Politics · Canada · 8 hrs ago
Pete Fry sworn in as Vancouver mayor, pledges a more cooperative council
Pete Fry was sworn in as Vancouver’s 42nd mayor on Monday, beginning a four-year term.
He said he wants a council focused on working together across party lines rather than division.
The council includes representatives from COPE, OneCity, ABC Vancouver and the Green Party, and no party has a majority.
Fry said his first priority is more daytime emergency shelter in the Downtown Eastside, where people are unhoused and unwell.
He also wants to explore partnerships with senior levels of government to address the situation.
Council is expected to ask city staff for a revised 2027 budget, moving away from the previously directed zero per cent property tax freeze.
Fry has asked councillors to limit the number of motions they bring forward at their first meetings as the council begins its work.
Pete Fry was sworn in as Vancouver’s 42nd mayor on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026.
He pledged to lead a more cooperative council and seek solutions across party lines.
Fry said his first priority would be the Downtown Eastside, including more emergency daytime shelter this winter.
He also said council is expected to seek a 2027 budget that differs from the zero per cent property tax freeze pursued under former mayor Ken Sim.
- Who
- Pete Fry, Vancouver’s new mayor, and the city’s councillors.
- What
- Fry was sworn in as mayor and pledged a cooperative council. He named the Downtown Eastside and a new 2027 budget as early priorities.
- When
- Monday, Nov. 2, 2026.
- Where
- Vancouver, including the inauguration ceremony at the Orpheum Theatre.
- Why
- Fry said he wanted councillors to work together and the city to do better for unhoused and unwell people.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Vancouver’s local elections returned Mike Klassen as the sole ABC Vancouver candidate, according to CBC.
Fry was sworn in as Vancouver’s 42nd mayor at an inauguration ceremony at the Orpheum Theatre.
After the ceremony, Fry held a press conference with all 10 councillors, who spoke of their desire to work together.
- Mayor
- Pete Fry
- Mayor number
- 42nd
- Council
- 10 councillors; no party has a majority
- First priority
- Downtown Eastside
- Shelter plan
- Increase emergency daytime shelter available this winter
- Budget
- Council is expected to seek a 2027 budget different from the zero per cent property tax freeze pursued under Ken Sim
What people are saying
When we choose collaboration over division, hope over cynicism, community over self-interest, it’s magic
I may be mayor, but I’m also a neighbour. And being a good neighbour means listening carefully. It means showing up. It means working through difficult conversations.
We have people who are unhoused and unwell on our streets, and I think we can do better as a city
Truthfully, this is I think a fantastic opportunity