Opinion: Voting at Vancouver city council: A puzzle, a vexing puzzle

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeOpinionOp-Ed Opinion: Voting at Vancouver city council: A puzzle, a vexing puzzle  David Ley: What is puzzling to residents is that on significant housing and development issues, government and opposition have coalesced into a single voting bloc — councillors have accepted, without evidence, the argument that more housing supply means more home affordability. Author of the article: By David Ley Published Sep 16, 2026 Last updated 37 minutes ago 5 minute read Join the conversation If the ABC party and its progressive voting allies believed that upzoning to facilitate higher densities would accomplish affordability, why did they hold this view when anecdotal and analytical evidence show this belief is false?, writes David Ley. PHOTO BY ARLEN REDEKOP /PNG Article content Government and opposition are basic building blocks in democratic societies. The task of opposition parties is to ensure that the governing party is competent and accountable, to make its administration uncomfortable. Article content Vancouver city council for the past four years should have fitted that mould. ABC Vancouver, the governing party, lies toward the right end of the political spectrum and has pursued pro-development land use policies. It has promoted significant upzoning to permit higher density housing construction throughout the city. Councillors representing three self-identified progressive parties, the Greens, One City and COPE, should normally form an opposition, critical of ABC policies. Article content Article content Article content A voting mystery Article content Sunrise Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content But what is puzzling to Vancouver residents is that on significant housing and development issues, the outstanding legacy of this council, government and opposition have coalesced into a single voting bloc. When we examine city hall voting on development issues, including the most important, the Broadway plan (2022), the Vancouver plan (2022) and the current official development plan (2026), the progressive councillors have been absorbed into ABC’s priorities. Article content Among Vancouver’s municipal parties, only TEAM for a Livable Vancouver has…