$527K spent on security detail for Vancouver mayor, police say

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim speaks during a news conference, in Vancouver, on Sunday, February 5, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

The Vancouver Police Department continues to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on Mayor Ken Sim’s security detail.

According to the VPD, from January through August 2025, $339,063 in staffing costs were incurred by the VPD.

In 2024, the department says it spent $188,608, bringing the total to $527,671.

On Thursday, Chief Const. Steve Rai confirmed the department was still providing this service to the mayor.

“As long as there is a potential for risk in a very politically active city, we’ll take all precautions,” he said.

The VPD began providing the security detail to Sim after he was targeted with threats, vandalism, and protests.

In March, then- police chief Adam Palmer said the detail began last November but did not specify an exact date.

CTV News asked the mayor’s office for comment but they directed the inquiry to the VPD.

Sim has previously spoken out about some of the threats he’s faced, including when his home was spray-painted with graffiti on Halloween.