Community Task Force on Council Representation seeks your feedback!

Tell Us What You Think!

The Task Force wants your feedback on possible approaches to improve diversity and representation on Vancouver City Council. Below you will find details about the formation of the Task Force and its problem statement.

The possible approaches we are seeking feedback are:

• Ranked-Choice Voting
• Nomination of City Councilmembers by District
• A hybrid option implementing Ranked-Choice Voting and Geographic Districts
• Empowering Neighborhoods and Communities
• Increasing Access to City Council
• New and Enhanced Strategies for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Click the button below to complete our survey.

You can also share your ideas and ask questions using the tools below! Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with us!

Task Force Background

In early 2019, the City of Vancouver’s most-recently convened Charter Review Committee recommended the election of the City’s six Council positions by geographic district. Following City Council deliberation over the recommendation, it was determined to form a Task Force to address this recommendation, with each City Councilmember appointing a Task Force member.

The Task Force Charter defines the group’s purpose as being:

“…to identify, develop and recommend practical strategies and policies, including council nomination by district, that supports elected representation on the City Council that more closely reflects the Vancouver community.”

View the Task Force Charter here: Task Force Charter PDF

Task Force Problem Statement

The Task Force developed this problem statement to guide their efforts at developing possible approaches:

Setting public policy which best serves the public interest requires inclusion of diverse community perspectives. Diversity includes age, color, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, geography and socioeconomic status.

There is a perceived lack of diverse representation on the Vancouver City Council and its appointed Boards and Commissions. Direct and indirect representation of underserved groups and neighborhoods in the community needs to improve and increase.

Low rates of citizen engagement, civic participation, and voter turnout highlight the need to increase community access to local government.

Adequate representation is inhibited by barriers, including, but not limited to:

• Accessibility of City Council and reduced public input/comment opportunities
• Lack of diversity in positions appointed by City Council
• How and when elections are conducted -
  1. Voting methods which induce vote-splitting
  2. Elections for City Council being held on odd-numbered years with resulting low voter turnout
• Insufficient staffing capacity to effectively engage at the neighborhood level
• Lack of understanding of the challenges and barriers faced by diverse candidates for office in both running and winning election
• Inadequate connection to diverse communities and individuals, and lacking understanding of the practical and logistical obstacles which impede engagement