected to the new board?
The three OneCity trustees are Krista Sigurdson, Steve Cardwell, and Rory Brown. All three were elected on October 17, 2026. Their individual campaign promises are tracked on their pages on this site, linked above in the article.
Who are the Green Party trustees on the new board?
The two Green Party of Vancouver trustees on the new board are Alisha Masongsong and Julie Strilesky. Both were elected on October 17, 2026. Their campaign promises and any records from their time in office are tracked on their pages on this site.
Is the swearing-in ceremony open to the public?
COPE's announcement does not say whether the ceremony is open to the public. The address given is the Vancouver School Board main offices at 1580 W Broadway. You can contact the VSB directly to confirm attendance details before 5 pm today.
What did COPE say about its priorities on the new board?
In its November 2 announcement, COPE said its trustees would work to end what it described as cuts and misplaced priorities from the previous board, restore what it called meaningful stakeholder participation, and support students it described as vulnerable. These are the party's stated goals, not decisions the board has made.
When can residents see the new board's first official decisions?
The board takes office today, November 2, 2026. Its first official meeting has not been publicly scheduled as of this article. Check the Vancouver School Board's website at vsb.bc.ca for meeting dates once the new board is in place.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- COPE announcement, November 2, 2026votecope.ca
- Election results, voche.mevoche.me
Found an error? Tell the editors with the corrections form. A correction is noted on the story it changes. Read our standards.
