How does funding the police deal with the healthcare challenges you have?

It's, it's, it's the only tool we have to react to the fact.

So I think it's important to acknowledge that the City of Vancouver spends roughly $100 million per year, uh, above what a, a, a city of our size should spend on the collateral issues that happen because the province isn't living up to their accountabilities around mental health, um, uh, healthcare, you name it.

And so these are the only tools we have.

If we were healthcare, um, and we, like we would find a budget somewhere, and we would deal with it.

But even if we had the budget, we are not allowed to deal with this.

And in fact, when we, uh, made the investment, uh, into the mental health, uh, workers, uh, when we first started, they're actually technically not our employees.

A hundred mi- $182 million.

Yeah.

And then, um, I'll talk about what my five goals were, uh, coming into office, and then, um, you know, we can talk about, uh, some of the things, how we're gonna operationalize it.

Um, I do believe in the potential of our city, and you know, wh- when I think of, let's say, the Downtown Eastside and, uh, surrounding communities, in fact the whole city for that matter, imagine a day when instead of people talk about the Downtown Eastside and the street disorder, they talk about Vancouver as the city that actually solved it.

Imagine, you know, in the future where instead of people around the world talking about Vancouver and the, the, the chaos around all our different, uh, you know, drug policies, they talk about Vancouver as being the world leader in treatment and recovery services.

That's a big, that's a big idea, and we've been talking about this for 40 years, and I do think, uh, the stars are starting to align some things that we've really fought for, and we're about this close.

Will we solve it, uh, completely? Absolutely not.

But can we make a material impact? Absolutely, and we can talk about that.

Mm-hmm.

What are you afraid about what will happen?

Well, okay, I completely respect the voters.

I actually think voters are well-informed and they're very intelligent.

With so much going on, You know, municipally, there's like a lot of different parties, a lot of new parties.

There's a lot of different platforms.

Then you layer on the provincial election and there are a lot of new faces, new parties, a bunch of issues.

It is really hard for the average person who's already busy, you know, probably taking care of kids, elderly parents working at their jobs, concerned about affordability or public safety.

So why are

Will this actually contribute to people using drugs in the open less?

Yeah, I, I think, uh, what we have to do is we have to look at it, uh, holistically.

So we're talking about the first half, and I'll talk about the sec- or the second question on the plebiscite, which is getting care for people that, uh, need it.

And yes, I do think this will make a difference because, uh, uh, what we're trying to do, once again, is reestablish social expectations.

So we're not going after people, uh, for possession.

What we're saying is, um, it's not appropriate to use hard drugs in public spaces like a park in front of kids.

And we already have, uh, these rules in place for, let's say, smoking.

I'm sorry about that.

How do the mechanics of an actual plebiscite work and is one going to happen?

Yeah, one's going to happen.

So what we did is we held a special council meeting, I guess, last week, and we debated it and we passed it.

And actually, our party passed it.

The opposition members, almost all of them, They complained about it and then instead of voting on it, they just walked out of the chamber.

So that was a little unbecoming of an elected official.

But that's just a side note there.

Are you hoping that the other levels of government will respond accordingly as part of this campaign?

Would you say that that's a fair assessment?

Oh, no, I would say that's completely unfair.

And, you know, that's individuals potentially politicizing this.

So, in no particular order, first of all, this would be a substantive change in how we do things, and Vancouverites do need a voice.

And so we will not shy away about giving Vancouverites a say.

When you look at the bylaws in the city of Vancouver, we already have a bunch of bylaws which help promote public safety.

I'll give you an example.

But do you have a number or even a thought process as to what the second level of reparations for that building is going to take? Because that number could balloon really quickly, and the taxpayers are going to be on the hook for that.

What would you say to that?

Well, first of all, I, I'm looking forward to, uh, chatting with, uh, Ravi, uh, after this call.

Let me tell you what we have done, because we have picked up the phone.

Uh, I...

My first letter to the Premier and the Prime Minister calling for, uh, involuntary care was back in September 202- uh, 2024.

We stood with mayors across the province outside of City Hall and called for involuntary care to address the, uh, this crisis, uh, in cities across BC.

And we even stood with the Premier later that month when he introduced involuntary care.

Why that position then? Why this position now?

What would you say to that?

Well, first of all, I, I'm looking forward to, uh, chatting with, uh, Ravi, uh, after this call.

Let me tell you what we have done, because we have picked up the phone.

Uh, I, my first letter to the Premier and the Prime Minister calling for, uh, involuntary care was back in September twenty twen- uh, twenty twenty-four.

We stood with mayors across the province outside of City Hall and called for involuntary care to address the, uh, this crisis, uh, in cities across BC.

And we even stood with the Premier later that month when he introduced involuntary care.

Uh, we've sent, uh, a letter to the health minister in May regarding the proposed OPS, uh, site at nine hundred Cowichan.

Why that position then? Why this position now?

