VANCOUVER, B.C. – At today’s City Council meeting Councillor Adriane Carr amended the Vancouver Plan Phase 1 Report: Public Engagement Summary, Provisional Goals and Update on COVID-19 Community Recovery Actions to ensure that Vancouver City Councillors will be taking a direct role in engaging the public during the next phase of planning.
Carr’s amendment, which passed unanimously, directs staff to consider ways or forums to enable enhanced involvement and leadership of Council in the Vancouver Plan engagement process.
“I strongly believe that Council should be taking a leadership role in hearing from and engaging with the public on this plan,” said Carr.
“The Vancouver Plan will shape the direction of our city for the next 50 years. It also provides an opportunity to to receive ideas and input from residents on possible quick start actions that the City can initiate over the next few months.”
Carr’s amendment lists the following possible ‘quick start’ actions and pilots specifically: re-allocating streets for public uses; ‘Missing Middle’ housing; increased rental housing in C-2 zones and transition areas; corner grocery stores and food-friendly neighbourhoods; and community blue-greenways and watershed revival.
“Council has referred a lot of motions to staff for more public engagement. We should be helping make that engagement as robust and meaningful as possible, with the hope that exciting new ideas emerge to make our city an even better place to live, work and play.”
The ‘quick start’ actions and pilot projects mentioned in Carr’s amendment are centred around Council’s goal of “Complete Communities” which arose as a top priority from the Council Committee on Covid Recovery (CCRC). Carr spearheaded the CCRC from May to July which enabled Council to take a direct role in recovery and emergency planning in response to the pandemic.
“I’ve long held that meaningful public engagement is crucial to the democartic process. The CCRC proved an invaluable vehicle for Councillors to learn, listen and contribute. My goal is to see Council continue in a similarly public-facing and accessible role in our city-wide plan. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Vancouverites to dramatically shape the city we love.
“Hearing directly from people on what matters to them, gaining knowledge from others’ lived experience, and having the opportunity to engage with experts makes for better policy, better community, and a better city plan.
“I hope that Council’s involvement will restore some confidence and faith in government, which has reportedly lagged across all levels of government in recent years. This will also require a commitment to a meaningful engagement and to the results of the process, but I believe that Council being directly accessible to residents and taking a leadership role will prove helpful in developing good policy and a great Vancouver Plan.”
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More Information:
Staff Report (before amendments): Vancouver Plan Phase 1 Report: Public Engagement Summary, Provisional Goals and Update on COVID-19 Community Recovery Actions
Councillor Carr’s Amendment:
THAT Council direct staff to consider ways or forums to enable enhanced involvement and leadership of Council in the Vancouver Plan and city-wide and neighbourhood engagement, on a limited number of issues especially related to “complete communities” that could result in “quick start” actions or pilot projects, including:
1.re-allocation of 11% of Vancouver’s neighbourhood streets for public uses such as park space, community food gardens and active transportation
2.“Missing Middle” housing
3.opportunities to increase rental housing in C-2 zones and transition areas such as off arterials, close to parks, schools and shopping areas
4.corner grocery stores and food-friendly neighbourhoods
5.community blue-greenways and watershed revival.
Vote Results:
