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Fry and Sim face off in Vancouver, but other mayoral candidates reject spoiler label
Fry and Sim face off in Vancouver mayoral race
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Vancouver mayoral candidates Ken Sim and Pete Fry view each other as their main rival in the battle for City Hall.
But while recent polling suggests the mayoral race is indeed a faceoff between incumbent Sim and two-term Green Councillor Fry, there are three other big-name candidates who reject the label of spoiler.
Kareem Allam — Sim's former chief of staff turned litigation adversary — is running with the Vancouver Liberals, which is not affiliated with the federal party.
"The pollsters don't always get it right. Municipal government is also the hardest level to poll. It's got its tricks and nuances, especially in an at-large system," he said in an interview Tuesday.
The Vancouver race culminates Saturday, when municipalities across British Columbia go to the polls.
Interest in the Vancouver race appears high. The City of Vancouver says more than 103,000 people have voted in advance, up 60 per cent from roughly 65,000 voters over five advance days in 2022.
Sim, who is campaigning for a second term as mayor with the right-of-centre ABC Vancouver, said while he would be the first to admit he didn't get everything right during his tenure, he believes he can lead the city in the right direction.
"We've gotten some pretty significant things done, but there's way more work to do," he said in an interview Wednesday.
Other candidates include Rebecca Bligh, a two-term councillor who helped get Sim elected with ABC Vancouver in 2022 and is now running with Vote Vancouver, and TEAM candidate Colleen Hardwick, a former councillor.
Allam, Hardwick and Bligh all rejected the notion their candidacies could split the centre or centre-right vote.
"The question is not left or right. The question is about who we are serving at city hall," Hardwick said Tuesday.
Bligh said she was running to govern for Vancouver's ignored middle class, and polling did not change how she campaigned.
"It's anyone's race," she said in an interview Wednesday.
Fry, son of longtime Liberal MP Hedy Fry, has acknowledged benefiting from the narrowing of the progressive field, after the withdrawals of William Azaroff from OneCity Vancouver and Stephanie Allen for COPE Vancouver.
After ending his candidacy, Azaroff appeared at City Hall with Fry, who praised him for running a serious campaign that "raised real issues" such as housing, small business and affordability.
"I think folks are excited to be able to talk up a viable alternative to Ken Sim as the mayor of Vancouver and really reset," Fry said in an interview Tuesday.
He added that Azaroff's withdrawal was recognition that he was the person best suited to defeat Sim.
Bligh said she's a progressive candidate with a centrist platform. Meanwhile, Allam said he believed he was taking votes from Sim and Fry equally.
The candidates' platforms all emphasize quality-of-life issues, including affordability and public safety. Sim's promises include a zero per cent property tax increase.
The election ballot also includes two plebiscite questions on public safety.
The non-binding questions ask voters if they're in favour of the city "strengthening its laws to forbid open-air hard drug use in public spaces," which is already illegal in B.C. The other asks if the city should ask the province to convert portions of the old St. Paul's hospital into a "secure medical facility" with 100-plus involuntary care beds.
Hardwick called the questions a "populist election tactic," while other critics said they aren't realistic.
Sim said strengthening the city health bylaw — regulating conduct such as smoking in common areas — would allow officers to issue tickets or confiscate drugs without arrests. The involuntary care question, he said, is about asking the province to fulfil its accountability to people who pose a risk to their own safety or others.
Fry said he supports managing drug use in public spaces, but differs from Sim in believing that people should be diverted to supervised consumption sites or shelters.
His platform focuses on housing, transportation and the economy. "Folks should be able to have a good life in this city, he said.
Bligh said Sim's property tax freezes protect wealthy landowners and undercut critical services. She said she would work with the federal government to leverage city-owned land and provide free transit for youth.
Hardwick said the key to livability in Vancouver is effective city planning. She said she wanted to repeal the city's official development plan and re-establish neighbourhood planning offices
Allam said he wants to bring youth back to Vancouver by improving affordability through jobs and housing, and investing in parks and community centres.
He said his platform cuts across ideologies, and distanced himself from Sim, who filed a lawsuit in May 2025 alleging Allam falsely accused him of drinking and driving.
Sim faces his own defamation lawsuit from councillor Sean Orr, filed after falsely accusing Orr of distributing illegal drugs in comments to Chinese-speaking reporters.
Trials in both cases are far off.
For now, the focus is on the ballot box.
"I think people will be surprised at the results," Allam said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.
By Marissa Birnie | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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'Hardly surprising' many Alberta business leaders staying mum on separation: expert
Unsurprising many CEOs mum on referendum: expert
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
The silence from many Alberta business leaders on the upcoming provincial referendum comes as no surprise to one corporate leadership expert.
Monday's vote includes 10 questions: one on whether Alberta should remain in Canada or move toward a binding separation referendum; five on immigration and four on constitutional matters.
Richard Leblanc, a professor of governance, law and ethics at York University, says there's a tradition in Canada for CEOs to stay in their lanes and not risk alienating shareholders or employees by taking a political stand.
But Leblanc says there may be times a company's board of directors agrees that a CEO should speak out on a matter that affects the well-being of the business, as Alberta taking steps toward a potential split from Canada arguably would.
A handful of leaders at big, publicly traded companies are among the more than 70 signatories to an open letter from the Calgary Chamber of Commerce warning of the economic fallout of separation, while the top brass at many prominent firms have stayed mum.
A few top executives have made their views known: Imperial Oil's John Whelan has spoken in favour of Alberta and Canada sticking together while Atco Ltd.'s Nancy Southern has warned of the disruption a split would cause.
"It's hardly surprising that a majority of CEOs are not speaking up," Leblanc said. "There's more to be lost than gained, generally, by speaking up about a political matter."
Some corporations have former prime ministers, premiers and cabinet ministers as directors on their boards, who can advise on when and how to weigh in on politics, Leblanc noted.
Atco's board includes former Alberta premier Jason Kenney, who has been a fervent voice in favour of the province staying in Confederation, as well as former federal cabinet minister Rona Ambrose.
Leblanc said customers and employees may have "legitimate expectations" that a CEO take a public stand on something that could affect the business, though getting board sign-off on the message is no easy feat.
"Sometimes the risk of not doing something can be far greater than doing something and dealing with the blowback."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.
Companies in this story: (TSX:ACO.X) (TSX:IMO)
By Lauren Krugel | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Burnaby school district says cyberattack may have leaked student, parent info
Cyberattack may have leaked student, parent info
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
Public school officials in Burnaby, B.C., say hackers may have obtained student and parental information in a recent cyberattack.
The Burnaby School District says in an online notice that the ransomware attack it suffered on Sept. 21 affected school websites and portals, internal network services and phone lines.
The notice says hackers copied and stole files that may have contained lists of parent, guardian and student names and contact information, as well as birthdates, grades and school names.
It says the hackers may also have obtained registration forms, kindergarten assessment notes and detailed lists of students on specialized learning plans.
The school district says the matter is in the hands of the RCMP and B.C.'s privacy commissioner, adding that its system security is being evaluated to prevent further breaches.
It says staff, students and their families have been offered registration with TransUnion’s fraud alert service and encourages them to be wary of any suspicious communications.
"We understand that incidents of this nature are concerning and we remain committed to keeping the Burnaby Schools community updated throughout this process, as the investigation proceeds and additional information becomes available," the notice says.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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13 hommes dévoilent des méthodes efficaces (selon eux) pour impressionner une femme
J'ai une fascination pour Reddit ces temps-ci. Je comprends aucunement l'utilité, mais je peux pas m'empêcher d'aller voir l'opinion des internautes, surtout sur les sujets qui touchent le dating. C'qui est un peu tordu, c’est que tout le monde semble donner son opinion en étant ben à l'aise, alors que souvent, les propos tenus ont aucun maudit bon sens.
