VANCOUVER, B.C. — Vancouver City Council has voted down a motion brought forward by Pete Fry that sought to introduce clearer, data-driven tracking of tenant displacement linked to redevelopment under the Broadway Plan.

The motion, Tracking the Broadway Plan Pace of Demoviction, called on Council to formally monitor the rate at which renters are displaced through both demolitions and renovations in the Broadway Corridor — one of the city’s most significant growth areas and home to tens of thousands of renters living in older, more affordable rental housing.

Councillor Fry’s proposal would have required staff to annually report on demolition and renovation permits affecting multi-dwelling buildings, the number of tenants displaced under Tenant Relocation Plans, and local vacancy rates and average rents. It also asked staff to explore strategies to prevent displacement from accelerating beyond what communities can absorb.

“Council approved a 30-year plan that dramatically reshapes the Broadway Corridor,” said Fry. “But without transparent data on demovictions and renovictions, we’re flying blind while thousands of renters face the risk of displacement.”

The motion emphasized that while the Broadway Plan includes a Pace of Change policy intended to limit displacement in certain rental zones, Council had already rejected that policy earlier in 2023. Fry argued that, at minimum, Council should ensure it has the data necessary to understand how redevelopment is affecting tenants, particularly where renovictions may fall outside existing tenant protection policies.

The motion was defeated at the Standing Committee on City Finance and Services on a 6–1 vote, with Mayor Ken Sim absent due to a declared conflict of interest. The result means Council will not receive enhanced reporting on tenant displacement tied to Broadway Plan redevelopment at this time.

Advocates and community members have warned that without tracking and accountability, redevelopment could incentivize rapid displacement of renters before adequate protections or replacement housing are in place.

Despite the vote, Fry reaffirmed his commitment to renters impacted by large-scale redevelopment.

“Growth doesn’t have to come at the expense of renters,” Fry said. “We owe it to residents to ensure that transformation is managed responsibly, transparently, and with real protections for people who already call these neighbourhoods home.”