Vancouver citizens have shown their support for two plebiscite queries presented by the city’s outgoing mayor concerning drug usage and treatment facilities. The questions, advocated by former mayor Ken Sim, aimed to enhance the city’s regulations to prohibit open-air consumption of hard drugs and to urge the province to offer more involuntary care treatment at a soon-to-be-shuttered downtown hospital location.
Although the residents of Vancouver voted on these questions during the municipal election on October 17, where Sim lost to Pete Fry of the Green Party, the results of the plebiscite were unveiled only upon the release of the official election outcomes on Wednesday. Sim contended that engaging voters officially on these matters would grant the succeeding municipal administration a firmer mandate to tackle drug issues within the city.
Sim did not specify the exact bylaws that would be reinforced if the plebiscite queries were approved when questioned by CBC News. The possession of small quantities of illegal substances is already against the law in Canada, and Vancouver municipal bylaws prohibit smoking in public parks, beaches, and various other locations.
The second plebiscite query centered on the transformation of sections of the current St. Paul’s Hospital, or a similar venue, into a “secure medical facility” offering over 100 involuntary care beds for individuals at risk due to severe substance use and mental health conditions. St. Paul’s Hospital is scheduled to move from its current Burrard Street site to a new location in the False Creek Flats next year.
Fry criticized Sim’s plebiscite proposal as a strategic move during the election and remarked that the questions lacked specifics. Fry highlighted that the plebiscite, which cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, was non-binding and could have been a simple poll. He emphasized the need for more care services but stated that writing to the province was unnecessary, as the city could take action independently. Fry also mentioned that the new St. Paul’s Hospital would include nearly 100 secure care beds, with additional facilities planned by the provincial government.
The plebiscite was characterized by Fry as part of an unsuccessful election campaign strategy to mobilize voters, focusing on a “war on drugs” narrative that did not resonate with the electorate. The total number of plebiscite ballots cast was approximately 207,500, as reported by the City of Vancouver. The results showed an average of 63,300 voters against the questions and 136,343 voters in favor of them. Voter turnout in Vancouver’s civic election reached 43.4%, up from 36.3% in 2022.