What do you say to those critics?

Well, I, I'd say two things.

First of all, we actually have increased the park board budget.

And secondly, um, I would just say, uh, right now, uh, around kitchen tables and boardroom tables around, uh, this great city, region, and province of ours, uh, people are, um, you know, they're, they're making choices, and they, they're making hard choices.

And I don't think that the park board is immune to, um, you know, um, looking at their operations, looking at where there's duplication of effort or what have you, and making, you know, um, making their operations more efficient while still providing the services Vancouverites, uh, you know, uh, deserve.

In your mind, this is because of the province, the provincial government, that you were not able to get rid of the park board.

Yeah.

Well, I'll be even more clear.

Mm-hmm.

So, uh, absolutely 100% worth it and then some.

So, uh, wearing my Mayor of the City of Vancouver's hat on, um, it was a slam dunk.

We've already gotten, uh, a multiple, uh, payback on it.

Uh, the City of Vancouver was only on the hook for $5 million.

We had a global, um, branding exercise that was in play there.

And so Vancouver, um, basically, uh, was showcased on the planet, and I can tell you we are gonna get tons of tourists, uh, that come back.

W- Should we not wait until you have more hotels potentially zoned and opened, uh, and other businesses that are there that are gonna attract the foot traffic, uh, rather than just extending it anyway just because the World Cup is d- it did very well during, during the seven games?

Mm-hmm.

So, uh, absolutely 100% worth it and then some.

So, uh, wearing my mayor of the City of Vancouver's hat on, um, it was a slam dunk.

We've already gotten, uh, a multiple, uh, payback on it.

Uh, the City of Vancouver was only on the hook for $5 million.

We had a global, uh, branding exercise that was in play there.

And so Vancouver, um, basically, uh, was showcased on the planet, and I can tell you, we are gonna get tons of tourists, uh, that come back.

Should we not wait until you have more hotels potentially zoned and opened, uh, and other businesses that are there that are gonna attract the foot traffic, uh, rather than just extending it anyway just because the World Cup has d- it did very well during, during the seven games?

What is the thing that you are hearing most from, whether it's business owners or citizens, what's the number one piece of feedback that you're getting right now? I

think the The overwhelming response has been incredibly positive.

Fans, even if people weren't soccer fans before, they become fans, people on the streets, families, young families going to the Granville Entertainment District or the P&E or even the games.

It's just been lights out.

And the businesses, especially in the Granville Entertainment District, they went through five really tough years with COVID.

And they are just having a great time now.

And it's great to see.

If you had to sort of give a report card overall, just a quickie, how do you feel we did?

Okay, so you think the government, if they're going to buy up these condos and make them available for affordable housing, you think they should be buying them up in Vancouver too?

Is that correct? No, look, first of all, the deal that they struck is still very unclear.

There's more questions than answers right now.

What we're asking for is, look, we want to see more homes built in the city of Vancouver.

And so at City Hall, under my administration, We've cut development charges by 20%.

We've reduced regulatory red tape to build homes over the last three years.

And the homes, you know, given current market conditions, they're still not being built.

What do you think of that? Do you think they should bring in some GST relief on housing like they did in Toronto?

What is the thing, as you look at the plan, everything that's going to be happening over the course of the next month across the city, what are the things that you are most excited for people to experience?

Well, you know, look, we can talk about all the economic benefits and what it means to the city.

And those are very material.

But the most exciting thing is actually the communities coming together.

Families, friends, people that don't even know each other, but they come together.

Like yesterday was absolutely incredible.

We toured the amphitheater and the buzz with the Mexican fans was just over the top.

That was worth Vancouver

Can you explain to me how the math works?

Yeah.

You know, and stepping back, what we're doing is we're focusing on priorities.

We're focusing on affordability, we're focusing on public safety, and we're focusing on the amenities that, you know, uh, the City of Vancouver is responsible for.

And in a budget of over two billion dollars, there is always, you know, an opportunity to find some efficiencies and reprioritize, uh, um, items.

Just like every single, you know, um, the conversations that are happening at, uh, you know, dining room tables and boardroom tables across this great city of ours.

And so we choose to prioritize and focus on the core services that Vancouverites need.

Is that sort of the focus that you have at this moment?

Can you explain to the public why it's falling short?

And I, I wanna, you know, preface this with, uh, I do not think that governments should be subsidizing sports teams, okay? Period.

Full stop.

So taking that off the table, what's in front of the province right now is two options.

One, we lose the Whitecaps, uh, or two, we keep the Whitecaps.

If you keep the Whitecaps, you will have good tax revenues.

You have payroll taxes on the salaries of the team.

Mm-hmm.

Can you explain to the public why it's falling short?

And I, I wanna, you know, preface this with, uh, I do not think that governments should be subsidizing sports teams, okay? Period.

Full stopSo taking that off the table, what's in front of the province right now is two options.

One, we lose the Whitecaps, uh, or two, we keep the Whitecaps.

