--- title: "An Elected Park Board and a Better Budget Process: the Vancouver Liberals plan | Vancouver 2026 | voche.me" canonical_url: "https://voche.me/parties/vancouver-liberals/2026-platform/parks-and-recreation/park-board-governance-and-budget" last_updated: "2026-10-10T04:00:56.826Z" meta: description: "The Vancouver Liberals' parks plan says they would fight every effort to remove the elected Park Board, repeal the Mayor's motion calling for its abolition..." "og:description": "The Vancouver Liberals' parks plan says they would fight every effort to remove the elected Park Board, repeal the Mayor's motion calling for its abolition..." "og:title": "An Elected Park Board and a Better Budget Process: the Vancouver Liberals plan | Vancouver 2026" "twitter:description": "The Vancouver Liberals' parks plan says they would fight every effort to remove the elected Park Board, repeal the Mayor's motion calling for its abolition..." "twitter:title": "An Elected Park Board and a Better Budget Process: the Vancouver Liberals plan | Vancouver 2026" --- ** Vancouver Liberals · Vancouver 2026 # Vancouver Liberals: keep the Park Board elected, raise its share to 9% of the budget The Vancouver Liberals' parks plan says they would fight every effort to remove the elected Park Board, repeal the Mayor's motion calling for its abolition, create a Joint Budget Advisory Committee, and restore Park Board funding from 7.9% to 9% of the city budget in four years. All 9 commitments [Read the party's own page ](https://assets.nationbuilder.com/vancouverliberals/pages/233/attachments/original/1787255366/Vancouver_Liberals_Park_Plan.pdf?1787255366) [**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 PARKS AND RECREATION ## An Elected Park Board and a Better Budget Process: what the Kareem's Plan for a Better Vancouver says The Vancouver Liberals publish a separate two-page plan for parks and recreation, linked from their issues page. It opens by saying the party wants a strong, independent Park Board with the tools, budget stability and modern facilities it needs. The first section says the Park Board must stay elected and independent. The party would fight all efforts, by the current Mayor or anyone else, to remove it, and would repeal the Mayor's motion at City Council that called for abolishing the board. The second section is about money. The party would create a Joint Budget Advisory Committee of Park Board commissioners, city councillors, the city's general manager of finance and the Park Board's general manager. This committee would guide the yearly budget and set shared expectations. The plan lists financial goals for it: earlier access to accurate forecasts, a pre-budget outlook issued jointly each year, service levels matched to approved funding, clear reporting in line with guidance from the Office of the Auditor General, and a rise in Park Board funding from 7.9% to 9% of the city's total budget within four years. The plan also sets out a three-year rolling budget for the Park Board. Year 1 would be approved and years 2 and 3 forecast, with year 4 set jointly through the advisory committee. The budget would adjust each year for inflation, population growth and the renewal of aging assets, with the goal of fewer swings from year to year and steadier long-term planning. Vancouver is the only major Canadian city with a separately elected park board, and that board exists under the Vancouver Charter, which only the Province can change. Council approves the city's budget, including the Park Board's share, so the funding and committee steps need both bodies to agree. THE PARTY'S NUMBERS ## Figures in this chapter **7.9%** The Park Board's current share of the city budget, according to the party The party's figure **9%** The share of the city budget the party would restore to the Park Board The party's figure **4 years** Time the party gives itself to raise Park Board funding to 9% of the city budget The party's figure **3 years** Length of the rolling budget framework the party proposes for the Park Board The party's figure 9 COMMITMENTS ## What the party says it would do 1. ### Fight all efforts to remove the elected Park Board The Vancouver Liberals would fight all efforts, by the current Mayor and anyone else, to remove Vancouver's elected Park Board.
Who has the power
Province The Park Board exists under the Vancouver Charter, and only the Province can change that act.
Source
Vancouver Liberals: Our Plan for Parks and Recreation Facilities (PDF)
2. ### Repeal the Mayor's motion to abolish the Park Board The party would repeal the Mayor's motion at City Council that called for abolishing the Park Board.
Who has the power
City Council Council can repeal its own motion by a vote.
Source
Vancouver Liberals: Our Plan for Parks and Recreation Facilities (PDF)
3. ### Create a Joint Budget Advisory Committee The party would create a Joint Budget Advisory Committee of Park Board commissioners, city councillors, the city's general manager of finance and the Park Board general manager, to guide the annual budget cycle and set shared expectations for financial planning.
Who has the power
City, with others Council and the Park Board would both have to agree to form a joint committee.
