Councillor’s push to lower Vancouver’s municipal voting age to 16 rejected

A push to lower the voting age in Vancouver to 16 has been rejected at city hall.

A push to lower the voting age in Vancouver municipal elections has been rejected at city hall.

Councillors with Mayor Ken Sim’s ABC Vancouver majority voted against the motion brought forward Wednesday by Green Coun. Pete Fry, which would have directed Sim to send a letter to the premier requesting that the province amend the Vancouver Charter to lower the city’s voting age to 16.

Fry, OneCity Coun. Lucy Maloney and COPE Coun. Sean Orr voted in favour of the motion.

Coun. Brian Montague, one of the five councillors who voted against the motion, told CTV News the decision does not fall within their jurisdiction.

“It’s not within our authority to change the age of voting,” he said. “That’s up to the province.”

After the vote, environmental advocate Paul George yelled his disapproval from the audience.

“You’re against democracy and giving kids the right to vote,” George shouted. “Shame on you. Shame on you.”

In addition to asking the province to lower the voting age, the motion would also have asked city staff to report back on opportunities for youth engagement in civic affairs.

The motion noted that at age 16, young people can work, pay taxes and drive, and that research has shown a younger voting age can foster lifelong civic engagement.

In 2021, the City of Vancouver officially endorsed the Vote16 B.C. campaign, joining other cities including Victoria and Burnaby in calling for the voting age to be lowered for municipal elections across the province.

The campaign also has the backing of the B.C. Teachers Federation and the B.C. General Employees’ Union.

Some countries, including Austria, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador and Malta have lowered their voting ages to 16 for all elections. A number of other countries allow residents 16 and older to vote in municipal and school board elections.

Vancouver’s next election is scheduled for Oct. 17, 2026. Under the current rules, voters must be 18 or older and a Canadian citizen, and must have lived in B.C. for at least six months. Vancouver residents and those who have owned property in the city for at least 30 days can cast ballots in municipal elections.

With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Kaija Jussinoja