BURST
Mayor Ken Sim is hitting pause on his calls for the Vancouver park board to be dissolved unless provincial legislation is tweaked to ensure the city and its voters retain control over all parks following the dissolution.
Last week, the province introduced legislation that would allow the city to dissolve the park board if approved by city voters.
Vancouver’s elected park board is an outlier among Canada’s big cities, with Sim vowing to scrap the board in what he says is an effort to cut costs and streamline management of the city’s parks.
On Tuesday, Sim’s enthusiasm for the legislation appeared to have fizzled, issuing a statement that highlighted a specific clause in the bill that detailed who would have a say in the future use of the city’s permanent parks.
The legislation, which guides how city’s parks would be managed after the park board’s dissolution, notes that park land can be designated for other uses only after a unanimous council vote and a referendum.
The only exception is in the cases of park land that is “to be disposed of to a First Nation.” In those situations, only a unanimous council vote is required. No referendum is needed.
“We value our strong relationships with the Musqueam Indian Band, Squamish Nation and Tsleil-Waututh Nation, and remain committed to working together on shared priorities in the spirit of reconciliation,” said Sim in a statement.
“At the same time, I will not support, nor will I bring forward, a referendum (on the future of the park board) that would allow any park land to be transferred without the direct consent of Vancouver residents.”
In the province’s Oct. 9 news release announcing the legislation, it said the exemption for a referendum on any park land to be transferred to First Nations, came “as requested by the city.”
Sim says that wasn’t the case.
“Neither I nor city council have ever formally requested any provincial changes of this nature. Had the province shared with us this legislation in advance, we would have made our position clear.”
Sim’s concerns come against a backdrop of uncertainty over land rights in B.C., after the Cowichan Tribes won a court ruling awarding it Aboriginal title over a swath of land in south Richmond, which includes government-owned and privately owned lands. B.C. is planning to appeal that ruling.
Postmedia has reached out to representatives from the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations for comment.
The legislation was introduced last week by B.C. Municipal Affairs Minister Christine Boyle, a former Vancouver councillor, and has garnered support from Opposition Leader John Rustad.
When the referendum on the future of the park board takes place is up to council, and could happen as early as the spring, be timed with next fall’s municipal election, or at another time.
More to come …