Source
Vancouver Liberals: Our Plan for Parks and Recreation Facilities (PDF)
4. ### Earlier access to accurate financial forecasts The party sets a financial goal of earlier access to accurate financial forecasts for the Park Board's budget.
Who has the power
City, with others The plan places both the city's and the Park Board's senior finance staff in the budget process, so both bodies would be involved.
Source
Vancouver Liberals: Our Plan for Parks and Recreation Facilities (PDF)
5. ### A jointly issued annual pre-budget outlook The party sets a goal of a pre-budget outlook issued jointly by the city and the Park Board each year.
Who has the power
City, with others A joint report needs both Council and the Park Board to take part.
Source
Vancouver Liberals: Our Plan for Parks and Recreation Facilities (PDF)
6. ### Match service levels to approved funding The party sets a goal of aligning the Park Board's service levels with the funding that is approved for them.
Who has the power
Park Board The Park Board decides how its programs and services are run within the money it receives.
Source
Vancouver Liberals: Our Plan for Parks and Recreation Facilities (PDF)
7. ### Clear reporting in line with Auditor General guidance The party sets a goal of clear, consistent reporting and performance measures aligned with guidance from the OAG, the Office of the Auditor General.
Who has the power
City, with others Both Council and the Park Board would set the reporting rules for the Park Board's budget.
Source
Vancouver Liberals: Our Plan for Parks and Recreation Facilities (PDF)
8. ### Restore Park Board funding from 7.9% to 9% of the city budget The party sets a goal of restoring Park Board funding from 7.9% to 9% of the global city budget within four years.
Who has the power
City Council Council approves the city's operating budget, which sets the Park Board's share.
Source
Vancouver Liberals: Our Plan for Parks and Recreation Facilities (PDF)
9. ### A three-year rolling budget for the Park Board The party would set up a three-year rolling budget that approves Year 1, forecasts Years 2 and 3, sets Year 4 jointly through the Joint Budget Advisory Committee, adjusts each year for inflation, population growth and asset renewal, and reduces swings from year to year to support long-term program and capital planning.
Who has the power
City, with others Council approves the city budget and the Park Board plans its own spending, so both would have to adopt the framework.
Source
Vancouver Liberals: Our Plan for Parks and Recreation Facilities (PDF)
WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACT ## Where the power sits for this chapter City, with others5 City Council2 Park Board1 Province1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ## Questions about an elected park board and a better budget process
Do the Vancouver Liberals want to keep the Park Board? Yes. The Vancouver Liberals say the Park Board must stay elected and independent. They would fight every effort to remove it and repeal the Mayor's motion at City Council that called for its abolition (party park plan).
How much money would the Vancouver Liberals give the Park Board? The Vancouver Liberals' parks plan sets a goal of raising Park Board funding from 7.9% to 9% of the city's total budget within four years. Council approves the city budget, so it would have to agree (party park plan).
What is the Vancouver Liberals' Joint Budget Advisory Committee? It is a committee the Vancouver Liberals would create, made up of Park Board commissioners, city councillors, the city's general manager of finance and the Park Board general manager. It would guide the yearly budget and set shared expectations for financial planning (party park plan).
Who decides whether Vancouver keeps its elected Park Board? The Park Board exists under the Vancouver Charter, and only the Province can change that act. Council can repeal its own motion, which is why the Vancouver Liberals promise to repeal the Mayor's motion and to fight efforts to remove the board (party park plan).
What is a three-year rolling budget in the Vancouver Liberals' parks plan? The Vancouver Liberals would approve the Park Board's budget for one year and forecast the next two, then set the fourth year jointly through the advisory committee. The budget would adjust each year for inflation, population growth and asset renewal (party park plan).
ON THE BALLOT ## The Vancouver Liberals candidates behind this ### Park Board [208**Mark Halyk**Ballot 208](https://voche.me/candidates/mark-halyk) [211**Shayla Bird**Ballot 211](https://voche.me/candidates/shayla-bird) [220**Scott Jensen**Ballot 220 · Vancouver Park Board commissioner](https://voche.me/candidates/scott-jensen) [221**Amanda Bains**Ballot 221](https://voche.me/candidates/amanda-bains) [223**Amir Bajehkian**Ballot 223](https://voche.me/candidates/amir-bajehkian) [229**Tricia Barker**Ballot 229](https://voche.me/candidates/tricia-barker) ## 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. [Vancouver Liberals: Our Plan for Parks and Recreation Facilities (PDF) ](https://assets.nationbuilder.com/vancouverliberals/pages/233/attachments/original/1787255366/Vancouver_Liberals_Park_Plan.pdf?1787255366)SAYS SO ITSELFVancouver Liberals · checked September 26, 2026 ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.