If you keep the Whitecaps, you will have good tax revenues.

You have payroll taxes on the salaries of the team.

And to give you some, you know, um, frame of reference, uh, Miller pays, I believe, about $3 million a year in taxes.

Mm-hmm.

Who, who are these, these parties, these credible parties that have you so excited about these prospects?

Yeah, right.

Like this was brought to us in confidence, and obviously we're not in a position to disclose, and that's why, uh, we filed a motion and it got passed, uh, just this past week in council to have a very clear and transparent expression of interest, uh, process where interested parties can come to the city and, uh, you know, show us what they have, so to speak.

And, uh, you know, you know, that goes a long way in fleshing out who the interested parties are, what the financial capabilities are, would they make a great ownership group, and would they make a great partner for the city of Vancouver to, you know, build a stadium, uh, and have a gener- generational asset for... that could last, you know, over a hundred years.

What would your pitch be to, to those?

Well, there's a few things.

Um, one, yes, uh, we are focused on, uh, the mat- the issues that matter to people, uh, at, you know, kitchen tables and boardroom tables, affordability and public safety and housing and, uh, core services.

Those, those are the things that we're focused on.

Is there, uh, you know, is there, is there any sort of documentation or plans lying around that someone could build off of, you know, or would this have to be, like, a ground zero thing?

Uh, I, I believe it would be a ground zero thing.

You know, and, and so I, I think there's two parts.

First, there are, you know, interested parties that-- who at various levels have done their own work.

Um, that's already in the works, and that, that's not just a Vancouver thing.

That's, you know, in other jurisdictions as well.

Um-The league, professional sports has changed quite a bit over the last thirty, forty years.

So what, what has the initial support been like or the initial reaction been like from city council and from civic leaders and, and what is the next step here? Is it, is it getting it through city council so that, you know, there, there's a little more oomph behind it? Or h- h- what would be the next step to your mind?

What is the city's role, and what falls entirely on the ownership group, of a future ownership group?

Okay, so maybe I'll, I'll lay a bit of context first.

Um, so, you know, uh, as you mentioned, the commissioner, uh, has, uh, showed an interest in expanding before January of 2029 and, uh, you know, highlighted that he, he thought Vancouver would be a great market, two ne- new teams, uh, and there's a, a ton of support here.

One of the things he mentioned was, um, any, uh, prospective, uh, expansion team, uh, has to, uh, also talk about the relationship with the city.

And so we're just getting in front of this.

Um, we wanna make sure that we, um, are able to, uh, help put our best, uh, foot forward, and so we're asking for, um, our team members to immediately initiative, um, sorry, initiate a competitive and open expression of interest process that will identify, uh, qualified, uh, potential bidders and ownership groups.

Um, and, uh, we're asking them to, to present, uh, what they think, like where a stadium could be, the economics around it, what have you, to make sure that, uh, we have a, you know, a solid bid-

Even with this proposal and a motion from the city, does it mean much when in the United States there are still cities willing to use public dollars to pay for stadiums for owners, uh, provide free land? I mean, i-i-i-i-is that even remotely possible with our culture compared to American sporting culture?

What is the city's role, and what falls entirely on the ownership group, of a future ownership group?

Okay, so maybe I'll lay a bit of context first.

Um, so, you know, uh, as you mentioned, the commissioner, uh, has, uh, showed an interest in expanding before January of 2029, and, uh, you know, highlighted that he, he thought Vancouver would be a great market, two ne- new teams, uh, and there's a, a ton of support here.

One of the things he mentioned was, um, any, uh, prospective, uh, expansion team, uh, has to, uh, also talk about the relationship with the city.

And so we're just getting in front of this.

Um, we wanna make sure that we, um, are able to, uh, help put our best, uh, foot forward.

And so we're asking for, um, our team members to immediately initiative, sorry, initiate a competitive and open expression of interest process that will identify, uh, qualified, uh, potential bidders and ownership groups.

Can the city, in this era, be r- even with this proposal and a motion from the city, does it mean much when in the United States there are still cities willing to use public dollars to pay for stadiums for owners, uh, provide free land? I mean, uh, uh, uh, is that even remotely possible with our culture compared to American sporting culture?

Is there a template that you followed from a different market that you said, "You know what? That fits what we need to do to cover some costs"?

Yeah, look, a, a lot of research was done in it.

And if someone is coming in from out of town, um, from the province, um, or even, you know, on the outskirts of the Lower main- mainland and they stay in Vancouver, sure, they, they will pay that hotel tel tax.

But it, it, it's a nominal fee, so it's not as if it's, like, half the cost of your hotel stay.

So, um, you know, even, uh, the, the local guests, it, it's not as if they're gonna be paying, uh, very much.

And so it'll be negligible.

Um, no, uh, look, there have been different funding models in different cities.

You, you're not concerned about potential security challenges, or at least people protesting or boycotting?