An investigator has found that Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim “misused the influence of his office” and harassed a councillor in violation of the council’s code of conduct.
The report dated Monday was based on an investigation by Jamie Pytel of Kingsgate Legal, who was retained by the city to look into the complaint made by Coun. Sean Orr in October 2025.
Orr’s complaint was about a news conference held by Sim at Vancouver City Hall in April 2025, as well as a social media post made by the mayor later that year that represented Orr as antisemitic.
The report released Thursday finds that Sim’s criticism of Orr at the news conference was “more a personal calling out” of the councillor, rather than trying to protect the Jewish community against hate crimes.
The friction between Sim and Orr continued and in March Orr launched a lawsuit against the mayor for false comments to Chinese-language reporters about the councillor handing out drugs on Christmas Day.
Sim has apologized for those comments, saying he saw an unverified photo, and said in his legal defence that the false claim did not damage Orr’s reputation.
The report says that Sim’s comments on social media about Orr last year were a continuation of the harassment after the news conference, in violation of the code of conduct.
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Pytel is recommending a request for the mayor to apologize or for possible other sanctions against him.
“Holding the press conference was not part of Mayor Sim’s duties,” the investigator says. “Using the influence of his office to personally attack Coun. Orr was a misuse of the influence of his office.”
There is sufficient information that Sim objectively harassed Orr at the April 8, 2025, news conference when he personally attacked the councillor by suggesting he was antisemitic or would incite violence or hatred, the report says.
Sim referred to social media posts Orr made years before he was elected, and said that as the mayor he had a duty to ensure as a city that “we are not divided by rhetoric or hate,” the report says.
In a statement, Sim says he has seen the report and “respectfully” disagrees with the conclusions.
“My comments were made against the backdrop of a wave of rising antisemitism and hate across Canada,” he says.
“All elected officials have a responsibility to speak out when a segment of our city feels targeted and unsafe. I reject the claim that it was not my duty as mayor to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Jewish residents of Vancouver.”
The report says Sim told the investigator that the concerns he raised about Orr’s comments “were not his interpretations … but were the Jewish community’s interpretations.”
The investigator found that contradicted with what the mayor said during the news conference, including that Orr’s social media posts “hit him to his core.”
Sam Smart, co-chair of the COPE party that Orr represents on Vancouver council, says in a statement that Sim’s behaviour “is part of a pattern of harmful and personally targeted conduct” against the councillor, and it needs to stop.
@JV
Ken Sims has done more for the average taxpayer in a few years than 15 years of social justice governments. You can add in simple things like maintaining our parks better and fixing up neglected facilities etc etc. Stuff the everyday person wants.
We will be laughing at you after he wins the next election.
More ABC accomplishments-
3-3-3-1 Permitting Framework: Implemented targeted timelines to speed up building approvals: 3 days for home renovations, 3 weeks for single-family homes, 3 months for multi-family builds, and 1 year for towers.
Red Tape Elimination: Repealed over 1,850 pages of municipal regulatory red tape to streamline development and lower business barriers.
New Officers & School Safety: Approved the hiring of dozens of new police officers and successfully reinstated School Liaison Officers in city high schools.
Mental Health Initiatives: Doubled the Car 87/88 crisis response program and launched an Indigenous crisis response team, utilizing funding originally promised for 100 mental health nurses.
Street Encampment Cleardowns:
Removed long-standing, high-profile street encampments on East Hastings Street
@JV what’s has Ken Sims done?
Permit Processing Acceleration: Reduced average commercial renovation permit approval timelines by 45% and slashed average business license processing times by 85%.
Single-Use Fee Elimination: Voted to officially scrap the controversial 25-cent municipal fee on single-use beverage cups.
Alcohol in Public Spaces: Legalized and expanded responsible alcohol consumption in public parks, alongside allowing businesses like barbershops to serve alcoholic drinks.
Chinatown and Gastown Revitalization: Directed dedicated infrastructure, safety resources, and cleaning initiatives toward historical commercial districts.
Removed temporary bike lanes along Stanley Park and successfully restored the historic Stanley Park train.
Cry babies still trying to beat up a fire around a year old comment. Just seems like sour grapes. Bitter employees trying to make a tempest in a teacup.
Everyone should just get on with the job.
Ken Sim is just another corrupt Conservative just like all of the others
Bob B – Of course a delusional idiot like you is bending over for a clown like Ken Sim. Claiming he’s doing a good job meanwhile he’s done absolutely nothing since he was voted in other than fill his pockets and the pockets of real estate investors. Oh wait I forgot he cleaned up Chinatown 🤣🤣 What a f**king joke
This guy is a big f *ucking pu ssy of a cry baby. F *uck off you gimp.
What a big nothing burger if a complaint. Same complaint being rehashed again and again. He said sorry move on.Is this all the opposition has?
Ken is doing a great job, he is reversing a lot of the damage done by decades of so called progressive mismanagement. Like many I will
be voting for him again,
WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT THIS GUY TURNED OUT TO BE ! PEOPLE WERE EXPECTING SO MUCH MORE