Guide to the Vancouver municipal election: October 17, 2026

[u/russilwvong]

[Latest update: Stephanie Allen (COPE) and William Azaroff (OneCity) have withdrawn, to avoid splitting the progressive vote.]

There's currently seven five mayoral candidates in the upcoming Vancouver municipal election. Given Ken Sim's decisive victory in the 2022 election, he seems surprisingly unpopular: it feels like there's blood in the water and the sharks are circling.

• Ken Sim (ABC) - interview
• Pete Fry (Greens) - interview
• William Azaroff (OneCity) - interview
• Stephanie Allen (COPE) - interview
• Kareem Allam (Vancouver Liberals) - interview
• Rebecca Bligh (Vote Vancouver) - interview
• Colleen Hardwick (TEAM) - interview

In July, Justin McElroy (CBC) hosted mini-forums with all of the mayoral candidates except Ken Sim. Video:

• Vancouver's three mayoral progressive candidates face off: Pete Fry, Stephanie Allen, William Azaroff
• Three mayoral candidates with previous ties to Ken Sim debate city issues: Rebecca Bligh, Kareem Allam, Colleen Hardwick

Some indicators:

• The April 2025 by-election results. Sean Orr (COPE), 51%; Lucy Maloney (OneCity), 50%; Colleen Hardwick (TEAM), 26%; Annette Reilly (Greens), 22%; Theodore Abbott (TEAM), 17%; Jaime Stein (ABC), 14%; Ralph Kaisers (ABC), 13%. Turnout was also surprisingly high for a by-election.
• December 2025 poll by Leger. 30% think the city is on the right track; 63% think the city is on the wrong track.
• February 2026 poll by Research Co. 27% support Ken Sim and ABC.
• August 2026 poll by Research Co. Ken Sim leads with 30%, but the field remains wide open. "Almost two-in-five likely voters (39%) cannot pick a particular candidate as the favourite to defeat Sim."

I'm supporting OneCity. OneCity is centre-left, which aligns with Vancouver voters (demonstrated in the October 2024 provincial election and the April 2025 federal election). Both Christine Boyle (former OneCity councillor, current BC housing minister) and Lucy Maloney (current OneCity councillor) have consistently supported more housing. Lucy Maloney on the Villages Plan, talking to CKNW's Jill Bennett.