Vancouver approves non-binding drug plebiscites that mayor-elect Pete Fry disavowed
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VANCOUVER – Voters in Vancouver have voted by about two-thirds in favour of two plebiscite questions proposed by the city’s outgoing mayor on drug use, despite ejecting him from office in the same election.
The City of Vancouver said about 137,000 people had voted in favour of stronger laws on open-air hard-drug use, and about 136,000 voted for the city to ask the province to provide “100-plus” involuntary care beds in the city.
But the plebiscite questions were non-binding and mayor-elect Pete Fry said during the campaign that he did not think that putting them on the ballot was necessary, criticizing the questions as cynical and lacking details.
Outgoing Mayor Ken Sim had said a “yes” vote would have given the city a stronger mandate to deal with drug use in Vancouver.
Fry convincingly defeated Sim in the Oct. 17 vote, which also saw progressive parties sweep Sim’s ABC party out of all but one council seat.
Fry has said he supports managing drug use in public spaces, but differed from Sim in believing people should be diverted to supervised consumption sites or shelters.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a statement on Wednesday that he had had a “great conversation” with Fry.
“We’re ready to work together to build more affordable homes, and deliver more and better infrastructure across the city,” Carney said on social media.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2026.