Ken Sim Explained

Honorific-Prefix:His Worship
Ken Sim
Native Name Lang:zh-Hant-HK
Order1:41st
Office1:Mayor of Vancouver
Term Start1:November 7, 2022
Predecessor1:Kennedy Stewart
Birth Name:Kenneth Sim
Birth Date:18 October 1970
Birth Place:Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Party:ABC Vancouver (municipal)
Otherparty:Non-Partisan Association (2018)
Spouse:Teena Gupta
Residence:Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Alma Mater:University of British Columbia
Profession:Businessman
Module:
Child:yes
T:沈觀健
S:沈观健
P:Shěn Guānjiàn
Y:Sám Gūn-gihn

Kenneth Sim (; born October 18, 1970)[1] [2] [3] is a Canadian politician and businessman who has served as the 41st mayor of Vancouver since 2022.[4] [5]

Biography

Born in Vancouver to Hong Kong immigrants Francis Sim (d. 1999) and Maria Theresa Kim (1932–2016),[6] [7] Sim attended Magee Secondary School, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School, and the UBC Sauder School of Business, graduating with a BComm in finance in 1993. He also holds a FCPA and FCA accounting designation.[8]

Sim co-founded Nurse Next Door Home Healthcare Services in 2001.[9] [10]

Sim first ran for mayor of Vancouver with the Non-Partisan Association in the 2018 Vancouver municipal election and finished the runner-up to Kennedy Stewart.[11]

Sim was elected mayor of Vancouver, running under the ABC Vancouver party banner, on October 15, 2022. He is the first challenger to defeat a sitting mayor of Vancouver since 1980, when Mike Harcourt upset incumbent Jack Volrich.[12] Sim is the first Chinese Canadian elected Mayor of Vancouver.[13] [14]

Mayoral term

In 2023, The Globe and Mail published allegations from an anonymous Canadian Security Intelligence Service source claiming that China interfered in the 2022 Vancouver municipal election.[15] [16] Sim has denounced the insinuations made in the article about himself and election interference, stating "If there's proof of foreign interference in our election, I want to know about it because I'm a Canadian … but right now there are a bunch of insinuations."[17]

Issues

Homelessness and housing

In March 2023, during Sim's mayoral term, a homeless count was commenced by the Homelessness Services Association of BC, the first since the beginning of the pandemic. Results of the count will become available in fall 2023. A local non-profit serving the population expects the results to show increases given their increased demand for services.[18] [19]

Sim's plan to address the homeless crisis in Vancouver has centred on partnership with Provincial and Federal government programs. Within his first 45 days in office Ken Sim and the ABC-dominated Council expedited work camp-style housing in partnership with BC Housing that implemented 90 units on City property.[20] On March 27, 2023, Sim and Provincial Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon announced a plan to open 330 additional units by June, 2023.[21] In addition, ABC Vancouver have repeatedly stated their intent to decrease permit processing times as additional means to stimulate the development of new, permanent housing.[22]

In early April 2023, news outlets began reporting on the City of Vancouver's efforts to bring the East Hastings encampment to a close. Sim remarked that the conclusion of the encampment is part of a larger effort of "finding empathetic ways to get people off the streets and into housing that they need."[23]

On April 5, 2023, Sim announced the encampment would be brought to a close.[24] By the end of the April 5, city workers removed most of the encampment on Hastings, disposed of much of the debris left by the encampment, and offered residents temporary re-homing to shelters while the city awaits new more permanent housing to arrive in June.[25] As part of the operation April 5 and 6, crews took down 94 “entrenched structures” and removed 50 propane tanks from the encampment zone. More than 70 totes for storage were also provided to individuals and stored off-site.[26]

Mental health

During the 2022 campaign, Sim promised he would hire 100 nurses to join the previously established Car 87 program, alongside 100 new police officers.[27] On February 14, 2023, Vancouver City Council voted to allocate $2.8 million to Vancouver Coastal Health, to hire 58 mental health workers to "to support people who are suffering from mental illness combined with lack of stable housing and substance abuse issues."[28] [29]

Budget

Mayor Ken Sim announced in April 2023 that he would create a task force with a mandate to review the city's operating and capital budgets and recommend ways tax dollars can be spent more efficiently and responsibly.[30]

Sim's major campaign promises included increases to the budget of VPD and a commitment to pay for these budget increases without cutting services or increasing property taxes.[31] Despite campaign promises, in a council meeting early in his term, he suggested that the Vancouver Public Library should look into "potential revenue opportunities" to fund operations.[32]

