Council approves property tax freeze, while service and job cuts won’t be made public until next year

Good morning, 

Nate with you today. Here at the Lookout, we’re intentionally focused on the fine points of Vancouver, whether it be civic issues, or the celebrations and events that make the city a fun and exciting place to live. It’s part of what we think makes us unique and a valuable resource for all of you living in Vancouver.

But that means we often don’t get to talk about things happening beyond our region or our borders. While most days I’m thankful not to have to wade into the U.S. quagmire, there is at least one bright spot south of the border today: October baseball. 

It’s a dream scenario for any baseball or general sports fan in Vancouver (I count myself as both, despite my better judgement). The Toronto Blue Jays, Canada’s team™, and the Seattle Mariners, the Pacific Northwest’s team, are duelling in a playoff series with a trip to the World Series hanging in the balance. 

There’s a personal connection in it for me too. My 90-year-old grandfather, who taught me about baseball (and all sorts of other sports) as a kid, has been a big Mariners fan since the Ichiro days, while I’ve been known to support the Jays. 

We’ve taken several trips down the I-5 together to see Toronto and Seattle face off over the years, but this matchup takes on a whole different tint, given the high stakes of the games and his advanced age. I’m aware that this may well be the one and only time we get to enjoy this together – a friendly rivalry between family taken to the extreme. 

That’s tonight, but, for now, let’s refocus on the nitty-gritty of civic affairs in today’s story. 

— Nate Lewis, Vancity Lookout 

Editor’s note: We forgot to include that Lincoln Kaye, a first-time contributor for us but someone who may be familiar to readers of the old Vancouver Observer (now Canada’s National Observer), was the author of last Friday’s arts review of Wolf at the York Theatre.

As always, you can send your tips, leads, and story ideas to Nate at [email protected].

PS - If you find this newsletter valuable, please consider forwarding it to your friends. New to the Lookout? Sign-up for free. 

WEATHER

Wednesday: 13 🌡️ 6 | 🌤️

Thursday: 11 🌡️ 7 | 🌧️

Friday: 12 🌡️ 7 | 🌤️

CITY HALL

Council approves property tax freeze, while service and job cuts won’t be made public until next year

Read this story online here.

Big financial cuts are on the way at City Hall, but workers and residents are in the dark about exactly what that will mean for civic services and jobs.

Last week’s decision to freeze property taxes in 2026 means departments across the city are now tasked with cutting around $120 million collectively from their budgets. Mayor Ken Sim and his ABC majority on council are driving the policy move, which has the stated goal of “reducing the burden on taxpayers.” 

Property owners and businesses are the biggest beneficiaries of the move. Sim’s policy garnered support and praise from many of Vancouver’s neighbourhood business improvement associations and business advocacy groups. However, in the context of British Columbia already having some of the lowest property tax rates in North America, it’s a policy that will further fuel inequality, according to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.  

Reducing costs and finding efficiencies were a feature promise of Sim and ABC’s highly successful 2022 election campaign. However, that hasn’t borne out in practice, with ABC’s majority council overseeing an operating budget increase of more than 15 per cent between 2023 and 2025, and an average annual property tax increase of 7.3 per cent during that same period. 

In explaining the discrepancy between the proposed tax freeze and those rising costs over his first three years in office, Sim points to his government “fully funding” police and fire services, protecting “frontline workers and core service levels,” and rebuilding reserve funds.

Now, Sim says he and the ABC majority are “fundamentally changing the way we do things at City Hall… our goal is to continue this approach in the years ahead,” Sim said in a press release.

While Sim’s motion will freeze the portion of property taxes governed by the city, there isn’t a clear accounting of the trade-offs. Sim’s approved motion asks that the draft 2026 budget – which will be presented by staff to council in November or December – prioritize “core city services and maintain community and arts and culture grants, library and community centre services.” 

Other stories

• Breaking down the province’s bombshell announcement about the future of the park board

• Difficult decisions ahead as Vancouver grapples with how to replace aging, underfunded recreation facilities

• How does Vancouver’s budget actually work?

THE VANCOUVER NUMBER

$10 million

That’s the listing price for the four “painted ladies” – with bonus carriage house – in Mount Pleasant. Read more. [BC Business]

THE AGENDA

🩺 Simon Fraser University is opening the first new medical school in Western Canada in decades, according to the province. The inaugural class will include 48 students studying out of a temporary space, with a permanent facility scheduled to open by 2030. Read more. [The Canadian Press]

🏠 Developers are pushing for policy changes to encourage the sale of the nearly 5,000 unsold new condos in Metro Vancouver. The province has already ruled out changing the foreign buyer tax. Prices on most vacant units range from $1,000 to $1,400 per square foot, with most units ranging from 790 to 870 square feet. Read more. [Vancouver Sun]

