Vancouver Election 2026: Vancouver school board swings left

A left-leaning coalition of COPE, OneCity and Green trustees is set to take control of the Vancouver school board, marking a dramatic reversal for right-of-centre ABC Vancouver, which failed to win a single seat after dominating the polls in 2022.

COPE led the race, with its four candidates — Suzie Mah, Melanie Cheng, Derrick O’Keefe and Gwen Giesbrecht — taking the top four spots.

OneCity’s Krista Sigurdson and Rory Brown also won seats, alongside Vancouver Green candidates Julie Strilesky and Alisha Masongsong.

With all except one poll reporting, Rory Brown of OneCity had a narrow lead over party colleague Sherry Breshears for the ninth and final spot.

Mah, who was the top vote-getter with more than 75,500 votes, said the results reflected the anger and frustration she heard from voters on the campaign trail.

“They want change,” she said Saturday night, before joining jubilant supporters at a crowded hall in Strathcona to celebrate her party’s strong showing in council, park board and school board.

“We need to right this ship again. We need to focus on resources in the classroom, put our children first, and spend the money there,” said Mah. “We are willing to work with other progressive trustees who get elected, and it’s going to be a brand new day for the school board.”

At a Mount Pleasant pub, loud cheers erupted as OneCity candidates arrived to celebrate their wins.

Sigurdson, who finished 10th in 2022, said the results indicated a strong desire for change among voters.

“The message is ABC-elected trustees were not acting in the best interest of Vancouver kids and families. They (voters) want a change, a new direction for schools, and they want the board to take a more active role in governing how schools are run.”

The outgoing board oversaw major infrastructure milestones, including the opening of the long-awaited Coal Harbour elementary school, approval of a plan to nearly double the capacity of the new elementary school in Olympic Village, and completion of the $80-million seismic replacement of Eric Hamber Secondary.

But its term was also marked by contentious decisions, including the permanent closure of Sir Guy Carleton Elementary last year and a 2024 deal to lease part of Sir Sandford Fleming Elementary to a developer for 99 years for $8.5 million.

The new board will inherit a district grappling with declining enrolment, budget constraints and concerns over cuts to student services.

It It will also face pressure to rebuild trust with teachers after an overwhelming majority of Vancouver Secondary Teachers’ Association members expressed no confidence in district leadership.