FORMER Vancouver mayor Kennedy Stewart on Thursday announced the official launch of Fix City Hall, a province-wide campaign to abolish the at-large voting system in large British Columbia municipalities and replace it with a fairer, more representative alternative.

Stewart, a Fix City Hall Society director, said: “At-large elections—where all councillors are elected city-wide—shut out diverse voices, reduce accountability, and leave many communities without real representation. Fix City Hall is calling on the provincial government to amend the Vancouver Charter and the Local Government Act to end this undemocratic electoral system in B.C.’s big cities.”

The campaign is advocating for alternative voting systems such as proportional representation, neighbourhood-based constituencies, or another electoral system that ensures every voice counts.

The initiative has endorsements from NDP politicians, including former B.C. premier Mike Harcourt, former B.C. MPs Libby Davies and Jasbir Sandhu and former B.C. minister of state Katrina Chen, along with academics, community organizers, and grassroots advocates across the province.

Fix City Hall will be proceeding with two actions:

• Petitioning for change. British Columbians can visit www.fixcityhall.ca to sign the petition calling for reform. This petition is the first step in showing the provincial government that voters demand action.

• Launching a court challenge. Fix City Hall is also preparing to move forward with a Charter of Rights and Freedoms challenge in B.C. Supreme Court. The case will argue that at-large systems undermine fair representation and equality for racialized communities, Indigenous peoples, and neighbourhoods across B.C.

Harcourt said: “We need to replace B.C.’s at-large voting system with a more democratic way of electing officials to local city councils that better ensures neighbourhoods get the representation they need and deserve. I opposed the at-large system throughout my time as a Vancouver city councillor and mayor, and it’s time for it to go.”

“As someone who has fought for equity and justice at the local and provincial level for most of my life, I fully support this push for more diversity in city halls right across B.C.,” said Chen.

“At-large elections silence huge parts of our city and need to be replaced with a more democratic electoral system,” said Davies.

“Everyone in Surrey knows city council does not reflect who we really are. We need to change that,” added Sandhu.

To learn more, sign the petition, or get involved, visit www.fixcityhall.ca