👮 A suspect was arrested in connection with the mass stabbing incident that took place on the seawall in Yaletown on Friday. Details about the suspect are limited, but police have said they remain in custody. Seven victims have been identified: four with non-life-threatening stab wounds, two with no injuries, and one individual who was assaulted. Read more. [City News]

🚂 The CBC’s Justin McElroy has a deep dive into why there’s been almost no movement on decades-old plans for rapid transit to UBC. Read more. [CBC]

🌲 After initially supporting new provincial legislation outlining the process to hold a vote to dissolve the park board, Mayor Ken Sim says he wants the province to remove a clause that would require any future changes of park land into different uses to be passed unanimously by council and approved in a referendum. Read more. [Global BC]

🚓 Vancouver police have identified the man who was shot and killed in a September 30 homicide in Strathcona as 48-year-old Norman Labonte. The investigation is ongoing. Read more. [VPD]

🪧 The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs and the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver have complained to the city’s Integrity Commissioner about COPE councillor Sean Orr’s participation and speech at a rally in support of Palestine. In his speech, Orr said, “being against what the UN calls a genocide is not controversial.” Read more. [BIV]

HOME OF THE WEEK

There does seem to be more and more two-bedrooms on the market. But does that mean any are actually affordable?

The answer is sort of. This place is undoubtedly one of the better ones. The two-bedroom, one-bathroom unit is located in a prime spot near Commercial, has a gas stove, a covered patio, and allows pets.

The price is still a bit high, but it’s very good for Vancouver!

VANCOUVER ARTS

Wolf is an intimate, never-at-rest percussive circus performance

Though billed as a “circus,” Wolf, the Cultch’s season-opener for 2025-26, is hardly a family-night extravaganza, but rather more of a subtly interesting date-night for anyone who enjoys thinking. If Canada’s own Cirque du Soleil presents a grandiose, focus-group-tested, almost symphonic Big Top take on “circus,” Australia’s Circa’s Wolf offers a far more nuanced chamber ensemble version.

The intimacy of the production is further enhanced by setting the performance in The Cultch’s boutique York Theatre on Commercial Drive, rather than the ~700-seat downtown Vancouver Playhouse, which hosted Duck Pond, a previous engagement here this past January.

The performance evolved on-the-fly as an organically workshopped collaboration between its 10 ensemble acrobats, its choreographer/director (and Circa CEO) Yaron Lifschitz and Israeli DJ/composer Ori Lichtik.

Wolf can be described as many things, but genteel isn’t one of them. Lichtik’s music wraps as snugly around the acrobats as costume designer Libby McDonnell’s stripey black-and-tan mesh-lycra body stockings. The sound thumps, clacks, squeals, clangs, chimes and clatters non-stop at top volume and brisk syncopation throughout the 90-minute show (except for the 20-minute interval). 

Read the story

Other arts shows this week

Wakey, Wakey is an award-winning show at Pacific Theatre about a man who wakes up in a room with nothing but a set of cards. On until Nov. 2.

Speaking of theatre, Lend Me a Tenor, the Tony Award-winning comedic play, is on now at the Metro Theatre until Oct. 25. If you enjoy British-style farce or wacky humour, then this is a must-see.

Featuring a modern, post-pandemic life setting, Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson at the Gateway Theatre in Richmond is a feminist take on the popular crime-solving duo. On from tomorrow until Oct. 25.

Writers take note — the popular Vancouver Writers Fest is on from Oct. 20-26, featuring over 130 local and international authors with over 85 different events.

Latin Expressions 2025 is a celebration of all things Latin American, with music, dance shows, film and other performances held across the city, from now until Oct. 25. Full details here.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Gain a new perspective on what’s happening in B.C. and beyond with The Tyee’s free Daily Catch newsletter. Independent. Fearless. Reader funded. [Sponsored]

• The 2026 Vancouver firefighter calendar is here and all proceeds go to charity. [CTV]

• Taylor Swift’s Eras tour stop in Vancouver will be released on Disney+. [CBC]

• Kits Beach will host a pumpkin patch pop up. [Vancouver is Awesome]

• The MastersFX Monster Museum is reopening. [Daily Hive]

• Nominations are open for the 2026 Courage To Come Back Awards, which celebrate people who have overcome challenges and are giving back to their communities. Read more. [Miss 604]

• Boxset Collective has launched a new concept for Vancouver: the rotating restaurant (the restaurant isn’t physically rotating; the menu and genre changes over time). [Vancouver Magazine]

• It’s almost time for Diwali - here’s how you can celebrate. [Curiocity]

GAME TIME

Today’s wordle might leave you stumped, but it won’t leave you hungry! Can you work out what it is?

PHOTO OF THE DAY

A seabus level shot of Coal Harbour and Vancouver’s skyline on a gorgeous sunny fall day (plus a seemingly unavoidable reflection of my fellow passengers 🙃).