Green Party of Vancouver economic plan: small business, main streets, arts and food
The Green Party of Vancouver's economic plan, chapter by chapter. It would give small businesses one contact at City Hall, require redevelopments to replace affordable shop space, restore arts grants, protect industrial land and plan a Future Food Hub.
CITY COUNCIL · PAGES 32 TO 41
The aim of Economic Development, in the party's words
Our job is to protect our businesses and industries, our arts and culture, and grow the next generation of local opportunity.
Economic Development is the fourth part of the Green Party of Vancouver's 2026 platform, on pages 32 to 41. It opens with the party's view that Vancouver leads in creativity, innovation, resilience and quality of life amid global economic disruption. It then covers City Hall service for business, main streets, arts and culture, employment land, new economies, food, and community wealth building.
The largest commitments are a Business Navigator Service that gives each small business one contact person at the city, a "no net loss" rule that would make major redevelopments replace the affordable commercial space they remove, and the return of arts staff and grants that the party says ABC's council cut. The Greens would also let qualified venues hold up to eight events a month for up to 60 people, write new zoning rules for large AI data centres, and plan a regional Future Food Hub.
Most of these items use powers City Council holds: zoning, business licences, permit fees, the city budget and city purchasing. A few depend on other governments. Property tax flexibility and commercial tenant protections would need the Province, which the party says it would work with or ask. Night transit is run by TransLink, and the Future Food Hub is described as regional infrastructure.
7 CHAPTERS
Every chapter in Economic Development
Taking Care of Business
Vancouver Greens on business: a navigator service, faster permits, local buying
- Strengthen the Business and Economy Office
- Compete for investment
- Benchmark Vancouver
Main Streets First
Vancouver Greens on main streets: no net loss of shop space and property tax relief
- Progressive Property Tax Relief
- Empowered and responsive Business Improvement Areas
- Commercial rent protection advocacy and local retention strategies
Arts and Culture
Vancouver Greens on the arts: restored grants, a festival fund, 8 events a month
- Eastside Arts District
- Support arts, culture, and creative economies
- Restore City arts funding and a new strategy
Employment Land Protection
Vancouver Greens on industrial land: keep it for jobs, grow clean tech and reuse
- Protect employment lands
- Protect industrial jobs and production
- Canada's gateway to the Pacific
New Economies
Vancouver Greens on AI data centres, the night economy and childcare at work
- Responsible AI and Hyperscale Data Facilities
- Digital and creative economy
- 24 hour economy
Food Systems and Agritech
Vancouver Greens on food: permanent farmers markets, shared kitchens, a food hub
- Support and grow food recovery network
- Growing a food/farmers market strategy
- Support permanent, regularized farmers markets
Community Wealth Building
Vancouver Greens on local wealth: home businesses, enterprise hubs, buy local
- Grow local wealth
- Home-based businesses
- Neighbourhood enterprise hubs
WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACT
Who holds the power for these 44 commitments
Each chapter page names the body for every commitment and gives the reason in one sentence.
ON THE BALLOT
The Green Party of Vancouver candidates behind this
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Questions about Economic Development
What is the Green Party of Vancouver's plan for the economy?
The Green Party of Vancouver's economic plan, chapter by chapter. It includes a Business Navigator Service for small businesses, a no net loss rule for affordable commercial space, restored arts grants, protection for industrial land, new zoning rules for large data centres and a Future Food Hub (platform, pages 32 to 41).
What would the Vancouver Greens do for small businesses?
The Vancouver Greens would cut red tape and permit costs, speed up approvals and give each small business one contact person through a Business Navigator Service. They would also require major redevelopments to replace affordable commercial space, and ask the Province for commercial tenant protections and property tax flexibility (platform, pages 32 to 34).
Does the Green Party of Vancouver want to restore arts funding?
Yes. The Green Party of Vancouver would restore and expand the arts and culture staffing and grants that it says ABC cut, create a City-funded Festival Fund and support Cultural Land Trusts that keep buildings for arts use (platform, page 36).
What are the Vancouver Greens' plans for AI and data centres?
The Vancouver Greens would create new land use and zoning rules for hyperscale data centres, the large computer facilities that make extraordinary demands on power, water and local infrastructure. The party says these facilities must meet higher standards and give greater benefits to residents (platform, page 38).
How would the Green Party of Vancouver protect jobs on industrial land?
The Green Party of Vancouver would protect employment and industrial lands from speculative conversion and keep them for manufacturing, logistics, marine industries and food processing. It would also grow jobs in building retrofits, clean technology and a circular economy (platform, page 37).
Which parts of the Green Party of Vancouver's economic plan need another government?
Most of the plan uses City Council's own powers over zoning, licences, fees, the budget and purchasing. The Green Party of Vancouver says it would work with or ask the Province for property tax flexibility and commercial tenant protections. More night transit would need TransLink, and the Future Food Hub is described as regional infrastructure (platform, pages 34 to 40).
Sources
Every commitment on this page comes from the party's own material, marked SAYS SO ITSELF. It proves what the party says it would do. Who holds each power is our own addition, from the sources listed after it.
- Platform 2026, Green Party of Vancouver (72-page PDF, last updated September 29, 2026) SAYS SO ITSELFGreen Party of Vancouver · pages 32 to 41 · published · checked