British ColumbiaThe report by Integrity Commissioner Lisa Southern comes after a year-long investigation into complaints that Vancouver’s ruling party had broken the Vancouver Charter by not conducting the business of city council in public. Ken Sim disagrees with report, which rules private group chats about amendments violate Vancouver CharterJustin McElroy · CBC News · Posted: Aug 25, 2025 3:58 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour agoVancouver Mayor Ken Sim speaks during an ABC party news conference in Vancouver on Feb. 20. He said he disagrees with the findings of a report by the city’s integrity commissioner, which found he and his party broke the city code of conduct. (Ethan Cairns/CBC)Vancouver’s integrity commissioner has ruled that Mayor Ken Sim and ABC Vancouver councillors broke the city’s code of conduct on multiple occasions by planning and coordinating amendments to motions in private group conversations before public council meetings. The report by Integrity Commissioner Lisa Southern comes after a year-long investigation into complaints that Vancouver’s ruling party had broken the Vancouver Charter by not conducting the business of city council in public. Southern’s report found that ABC violated that policy because Sim and councillors — who represented a majority of council at the time of the misconduct — had group chats and party meetings, where on at least two occasions, they discussed the specific wording of amendments members would bring to motions, and how they were expected to vote. “If Council Members meet with quorum outside of an open meeting, discuss City business, and do so in a way that moves that business along the spectrum of decision-making in a material way, there is a problem — they are depriving the public of participation in the policy development and decision-making processes that serve to build public trust and confidence in local government,” Southern wrote.”Democracy is undermined.”In a statement issued Monday morning, Sim took a different view. “We respect the role of the Integrity Commissioner, but we strongly disagree with elements of this report,” he wrote.”Caucusing is a normal and accepted practice at every level of Canadian democracy … that is how thoughtful and effective decisions are made. It is not misconduct.”‘How are we all feeling?’The report found two specific instances where the code of conduct was breached — the rejection of a Climate Justice Charter to help guide city staff around efforts to address climate- and equity-related issues, and approving a turf field for Moberly Park. In the case of the climate charter, a person in Sim’s mayoral office emailed draft amendments to ABC councillors that would reject having staff use it as a tool.”This is shaping up well,” said Coun. Lisa Dominato in an email, while Coun. Rebecca Bligh — who was later kicked out of ABC Vancouver — asked, “Who is taking the lead and how are we all feeling about the language?”In the case of the turf field, a different member of Sim’s office emailed ABC councillors about potential amendments. Coun. Brian Montague responded in an email by asking, “Just a clarification … moving ‘A’ and supporting with ‘D’ … but are we voting down ‘B’,” adding, “I lost track at the end.”Further back and forth happened between ABC councillors and Sim’s office on the drafting of amendments. “These circumstances reasonably support a finding that the public was deprived of an opportunity to observe a material part of Council’s decision-making process,” wrote Southern. Lisa Southern, Vancouver’s integrity commissioner, found that private group chats for drafting amendments broke the rules of the Vancouver Charter. (Submitted by Lisa Southern)’Team voting rules’Southern also revealed an email from Sim’s office to other ABC councillors in 2024 that had a section entitled “team voting rules,” which outlined how councillors were allowed to vote.The note from Sim’s office says “all mayor motions and budget votes are whipped,” “ABC team member motions are to be supported,” and “opposition motions will be decided on a case-by-case basis through discussion with the group.”While that would also break municipal rules about heading into public meetings with an open mind about the debate to come, Southern found this did not break the city’s code of conduct because councillors denied ever caring about the so-called rules.”Mayor Sim’s evidence was that the voting protocol was a working document that was never adopted and only reflected a working guideline, noting ABC Council Members had the right to vote as they wished on Council matters,” she wrote.What comes next?While Vancouver’s integrity commissioner has the ability to conduct investigations and issue findings, it is up to council to determine any sanctions.Sim declined to submit any thoughts to Southern on recommendations going forward.Councillors Rebecca Bligh, Lisa Dominato and Peter Meiszner told Southern that “such conduct was not intentional and at most amounted to an error in judgment,” and said it would “be an opportunity for more clarity and guidance around the application of the requirement in relation to caucus meetings.”But opposition councillor Pete Fry, who put forward the request for Southern to investigate, hopes ABC Vancouver might take a stronger position, even at the expense of punishing themselves.”It’s a very disingenuous and disrespectful way to approach the business of running the city. And I would say in this case, it’s also illegal,” he said.”It does seem esoteric and inside baseball, but really, these kinds of things matter because what they’re talking about is millions of dollars worth of taxpayers’ money on projects that can be cooked up behind closed doors, and the public has no idea what’s happening until it’s already inked. And I think that’s a problem.” ABOUT THE AUTHORJustin is the Municipal Affairs Reporter for CBC Vancouver, covering local political stories throughout British Columbia.
Vancouver mayor and ABC councillors broke code of conduct, city integrity commissioner rules
