--- title: "Jobs, Industrial Land and Small Business: the Vancouver Liberals plan | Vancouver 2026 | voche.me" canonical_url: "https://voche.me/parties/vancouver-liberals/2026-platform/jobs-and-economy/jobs-and-industrial-land" last_updated: "2026-10-10T04:00:56.140Z" meta: description: "The Vancouver Liberals say they would create an Industrial Land Reserve, change zoning so small businesses can make and sell goods in one space, bring youn..." "og:description": "The Vancouver Liberals say they would create an Industrial Land Reserve, change zoning so small businesses can make and sell goods in one space, bring youn..." "og:title": "Jobs, Industrial Land and Small Business: the Vancouver Liberals plan | Vancouver 2026" "twitter:description": "The Vancouver Liberals say they would create an Industrial Land Reserve, change zoning so small businesses can make and sell goods in one space, bring youn..." "twitter:title": "Jobs, Industrial Land and Small Business: the Vancouver Liberals plan | Vancouver 2026" --- ** Vancouver Liberals · Vancouver 2026 # Vancouver Liberals on jobs: an Industrial Land Reserve, maker zoning and a CANZUK bid The Vancouver Liberals say they would create an Industrial Land Reserve, change zoning so small businesses can make and sell goods in one space, bring young people back with jobs and affordable housing in every part of the city, and promote Vancouver as headquarters of a future CANZUK alliance. All 4 commitments [Read the party's own page ](https://www.vancouverliberals.com/issues) [**19**Candidates](https://voche.me/parties/vancouver-liberals/candidates) [**9/10**Issues with published policy](https://voche.me/parties/vancouver-liberals/platform) [**9**Sources on file](https://voche.me/parties/vancouver-liberals/money) **9**Questions answered JOBS AND ECONOMY ## Jobs, Industrial Land and Small Business: what the Kareem's Plan for a Better Vancouver says The Vancouver Liberals' jobs section starts from a worry about who is leaving the city. The party says Vancouver has one of the oldest populations of any city in Canada and that rising costs push young people out. Its answer is to bring them back with more good jobs and more affordable housing in every part of the city. Land for work is the core of the section. The party says Mayor Ken Sim has a plan to eliminate the city's remaining industrial land, and it would set up an Industrial Land Reserve instead, keeping that land for jobs and surrounding it with affordable housing. It also says old industrial-era bylaws stop small businesses from making and selling goods such as candles, clothing or handmade items in the same space, and it would modernize zoning and business rules for small businesses, entrepreneurs and creators. The last item looks beyond Canada. The party describes CANZUK as a future alliance between Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The party says it would champion Vancouver as the home for a CANZUK headquarters, which it says would bring jobs, trade, talent and a stronger role for YVR, Vancouver's airport, as a gateway to Asia and the Pacific. Zoning and business licences belong to Council, so the land reserve and the bylaw changes are city decisions. An alliance between countries, and where its offices go, would be decided by national governments, so the city could only make its case. 4 COMMITMENTS ## What the party says it would do 1. ### Bring young people back with jobs and affordable housing The Vancouver Liberals say they would bring young people back to Vancouver by creating more good jobs and building more affordable housing in every part of the city.
Who has the power
City Council Council sets zoning and approves housing and business permits, which are its main tools for housing and job space.
Source
Kareem's Plan for a Better Vancouver (Issues page)
2. ### Establish an Industrial Land Reserve The party would establish an Industrial Land Reserve to keep jobs in the city, surrounded by affordable housing so that people can build careers and keep their families in Vancouver. It says Ken Sim plans to eliminate the city's remaining industrial land.
Who has the power
City Council Council zones commercial and industrial land under the Vancouver Charter.
Source
Kareem's Plan for a Better Vancouver (Issues page)
3. ### Modernize zoning and business rules for small businesses The party would modernize zoning and business rules so that small businesses, entrepreneurs and creators can work in the city. It says many areas still stop small businesses from making and selling products like candles, clothing or handmade goods in the same space.
Who has the power
City Council Council sets zoning and issues business licences.
Source
Kareem's Plan for a Better Vancouver (Issues page)
4. ### Vancouver as home of a CANZUK headquarters The party would champion Vancouver as the home for the headquarters of a future CANZUK alliance between Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. It says this would bring jobs, trade, talent and a stronger YVR.
Who has the power
Federal government An alliance between countries is a matter for the federal government, so the city can only promote itself as a location.
Source
Kareem's Plan for a Better Vancouver (Issues page)
WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACT ## Where the power sits for this chapter City Council3 Federal government1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ## Questions about jobs, industrial land and small business
What is the Vancouver Liberals' plan for industrial land? The Vancouver Liberals would set up an Industrial Land Reserve to keep jobs in Vancouver, with affordable housing around it. The party says Mayor Ken Sim plans to eliminate the city's remaining industrial land. Council controls zoning, so this is a city decision (party issues page).
Why do the Vancouver Liberals talk about CANZUK? The Vancouver Liberals want Vancouver to be the home of the headquarters of a future CANZUK alliance between Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The party says it would bring jobs, trade and talent. An alliance between countries is a federal matter, so the city could only promote itself (party issues page).
Would the Vancouver Liberals let small businesses make and sell products in one space? Yes. The Vancouver Liberals say old industrial-era bylaws stop small businesses from making and selling goods like candles or clothing in the same space, and they would modernize zoning and business rules to allow it (party issues page).
How would the Vancouver Liberals keep young people in Vancouver? The Vancouver Liberals say they would bring young people back by creating more good jobs and building more affordable housing in every part of the city. The party says Vancouver has one of the oldest populations of any city in Canada (party issues page).
Can Vancouver City Council protect industrial land on its own? Yes. Council zones commercial and industrial land under the Vancouver Charter, so the Vancouver Liberals' Industrial Land Reserve and their zoning changes for small businesses are within the city's power (party issues page).
ON THE BALLOT ## The Vancouver Liberals candidates behind this ### Mayor [56**Kareem Allam**Ballot 56 · Political strategist and former mayoral chief of staff](https://voche.me/candidates/kareem-allam) ### City Council [107**Victoria Jung**Ballot 107 · Vancouver School Board trustee](https://voche.me/candidates/victoria-jung) [118**Jessica Walton**Ballot 118](https://voche.me/candidates/jessica-walton) [125**Armor Valor**Ballot 125](https://voche.me/candidates/armor-valor) [128**Devin Clemens**Ballot 128](https://voche.me/candidates/devin-clemens) [134**John Coupar**Ballot 134](https://voche.me/candidates/john-coupar) [139**Moira Stilwell**Ballot 139](https://voche.me/candidates/moira-stilwell) [145**Michael Wu**Ballot 145](https://voche.me/candidates/michael-wu) ## 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. [Kareem's Plan for a Better Vancouver (Issues page) ](https://www.vancouverliberals.com/issues)SAYS SO ITSELFVancouver Liberals · checked September 26, 2026 ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.