Vancouver Greens on AI data centres, the night economy and childcare at work
The Green Party of Vancouver would write new zoning rules and higher standards for hyperscale data centres, grow film, gaming and VFX work, plan a 24 hour night economy with more night transit, and allow childcare in workplaces at unusual hours.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT · PAGE 38
New Economies: what the Platform 2026 says
The Green Party of Vancouver groups five newer parts of the economy in this chapter. They are artificial intelligence and large data centres, film and gaming, the night-time economy, services for older people, and childcare near places of work. Each item is short, but together they show where the party wants the city's zoning and business support to go next.
The longest item is about hyperscale data centres. These are large buildings full of computers that run services such as artificial intelligence, and they use large amounts of power and water. The Greens say many questions about AI are outside city control, but land use is the city's job. The party would write new land use and zoning rules for these facilities, with higher standards and more benefits for residents.
The night-time plan is called the 24 hour economy. The Greens would push for more night transit, allow live music venues in more zones, permit industrial and creative work around the clock, and extend permits for hospitality. The city controls zoning and permits. Night transit is run by TransLink, a regional body the city does not control, so that part needs TransLink to agree.
The party would also grow film, gaming, visual effects and extended reality work with affordable workspaces and creative hubs, and support businesses in healthy aging and health technology. For childcare, the Greens would work with the health authority and the city's building staff to allow childcare in unusual locations and at unusual hours. The item's title, Childcare where people work, states the goal: care for children close to their parents' jobs.
THE PARTY'S NUMBERS
Figures in this chapter
The party's name for a night-time economy with round-the-clock land uses, night transit and extended permits
The party's figure, page 385 COMMITMENTS
What the party says it would do
Responsible AI and Hyperscale Data Facilities
The party says Vancouver welcomes digital infrastructure that brings community benefits, responsible resource use and good jobs. It says many questions about AI fall outside city powers, but land use must serve the public interest. Facilities with extraordinary demands on power, water and local infrastructure would face new land use and zoning rules and conditions, with higher standards and greater benefits to residents.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council sets zoning and land use conditions, which are the tools the platform names for data centres.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 38
Digital and creative economy
The Greens would grow Vancouver's film, gaming, VFX (visual effects), XR (extended reality) and creative sectors through affordable workspaces, creative hubs and cluster development, meaning groups of related businesses located near each other.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council controls zoning and city business support, which decide where and how creative workspaces can open.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 38
24 hour economy
The party would support a night-time strategy with more night transit, zoning for more live music venues, 24 hour industrial and creative land uses, extended permits and hospitality.
- Who has the power
- City, with others Council controls zoning and permits, but night transit is run by TransLink, a regional body the city does not control, and liquor licensing is shared with the province.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 38
Health and longevity economy
The Greens would make Vancouver a leader in healthy aging, health technology, accessibility innovation and seniors services. The party says supporting industries that help people age well and live independently would create jobs and attract investment.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council can use city business support and land use rules, while health services themselves are run by the province.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 38
Childcare where people work
The party would work with the health authority and the city's building departments to create new rules and chances for childcare in hard-to-use locations and at non-standard hours of operation.
- Who has the power
- City, with others Child care licensing is provincial, so the city can change its own building and zoning rules but needs the health authority the platform names to take part.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 38
WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACT
Where the power sits for this chapter
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Questions about new economies
What is the Green Party of Vancouver's position on AI data centres?
The Green Party of Vancouver says the city welcomes digital infrastructure that brings community benefits, responsible resource use and good jobs. For hyperscale data centres with extraordinary demands on power, water and local infrastructure, it would create new land use and zoning rules with higher standards and greater benefits to residents (platform, page 38).
Would the Vancouver Greens ban hyperscale data centres?
The platform proposes new land use and zoning rules and conditions for hyperscale data centres, with higher standards and greater benefits for residents. The Vancouver Greens say the issue is the scale of their impact on the community (platform, page 38).
What is the Green Party of Vancouver's 24 hour economy plan?
The Green Party of Vancouver would support a night-time strategy with more night transit, zoning for more live music venues, 24 hour industrial and creative land uses, extended permits and hospitality (platform, page 38).
What would the Vancouver Greens do for the film and video game industry?
The Vancouver Greens would grow the city's film, gaming, visual effects, extended reality and creative sectors through affordable workspaces, creative hubs and groups of related businesses located together (platform, page 38).
How would the Green Party of Vancouver create childcare near workplaces?
The Green Party of Vancouver would work with the health authority and the city's building departments to allow childcare in hard-to-use locations and at non-standard hours. Child care licensing is provincial, so the city needs the health authority to take part (platform, page 38).
Could Vancouver council add night transit under the Green Party plan?
Night transit is run by TransLink, a regional body the city does not control, so the Green Party of Vancouver's call for more night transit would need TransLink to act. The zoning and permit parts of the 24 hour economy plan are council decisions (platform, page 38).
ON THE BALLOT
The Green Party of Vancouver candidates behind this
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 38 · published · checked