Vancouver City Council increased property taxes by 10.7% during Sim's first year in office. The property tax increase resulted in the average condo owner paying an additional 33 cents per day and the average home owner paying an additional 83 cents per day in property taxes. Council also voted to eliminate the controversial 25 cent "cup fee" on single-use beverage cups.[33] [34] [35] [36]

Personal life

Sim resides in West Point Grey with his wife and their four sons.[37] He has said that his children's inability to see "a future for themselves in Vancouver" was a primary reason for his involvement in politics.[38]

Hong Kong politician Bernard Charnwut Chan is a first cousin.[39] Sim's father was Chan's maternal uncle.[40] [41] Canadian intelligence analyst Scott McGregor and journalist Ina Mitchell noted in their book, "The Mosaic Effect", that Bernard's father, Robin Chan, who is Sim's uncle, held the role of vice chairman of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (ACFROC), a top-ranking organization in the Chinese Communist Party's united front network.[42]

Sim has taken training programs held by Landmark Worldwide, described by some as a large-group awareness training organization, crediting the training with teaching him how to have "authentic conversations" and giving him the confidence to run for mayor.[43]

Notes and References

  1. Klassen . Mike . MikeKlassen . 1582418562056351744 . October 18, 2022 . Happy birthday @KenSimCity! So happy to be on this journey together serving the people of Vancouver. https://t.co/DOc99BS2sN . en . April 7, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221215062825/https://twitter.com/MikeKlassen/status/1582418562056351744 . December 15, 2022 . live.
  2. News: Cheung . Christopher . September 28, 2022 . Vancouver Election Controversy: What's in a 'Usual Name'? . October 16, 2022 . . en-CA . October 16, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221016192115/https://thetyee.ca/News/2022/09/28/Vancouver-Election-Controversy-Usual-Names/ . live .
  3. Web site: Ken Sim. ABC Vancouver. October 16, 2022. November 1, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221101160102/https://abcvancouver.ca/zh/team/ken/. live.
  4. News: Little . Simon . October 15, 2022 . Ken Sim defeats Kennedy Stewart to become mayor as ABC party sweeps Vancouver election . en-CA . . October 16, 2022 . October 16, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221016172424/https://globalnews.ca/news/9197530/vancouver-new-mayor-ken-sim/ . live .
  5. News: Steacy . Lisa . October 15, 2022 . CTV News declares Ken Sim next mayor of Vancouver . en--CA . . October 16, 2022 . June 4, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240604185738/https://bc.ctvnews.ca/ctv-news-declares-ken-sim-next-mayor-of-vancouver-1.6111087 . live .
  6. Web site: OBITUARY: Maria Theresa Sim . Dignity Memorial . SCI Shared Resources, LLC . 30 June 2024.
  7. Web site: Boyko . John . Ken Sim . The Canadian Encyclopedia . Historica Canada . 30 June 2024 . en . January 11, 2023.
  8. News: Ip . Stephanie . June 4, 2018 . Five things to know about Ken Sim, the NPA's mayoral nomination . en-CA . . October 16, 2022 . June 9, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180609041220/http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/five-things-to-know-about-ken-sim-the-npas-mayoral-nomination . live .
  9. News: Smith . Charlie . January 18, 2012 . Vancouver's Canadian-born Chinese in their 30s and 40s make their mark, no small thanks to Milton Wong . en . . October 16, 2022 . October 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221009192126/https://www.straight.com/news/vancouvers-canadian-born-chinese-their-30s-and-40s-make-their-mark-no-small-thanks-milton-wong . live .
  10. News: Smith . Charlie . June 3, 2018 . NPA nominates businessman Ken Sim as its Vancouver mayoral candidate . en . . October 16, 2022 . April 23, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210423001355/https://www.straight.com/news/1084546/npa-nominates-businessman-ken-sim-its-vancouver-mayoral-candidate . live .
  11. News: Nassar . Hana Mae . October 15, 2022 . Ken Sim defeats Kennedy Stewart to become Vancouver mayor . . October 16, 2022 . June 4, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240604185622/https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2022/10/15/vancouver-elects-ken-sim-mayor/ . live .
  12. News: Howell . Mike . October 16, 2022 . Kennedy Stewart first Vancouver mayor in 42 years to lose race to challenger . Vancouver is Awesome . October 16, 2022 . October 16, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221016062854/https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/kennedy-stewart-first-vancouver-mayor-in-42-years-to-lose-race-to-challenger-ken-sim-5962224 . live .
  13. News: Meissner . Dirk . Shen . Nono . October 16, 2022 . Vancouver elects first Chinese-Canadian mayor . . October 16, 2022 . October 16, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221016142453/https://www.nationalobserver.com/2022/10/16/news/vancouver-elects-first-chinese-canadian-mayor . live .
