Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim Outlines Tax Freeze and Community Centre Funding Plans for 2026 Election

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim addressed the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade on Wednesday during its annual State of the City event. The speech lasted more than 40 minutes, followed by a question-and-answer session with Board CEO Bridgitte Anderson. Over 1,000 attendees, including business leaders and Vancouver Police Chief Steve Rai, were present.

Sim reviewed the past three years under ABC Vancouver's majority on city council. He highlighted decreases in crime statistics, permit approval times, and average rents over the past two years. The address functioned as a preview of ABC Vancouver's platform for the October 2026 municipal election.

stated that if re-elected, the municipal portion of property taxes would be frozen in 2027.

Future tax increases would be limited to the rate of inflation. He noted that the city has managed global economic pressures without raising taxes beyond prior commitments. Sim announced a $400 million fund to rebuild five community centres in Vancouver.

Details on which centres and the timeline were not provided but are expected in the coming weeks. He explained that the 2022-2026 capital plan was not altered mid-term to focus on fiscal stability.

The speech occurred three years after Sim's first State of the City address in 2023.

In that earlier event, Sim introduced the term 'swagger' to describe his approach, which was absent this year. During the question-and-answer session, Anderson asked about Sim's biggest mistakes, prompting him to reflect on his communication style as a non-politician.

“Do we want to go back to where we were three years ago? Or do we want to continue on a path to a bright future.”

Two mayoral candidates attended the event. Vote Vancouver Councillor Rebecca Bligh stated that public perceptions do not align with reported improvements in safety, permits, and housing costs. She questioned the realism of combining a tax freeze with ambitious community centre funding.

Green Party Councillor Pete Fry, another mayoral candidate, noted a lack of compelling evidence for ABC's achievements and insufficient details in the proposals. The October 2026 election will determine the next city council and mayor. Implementation of the announced plans depends on re-election and subsequent council approvals.