B.C. municipal affairs minister non-committal about future of Vancouver Park Board

Voters could have a chance to weigh in on the future of the Vancouver Park Board during the next municipal election in 2026.

Tens of thousands of people cast ballots to elect Vancouver’s Park Board commissioners in the last municipal election.

In a controversial move in December 2023, Mayor Ken Sim’s ABC majority on council cast just eight votes to abolish the board.

“I think this is really about delivering the best possible parks and recreation facilities that we can for all the residents in the city,” ABC Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung told CTV News on Friday.

In order to abolish the board, the city needs the province to make changes to the Vancouver Charter.

In March of 2024, Premier David Eby committed to do that, but since then the province has not followed through.

Current Housing and Municipal Affairs Minister Christine Boyle was a city councillor at the time the motion came up, and cast one of three votes against changing the charter to abolish the Park Board.

“I certainly think that it’s important for residents to have a say on major issues in their community, and we’ve been hearing that from residents in Vancouver,” Boyle said when asked whether voters should get a chance to weigh in.

Related: ‘Personal reasons’ behind repeat absences at Vancouver Park Board meetings, ABC commissioner says

With the next municipal election a little over a year away, Green Party Coun. Pete Fry says the question should be put to the electorate.

“I mean, that would be a logical approach given the timing of the election, given the controversy,” Fry told CTV News.

Some in opposition to the change don’t necessarily want to see a formal referendum question on the ballot.

They would just like to see a fulsome debate on the future of a board that has been a democratically elected institution in Vancouver for 135 years.

“We’re going to see it as an election issue. We’re going to see candidates have to declare whether this is something that they would support or not support in the election, and I think the electorate will have a voice in it that way,” said commissioner Laura Christensen, who was elected to the Park Board under ABC’s banner.

She was one of three ABC commissioners, including Scott Jensen and Brennan Bastyovanszky, who split with the party when they wouldn’t agree to go along with the plan to do away with the board.

Kirby-Yung said her party would like to see the province follow through with the changes prior to the election.

The move was not in the party’s platform during the last campaign.

“I think we’ve heard from the public loud and clear. I think any public opinion polls that you do, the majority of folks really do see that there’s a lot of efficiencies that can be gained,” Kirby-Yung said when asked whether voters should get a say at the ballot box.

Ultimately, the decision lies with the province and based on Boyle’s comments Friday it doesn’t seem like it’s been made yet.

“We’re having discussions among our team to figure out the next step,” she said. “I think we’re getting close and we’ll be able to say something more soon.”

Municipal voters head to the polls on Oct. 19, 2026.