  14. News: Watson . Bridgette . Oct 16, 2022 . From public safety to housing plans, here is what you can expect from Ken Sim as Vancouver mayor . CBC . March 26, 2023 . March 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327024121/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/sim-elected-vancouver-mayor-1.6610541 . live .
  15. News: Fife . Robert . Chase . Steven . VanderKlippe . Nathan . 2023-03-16 . China's Vancouver consulate interfered in 2022 municipal election, according to CSIS . en-CA . . 2023-03-20 . March 16, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230316235639/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-chinas-vancouver-consulate-interfered-in-2022-municipal-election/ . live .
  16. News: VanderKlippe . Nathan . Fife . Robert . Chase . Steven . 2023-03-16 . Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim irate over CSIS reports on China's election interference . en-CA . . 2023-04-11 . April 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230411030445/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-vancouver-election-interference-csis/ . live .
  17. Web site: McElroy . Justin . March 16, 2023 . Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim rejects 'insinuations' he won election due to Chinese interference . . March 20, 2023 . March 17, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230317005323/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/ken-sim-csis-report-first-reaction-2023-1.6781523 . live .
  18. News: Matassa-Fung . Darrian . January 12, 2023 . First homeless count in Metro Vancouver since start of pandemic to begin in March . Global News . March 26, 2023 . March 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327004002/https://globalnews.ca/news/9406759/homeless-count-metro-vancouver-2023/ . live .
  19. News: Devlin . Megan . Mar 8, 2023 . Greater Vancouver homeless count underway for first time since pandemic . Daily Hive . March 26, 2023 . March 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327004003/https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/greater-vancouver-homeless-count . live .
  20. News: December 22, 2022 . Year-end interview: Vancouver mayor Ken Sim reflects on first 45 days in office . Vancouver Is Awesome . April 21, 2023 . April 21, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230421151812/https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/year-end-interview-vancouver-mayor-ken-sim-first-45-days-6288489 . live .
  21. News: Mar 27, 2023 . @KahlonRav on Twitter . Twitter . March 27, 2023 . June 4, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240604190124/https://twitter.com/KahlonRav/status/1640137666435100672 . live .
  22. News: Oct 17, 2022 . Ken Sim talks public safety, housing policy in first TV interview as Vancouver mayor-elect . CTV News . March 26, 2023 . March 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327004003/https://bc.ctvnews.ca/ken-sim-talks-public-safety-housing-policy-in-first-tv-interview-as-vancouver-mayor-elect-1.6113469 . live .
  23. News: April 4, 2023 . Leaked City of Vancouver documents show plan to escalate removal of DTES encampment . CBC News . April 5, 2023 . April 5, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230405065720/https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.6799635 . live .
  24. Web site: City claims 'staff error' caused 4 traffic cameras to go offline as it moved out DTES campers . 2023-04-06 . Vancouver Is Awesome . April 5, 2023 . en . April 6, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230406062246/https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/vancouver-vpd-campers-dtes-traffic-cameras-2023-6815668 . live .
  25. Web site: With police support, workers remove tents and structures from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside . 2023-04-13 . CTVnews.com . April 5, 2023 . en-CA . April 13, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230413225238/https://bc.ctvnews.ca/vancouver-police-deployed-to-end-tent-encampment-in-city-s-downtown-eastside-1.6343944 . live .
  26. Web site: What the East Hastings encampment looks like — one week later . 2023-04-13 . VancouverIsAwesome.com . April 12, 2023 . en-CA . April 14, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230414001219/https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/what-the-east-hastings-encampment-looks-like-one-week-later-6845246 . live .
  27. News: Nov 22, 2022 . Vancouver council votes to fund 100 new police officers, 100 new mental health nurses . CBC . March 26, 2023 . March 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327025626/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-council-funding-1.6660027 . live .
