--- title: "Schools at the Centre of Community: the Green Party of Vancouver plan | Vancouver 2026 | voche.me" canonical_url: "https://voche.me/parties/green-party-of-vancouver/2026-platform/school-board/schools-at-the-centre-of-community" last_updated: "2026-10-10T04:00:38.845Z" meta: description: "The Green Party of Vancouver would expand licensed child care and before and after-school care on school property, open more school gyms, fields, libraries..." "og:description": "The Green Party of Vancouver would expand licensed child care and before and after-school care on school property, open more school gyms, fields, libraries..." "og:title": "Schools at the Centre of Community: the Green Party of Vancouver plan | Vancouver 2026" "twitter:description": "The Green Party of Vancouver would expand licensed child care and before and after-school care on school property, open more school gyms, fields, libraries..." "twitter:title": "Schools at the Centre of Community: the Green Party of Vancouver plan | Vancouver 2026" --- ** Green Party of Vancouver · Vancouver 2026 # Vancouver Greens on child care in schools, shared school spaces and safe routes The Green Party of Vancouver would expand licensed child care and before and after-school care on school property, open more school gyms, fields, libraries and kitchens to the community outside class hours, and work with City Council and the Park Board on safer walking and cycling routes to school. All 22 commitments [Read pages 64 to 66 of the PDF ](https://assets.nationbuilder.com/vangreens/pages/6122/attachments/original/1790718545/Platform_2026_-_Green_Party_of_Vancouver_%281%29.pdf?1790718545#page=64) [**10**Candidates](https://voche.me/parties/green-party-of-vancouver/candidates) [**10/10**Issues with published policy](https://voche.me/parties/green-party-of-vancouver/platform) [**12**Sources on file](https://voche.me/parties/green-party-of-vancouver/money) **8**Questions answered SCHOOL BOARD · PAGES 64 TO 66 ## Schools at the Centre of Community: what the Platform 2026 says The Green Party of Vancouver calls public school buildings some of the most important public assets in the city, and wants them used more before and after the school day where this does not get in the way of teaching. Its first priority is child care. The party would expand licensed child care on school property, find the schools with room for more spaces, and work with governments and licensed providers to add before-school and after-school care. It would also build child care into plans for renewed and new schools and remove unnecessary barriers for community providers who want to use suitable school rooms. The second theme is shared space. The Greens would open more gyms, fields, libraries, kitchens and other rooms to community use outside class hours, review what stops community groups from getting access, and explore joint-use agreements, meaning formal deals to share buildings and land, with the City and the Park Board. The party says student learning, safety and school operations would come first whenever space is shared. It would also build ties with neighbourhood houses, arts groups, recreation providers, post-secondary schools and employers, and invite City Council to meet with the school board on common issues. Safe routes to school depend on the city. The Greens would work with City Council and the Park Board on better walking, rolling and cycling routes to schools, ask for street changes that slow traffic near schools, and improve bike and mobility-device parking on school sites. Council owns and designs the streets, sidewalks and crossings, so the board can only ask for those changes. Child care licensing and operating money come from the Province, while the board decides how its own buildings are used. 22 COMMITMENTS ## What the party says it would do 1. ### Expand licensed child care on school property The Greens would expand opportunities for licensed child care on school property.
Who has the power
School Board The board decides how its buildings and land are used, while the Province licenses child care.
Source
Platform 2026, page 64
2. ### Find sites for more child care The party would identify schools and sites that can hold more child care.
Who has the power
School Board The board decides how its buildings and land are used.
Source
Platform 2026, page 64
3. ### Increase before-school and after-school care The Greens would work with governments and licensed providers to increase before-school and after-school care.
Who has the power
City, with others The Province licenses child care and provides subsidies and operating funding, so the board needs other governments and providers.
Source
Platform 2026, page 64
4. ### Plan child care into school renewals The party would include child care in major school-renewal and new-school plans.
Who has the power
School Board The board plans its own renewals and new schools.
Source
Platform 2026, page 64
5. ### Reduce barriers for child care providers The Greens would reduce unnecessary barriers for community child care providers who want to use suitable school spaces.
Who has the power
School Board The board sets the rules for use of its own spaces.
Source
Platform 2026, page 64
6. ### Match child care growth with neighbourhood needs The party would coordinate with the City, the Province and community partners so child care growth matches neighbourhood needs.
Who has the power
City, with others The city creates child care spaces through zoning and its own buildings, and the Province licenses and funds them, so the board can only coordinate.
Source
Platform 2026, page 64
7. ### Open school spaces outside class hours The Greens would expand suitable community use of gyms, fields, libraries, kitchens and other school spaces outside class hours.
Who has the power
School Board The board controls access to its own buildings and fields.
Source
Platform 2026, page 65
8. ### Review barriers to community access The party would review the barriers that stop community organizations from using suitable school buildings.
Who has the power
School Board The board sets the rules for use of its own buildings.
Source
Platform 2026, page 65
9. ### Partner with neighbourhood houses and nonprofits The Greens would build stronger partnerships with neighbourhood houses, arts organizations, recreation providers and nonprofits.
Who has the power
School Board The board can make its own partnerships with community groups.
Source
Platform 2026, page 65
10. ### Explore joint-use agreements The party would explore joint-use agreements, formal deals to share buildings and land, with the City, the Park Board and other public bodies.
Who has the power
City, with others A joint-use agreement needs the City, the Park Board or another public body to agree as well.
Source
Platform 2026, page 65
11. ### Publish which school spaces are available The Greens would improve public information on which school buildings are available for community use.
