Three Vancouver parties support bringing back ward elections
Kareem Allam, Colleen Hardwick and COPE all say Vancouver should elect councillors by neighbourhood rather than city-wide, according to the Vancouver Sun.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on vancouversun.com.
Three parties running in Vancouver's October 17 election have called for the city to switch from its current council election model to a ward system, the Vancouver Sun reported on October 6, 2026.
Vancouver Liberals mayoral candidate Kareem Allam, TEAM for a Livable Vancouver mayoral candidate Colleen Hardwick, and COPE all stated support for the change, according to the Vancouver Sun.
What each party says
The Vancouver Liberals say a ward system would reduce the number of candidates a voter must evaluate. Allam said in a news release, as reported by the Vancouver Sun, that this would make it easier for candidates and voters to connect and could result in more people feeling ready to make an informed decision and vote.
Hardwick said in a news release, also reported by the Vancouver Sun, that many neighbourhood concerns are ignored under the current city-wide model. The Vancouver Sun quoted her statement: "We need a ward system so councillors are directly accountable to the residents that elected them."
COPE also supports a ward system, the Vancouver Sun reported, without publishing a separate statement.
How the current system works
Vancouver uses an at-large system. Every voter across the whole city sees the same list of council candidates and chooses up to 10. Whoever gets the most votes city-wide fills the 10 available seats, regardless of where in the city candidates or voters live.
Most other large Canadian cities, including Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Regina, divide the city into wards and elect one or more councillors per ward, the Vancouver Sun reported.
The history of ward votes
Vancouver removed ward elections in 1935, the Vancouver Sun reported. Voters were asked to restore them in 2004 and declined, with 54 per cent voting to keep the at-large system and 46 per cent supporting a return to wards, according to the Vancouver Sun.
In Vancouver's 2022 election, 36.3 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot, the Vancouver Sun reported.
What a change would take
Any shift away from the at-large system would require provincial action, as British Columbia law governs how municipal elections run. The Vancouver Sun described the path to change as potentially slow. None of the parties supporting the ward system have published a detailed plan for how they would bring it about.
If you want to compare where the parties running in 2026 stand on this and other questions, their platforms are on the /parties page. Voting is on October 17, 2026.
Questions this story answers
What is a ward system?
Under a ward system, the city is divided into geographic areas. Voters in each area elect a councillor to represent only that area. Vancouver currently uses an at-large system, where every voter across the entire city chooses from all council candidates, and whoever gets the most votes city-wide fills the available seats.
Which Vancouver parties support switching to a ward system?
The Vancouver Sun reported on October 6, 2026 that three parties running in the 2026 civic election support a ward system: the Vancouver Liberals (whose mayoral candidate is Kareem Allam), TEAM for a Livable Vancouver (whose mayoral candidate is Colleen Hardwick), and COPE. The other major parties, including ABC Vancouver, have not announced support for the change.
What did Kareem Allam say about the ward system?
Allam said in a news release, as reported by the Vancouver Sun, that a ward system would mean voters have to learn about fewer candidates. According to the Vancouver Sun, Allam said this smaller number would make it easier for candidates and voters to connect, and could result in more people feeling ready to make an informed decision and vote.
What did Colleen Hardwick say about the ward system?
Hardwick said in a news release, as reported by the Vancouver Sun, that many neighbourhood concerns are ignored under an at-large system. The Vancouver Sun quoted her saying: 'We need a ward system so councillors are directly accountable to the residents that elected them.'
Has Vancouver voted on a ward system before?
Yes. The Vancouver Sun reported that Vancouver voted to remove ward elections in 1935, driven by divisions within the B.C. Liberal party during the economic crisis of the 1930s. Voters were asked again in 2004 and said no to a ward system by a margin of 54 per cent to 46 per cent, according to the Vancouver Sun.
How does Vancouver's voter turnout compare to other cities?
The Vancouver Sun reported that in the 2022 municipal election, 36.3 per cent of eligible voters in Vancouver cast a ballot. Supporters of the ward system argue that the current city-wide model, where voters must assess a long list of candidates, is one reason participation is low.
Does a ward system require a provincial change?
The Vancouver Sun described changing the system as potentially slow to come. Provincial legislation governs how municipal elections run in British Columbia, which means city council cannot simply decide to switch. Any change would require the province to act. The parties supporting the ward system have not published a detailed plan for how they would bring it about.
Where can I find out more about the candidates and parties?
The voche.me parties pages list what each party running in the 2026 Vancouver election says it stands for. Candidate profiles for Kareem Allam and Colleen Hardwick are at /candidates/kareem-allam and /candidates/colleen-hardwick. Voting takes place on October 17, 2026.
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