  28. Web site: Carrigg . David . Feb 5, 2023 . City gives Vancouver Coastal Health $2.8 million to bolster mental-health team funding . 2023-03-26 . vancouversun . en-CA . June 4, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240604185732/https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/city-of-vancouver-gives-vancouver-coastal-health-2-8-million-to-bolster-mental-health-team-funding . live .
  29. News: Garrett . Catherine . February 14, 2023 . Annual Women's Memorial March draws hundreds to downtown Vancouver . Global News . March 26, 2023 . March 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327004003/https://globalnews.ca/news/9486481/vancouver-womens-memorial-march-2023/ . live .
  30. Web site: Vancouver mayor Ken Sim creates task force to review city budgets. Vancouver Is Awesome. April 3, 2023 . April 13, 2023. April 13, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230413190947/https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/vancouver-mayor-ken-sim-creates-task-force-to-review-city-budgets-6802016. live.
  31. Web site: Dan Fumano: Vancouver's new mayor pitches 10.7% property tax hike in record-high budget . 2023-04-05 . vancouversun.com . en-CA . March 20, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230320042013/https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/dan-fumano-vancouvers-new-mayor-pitches-record-budget-10-7-per-cent-property-tax-hike-in-first-budget . live .
  32. November 29, 2022 . Special Council (2023 Budget) - November 29, 2022 . . . April 7, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230406080931/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPFb06smdF8 . April 6, 2023 . live.
  33. Web site: Thibault . Alissa . 2023-02-27 . Vancouver mayor admits proposed 9.7% property tax increase 'sucks' . 2023-03-27 . CTV News . en . March 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327004003/https://bc.ctvnews.ca/vancouver-mayor-admits-proposed-9-7-property-tax-increase-sucks-1.6291947 . live .
  34. Web site: Howell . Mike . Nov 22, 2022 . Vancouver police request $383 million budget for 2023 . 2023-03-27 . Vancouver Is Awesome . en . March 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327004004/https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/vpd-budget-request-2023-vancouver-bc-6141696 . live .
  35. Web site: Denis . Jen St . 2023-03-01 . In Vancouver's Budget, Libraries Couldn't Compete with Police . 2023-03-27 . The Tyee . English . March 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327004003/https://thetyee.ca/News/2023/03/01/Vancouver-Budget-Libraries-Police/ . live .
  36. Web site: Steacy . Lisa . 2023-03-02 . City of Vancouver ends living wage policy for workers in closed-door meeting . 2023-03-27 . CTV News . en . March 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327004003/https://bc.ctvnews.ca/city-of-vancouver-ends-living-wage-policy-for-workers-in-closed-door-meeting-1.6297119 . live .
  37. Web site: Vancouver . City of . 2022 mayor candidates . 2022-10-18 . vancouver.ca . en . October 18, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221018023519/https://vancouver.ca/your-government/candidates-mayor.aspx . live .
  38. News: Thibault . Alissa . 2022-10-10 . 'This is deeply personal': Ken Sim explains why he wants to be Vancouver's next mayor . en . . 2022-10-18 . October 16, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221016234718/https://bc.ctvnews.ca/this-is-deeply-personal-ken-sim-explains-why-he-wants-to-be-vancouver-s-next-mayor-1.6103467 . live .
  39. News: Bilefsky . Dan . Dan Bilefsky . 2023-05-07 . Did China Help Vancouver's Mayor Win Election? . en-US . . live . 2023-10-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230509023023/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/07/world/canada/ken-sim-vancouver-china.html . May 9, 2023 . 0362-4331.
  40. Web site: Historic moment for Vancouver mayor with HK links . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230319065750/https://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news/section/4/246472/Historic-moment-for-Vancouver-mayor-with-HK-links . March 19, 2023 . May 9, 2023.
  41. Web site: Artist Guide- Art Enthusiasts . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230509024533/https://www.rehabsociety.org.hk/%E7%95%AB%E5%AE%B6%E6%8C%87%E5%8D%97-%E8%97%9D%E8%A1%93%E6%9C%89%E5%BF%83%E4%BA%BA/ . May 9, 2023 . May 9, 2023.
  42. Book: McGregor . Scott . The Mosaic Effect: How the Chinese Communist Party Started a Hybrid War in America's Backyard . Mitchell . Ina . . 2023 . 978-0-88890-324-2 . 226 . en . 1374491172 . 2023-10-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231031191302/https://books.google.com/books?id=HI1UEAAAQBAJ . 2023-10-31 . live.
  43. Web site: 2018-09-20 . NPA mayoral candidate Ken Sim learned how to have "authentic conversations" with the help of Landmark Forum . 2023-02-17 . The Georgia Straight . en . February 17, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230217133529/https://www.straight.com/news/1139496/npa-mayoral-candidate-ken-sim-learned-how-have-authentic-conversations-help-landmark . live .

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