Who has the power
School Board The board sets its own meeting rules, consultation and reporting, so it can do this itself.
Source
Platform 2026, page 65
12. ### Put students first when sharing space The party would keep student learning, safety and school operations as the first priority when sharing buildings.
Who has the power
School Board The board runs Vancouver public schools and sets its own policies, so it can act on this alone.
Source
Platform 2026, page 65
13. ### Improve walking, rolling and cycling routes The Greens would work with Vancouver City Council and the Park Board to improve walking, rolling and cycling connections to schools and support school travel planning.
Who has the power
City Council The city owns and designs its streets, sidewalks and bike routes, so the board can only work with Council.
Source
Platform 2026, page 65
14. ### Advocate for traffic calming near schools The party would ask for traffic-calming measures, street changes that slow cars, around schools where warranted.
Who has the power
City Council The city owns and designs its streets, so the board can only ask Council to act.
Source
Platform 2026, page 65
15. ### Improve bike and mobility-device parking The Greens would improve secure bicycle and mobility-device parking on school sites where feasible.
Who has the power
School Board Parking on school sites is the board's own decision.
Source
Platform 2026, page 65
16. ### Coordinate with the City's transportation network The party would coordinate school-site changes with the City's transportation network to fix dangerous intersections, missing sidewalks, unsafe crossings and gaps in cycling routes that affect students.
Who has the power
City Council The city owns and designs its streets, sidewalks and crossings, so the board can only ask Council to fix them.
Source
Platform 2026, page 65
17. ### Build ties with community organizations The Greens would build stronger relationships with neighbourhood houses, nonprofits, community centres and cultural organizations.
Who has the power
School Board The board can make its own partnerships with community groups.
Source
Platform 2026, page 66
18. ### Expand post-secondary and employer partnerships The party would expand partnerships with post-secondary institutions and employers.
Who has the power
School Board The board can make its own partnerships with colleges and employers.
Source
Platform 2026, page 66
19. ### Work with arts and recreation groups The Greens would work with arts and recreation organizations to give students more opportunities.
Who has the power
School Board The board can make its own partnerships with community groups.
Source
Platform 2026, page 66
20. ### Connect schools with health and social services The party would strengthen connections between schools and community health and social services.
Who has the power
School Board The board can link its schools to these services, but health and social services belong to other governments.
Source
Platform 2026, page 66
21. ### Make it easier for community partners to help The Greens would make it easier for suitable community partners to help with student learning and wellbeing.
Who has the power
School Board The board runs Vancouver public schools and sets its own policies, so it can act on this alone.
Source
Platform 2026, page 66
22. ### Coordinate with City Council and the Park Board The party would coordinate more closely with elected City Council and Park Board members on issues that cross their areas of responsibility. It would invite City Council to meet with the school board on common issues.
Who has the power
School Board The board can invite Council to meet, but it cannot direct the City or the Park Board.
Source
Platform 2026, page 66
WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACT ## Where the power sits for this chapter School Board16 City Council3 City, with others3 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ## Questions about schools at the centre of community
Does the Green Party of Vancouver want more child care in schools? Yes. The Green Party of Vancouver would expand licensed child care on school property, identify schools with room for more spaces, and include child care in plans for renewed and new schools. It would also work with governments and licensed providers to increase before-school and after-school care (platform, page 64).
Would the Vancouver Greens let community groups use school gyms and fields? The Greens would expand suitable community use of gyms, fields, libraries, kitchens and other school spaces outside class hours and review the barriers that keep community groups out. They say student learning, safety and school operations would stay the first priority (platform, page 65).
What would the Green Party of Vancouver do about traffic safety near schools? The Green Party of Vancouver would work with City Council and the Park Board to improve walking, rolling and cycling routes to schools and ask for traffic calming near schools where warranted. It would also coordinate school-site changes with the City's transportation network to fix dangerous intersections, missing sidewalks and unsafe crossings (platform, page 65).
Can the Vancouver School Board fix the streets around schools? The City owns and designs Vancouver's streets, sidewalks and crossings, so the school board can only ask City Council to act. The Green Party of Vancouver's platform frames these items as working with the City and advocating, and keeps bike and mobility-device parking on school sites as a board task (platform, page 65).
Who licenses child care in Vancouver schools under the Green plan? The Province licenses child care and provides subsidies and operating funding, while the board decides how its buildings and land are used. The Green Party of Vancouver says it would coordinate with the City, the Province and community partners so child care growth matches neighbourhood needs (platform, page 64).
How would the Vancouver Greens work with City Council and the Park Board on schools? The Greens would coordinate more closely with elected City Council and Park Board members on issues that cross their responsibilities and invite City Council to meet with the school board on common issues. They would also explore joint-use agreements to share buildings and land with the City and the Park Board (platform, pages 65 and 66).
ON THE BALLOT ## The Green Party of Vancouver candidates behind this ### School Board [303**Alisha Masongsong**Ballot 303](https://voche.me/candidates/alisha-masongsong) [330**Julie Strilesky**Ballot 330](https://voche.me/candidates/julie-strilesky) ## 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. 1. [Platform 2026, Green Party of Vancouver (72-page PDF, last updated September 29, 2026) ](https://assets.nationbuilder.com/vangreens/pages/6122/attachments/original/1790718545/Platform_2026_-_Green_Party_of_Vancouver_%281%29.pdf?1790718545#page=64)SAYS SO ITSELFGreen Party of Vancouver · pages 64 to 66 · published September 29, 2026 · checked September 30, 2026 ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.