Cette semaine, je suis tombée sur cette question sur Reddit : What's something men do to impress women that actually impress women? 11 843 commentaires et quelques bons gros rires gras plus tard, je t'ai déniché les plus savoureux. Certains sont même plutôt mignons!
1. La semaine dernière, j'ai retourné une omelette parfaitement pendant qu'on jasait, et c'est la première fois que j'ai vu dans son regard qu'elle était réellement impressionnée. -PerfectChaosOne
Ce à quoi un autre gars a répondu : Ok, je viens de passer 10 minutes à checker des tutoriels de flip d'omelette à cause de toi. L'entraide, c'est important!
2. La faire sourire, tout simplement. Maman m'a toujours dit : Il faut toujours découvrir ce qui fait sourire la femme que tu aimes. -Locotxork
Cute!
3. J'ai un vieux truck qui démarre pas tout le temps. Chaque fois que j'ai une femme avec moi et qu'il ne démarre pas, je lève le capot, donne 2-3 coups de tournevis aux bonnes places pis l'affaire est réglée. Je suis un supehéros à ses yeux. -ClosedMadscientist
J'pense qu'un char qui marche sans risquer de s'électrocuter, ça m'impressionne encore plus.
4. C'est ben facile: quand je datais ma femme, je lui disais que j'allais l'appeler en soirée ou à une certaine heure, je le faisais. Tiens tes promesses, être fiable ça amène des points. -ITworkguys
Dommage, il est marié.
5. Je tiens mon appart pas pire clean. Serviettes et draps propres, pas de moisissure, pas de salle de bain dégoûtante, j'ai même une plante! Conseil les gars, mettez un couvercle sur votre poubelle, les filles adorent! -serkenz
Voyons, qui parle? Tu fais faire le tour de ton appart pis tu pointes la poubelle avec un air de fierté?
6. S'excuser quand on fait des gaffes et accepter leurs excuses quand c'est elles les fautives. Et pardonner. -vinsmith93
Bien dit.
7. Aider des vieilles dames. No joke. J'ai eu du sexe une fois parce qu'une fille m'a vu aider une mamie à changer un flat. -mermaidhare
Charmant garçon. Change jamais le flat à ma grand-mère, j'vais m'arranger avec ça, merci.
8. Selon ma blonde, être drôle c'est ce qui marche le mieux. J'suis un average dude, mes cheveux sont ben ordinaires, j'suis pas musclé, mais ma blonde c't'une belle fille. L'humour, ça charme. -Elronnd
J'sais, c'est mon arme de séduction. C'pas ma belle attitude joviale, j'suis tout le temps grumpy.
9. Devenir le meilleur ami de son chat. C'est l'étape #1 pour gagner sa confiance. Je lui donne de l'attention comme si ma vie en dépendait, je le flatte, je joue avec, mais demande-moi jamais de changer sa litière. -thepiansbot
Ça a le mérite d'être honnête.
10. To impress a chick do the helicopter dick. -priceisalright
J'ai pas jugé bon de le traduire. Ça ne méritait pas vraiment cet effort.
11. Aller au Ikea sans devenir complètement fou, ça marche à tout coup. Les femmes adorent magasiner au Ikea, mais nous les hommes on se fait tellement chier quand on va la- Longrod1960
Vrai.
12. Lui amener de la bouffe quand tu sais qu'elle a eu une putain de grosse journée au boulot. Les femmes sont attendries quand tu fais des p'tites attentions pour les faire sentir bien. -dinizdude
Vrai aussi.
13. Couper des cordes de bois à la hache. On dirait que ça leur donne une version primitive de nous, le bûcheron protecteur qui peut les sauver d'un ours. Mais au fond, j'me pisserais dessus si un ours arrivait. -u32cg6
Garde ta hache dans tes mains svp.
Suis-nous donc sur Instagram!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRvdUvvAnh7/?taken-by=narcity_montreal&hl=fr
Pis toi, qu'est-ce qui t'impressionne?