‘Significant challenges’ to tackle in Vancouver, says mayor one year into the job

It’s been one year since Ken Sim swept into power as Vancouver’s new mayor — a job he loves 90 per cent of the time, he told Global News on Monday.

Sim, a first-time politician and second-time candidate, defeated incumbent Kennedy Stewart on Oct. 16 last year. He was sworn in on Nov. 7, becoming Vancouver’s first Chinese-Canadian mayor and mayor from a racialized community.

7:26 One-on-one with Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim

“We have significant challenges, and big cities across the world have similar challenges. I think it’s how you react to those challenges,” Sim said in an interview Global News Morning hosts Sonia Sunger and Jason Pires.

“People all across the city have jumped in — either they work at the City of Vancouver or they don’t, but they’ve been jumping in and helping us build the city. It’s been great.”

Sim has faced pressure to make meaningful strides on the city’s housing crisis and public safety concerns, which are deeply intertwined, along with the toxic drug supply, insufficient mental health and addictions supports and other socioeconomic factors.

The mayor said Monday he has already exceeded his promise to hire 100 more police officers — that tally having reached 106. As of Oct. 13, however, fewer than 10 of the 100 mental health nurses Sim’s party pledged to recruit, had been hired.

“We have a lot more work to do there,” he acknowledged. “I do think things have gotten a little better, I know that’s no consolation to people who’ve been affected or who still don’t feel safe in some of our neighbourhoods.”

Sim added that more police aren’t a long-term solution, but rather, “help us triage.”

2:02 New coalition launches public safety campaign

Sim, who previously ran for mayor in 2018 under the Non-Partisan Association (NPA) banner, has an ABC Vancouver majority on council. The certified accountant is the co-founder two local businesses, Rosemary Rocksalt and Nurse Next Door.

He said one of the new mental health nurse hires works out of the Vancouver Police Department’s operations centre, triaging calls that aren’t suited for police and rerouting them to appropriate supports.

The mayor said he’s hit about 40 of the 94 campaign commitments made by his party, including scrapping the controversial 25 cent-disposable cup fee, and hitting the brakes on any future “road tax” that isn’t part of a regional effort.

In the past year, council has passed new densification rules, endorsed rapid transit for the Hastings corridor, and cut the empty homes tax back from five per cent to three per cent.

It has also faced criticism for delays to a promised tiny shelter village, declining to renew leases on spaces supporting the precariously housed and overdose prevention without having identified alternative locations, and the high-profile removal of tent encampments in the Downtown Eastside.

Council has hiked permit fees for short-term rental owners, businesses, trades and parking as it seeks to avoid large property tax increases. In March, it moved away from a five-year-old “living wage” employment policy, voting in favour instead of a model that would define minimum compensation based on a five-year moving average of the living wage, rather than the annual figure identified by the Living Wage for Families Campaign that sets and certifies it.

Its Budget Task Force, struck to search for “efficiencies” in the city’s operating budget, was due to complete its review in October.

2:04 Vancouver City Council loosens requirements on Little Mountain project

Despite the recently-cancelled New Year’s Eve celebration and Santa Claus Parade, both of which lacked sufficient corporate sponsorship to proceed, Sim said he still intends to improve and revitalize Vancouver’s foundation. He cited Chinatown improvements and a new vision for Gastown, and bold plans for the Granville District as examples of those efforts.

“These are things that we’re putting in place, doing things like pilots on the responsible consumption of alcohol in our parks,” he said.

His favourite part of the job, he added, is the “humbling” opportunity to speak with people across Vancouver “who really care about this place.”