Pete Fry defeats incumbent Ken Sim to become Vancouver’s next mayor

Floyd Brenz., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
October 18, 2026

Photo Courtesy: The Canadian Press

Green Party leader Pete Fry has been elected mayor of Vancouver, defeating incumbent Ken Sim in the October 17 municipal election and bringing a change in leadership to British Columbia’s largest city.

Fry, a two-term city councillor first elected in 2018, maintained his lead throughout election night as voters chose among eight candidates vying for the mayor’s office.

He celebrated the victory with supporters, thanking voters for their confidence and pledging to work for the city. Sim, who won the mayoralty in 2022, conceded defeat.

Fry’s campaign focused on affordable housing, transportation, sustainable development and community safety. He also called for greater support for people experiencing homelessness and addiction, including outreach services and designated spaces where they could access health care and other assistance.

On public safety, the Green Party proposed expanding crisis intervention and de-escalation programs, with outreach workers responding to certain non-emergency calls involving homelessness and substance use.

Fry also campaigned on using city-owned land for affordable housing, completing Vancouver’s major bikeway network and renewing the Vancouver Aquatic Centre. He has supported introducing ranked-choice voting for future mayoral elections.

His victory followed a series of withdrawals by progressive candidates, including OneCity’s William Azaroff and COPE’s Stephanie Allen, who stepped aside and endorsed Fry in an effort to consolidate support behind a single challenger to Sim.

During his previous term on council, Fry frequently opposed decisions by Sim’s ABC Vancouver administration, positioning himself as a prominent voice for alternative policies on housing, development and public services.

The election result marks a shift in Vancouver’s municipal leadership, with Fry now preparing to turn his campaign commitments into city policy.