What do Vancouver voters want a month out from the civic election?

As we inch closer to the next municipal election in B.C., there is a big topic on people’s minds as they decide who they’re going to vote for.

CityNews hit the streets of Vancouver to hear from voters, most of whom cited housing as their main concern.

“The homeless situation, I definitely feel like needs improvement,” said one woman.

“Housing is a big thing. I think that’s a major thing,” added another.

One person told us, “We need to work very carefully with all of the groups — social services, police, fire — to ensure the homeless are housed.”

“Transit, transit, transit,” said another.

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Others admit they’re voting with a very specific goal in mind.

“To get rid of the current mayor,” said one man we spoke with on Broadway.

“I want to see a different mayor,” said another voter.

“We need a lot of change. There’s a lot of problems here,” explained one man.

“Somebody in the planning department and somebody in the approval department have to either streamline or start doing their job in a little bit more expediate manner,” said one woman.

Some hadn’t decided who to vote for yet. However, they were adamant on wanting to cast a ballot this fall.

“I want to contribute my little sliver to society,” said one man, as another added “It’s very important to the democratic process.”

“Don’t know who can make the big difference, I am leaning one way but I’m going to do my research and I’ll definitely be voting,” explained another of the many voters CityNews caught up with.

Voter turnout for civic elections tends to be quite low. During the last vote in 2018, many cities in B.C didn’t do all that well. It was just over 39 per cent in Vancouver, about 32 per cent in Surrey, and just over 25 per cent in Coquitlam.

This year’s municipal election is set for Oct. 15.

CityNews Vancouver will have full coverage on-air and online in the lead-up to, and throughout the election.

What are the biggest issues that matter to you ahead of the upcoming election? Let us know through our social media accounts or through our website.

-With files from David Nadalini