Vancouver independent councillor announces run for mayor
Posted September 22, 2025 7:10 am.
Last Updated September 22, 2025 9:57 am.
After parting ways with the governing ABC Vancouver Party earlier this year, Coun. Rebecca Bligh has announced she is running for mayor.
Bligh, who has sat as an independent since mid-February, launched her campaign for the top seat Monday morning.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE!“I’m running for mayor because I am grateful for what Vancouver has given to me and my family but I also know what it feels like when the system doesn’t work for you,” said Bligh.
She and ABC mutually agreed on her departure over what she described as Mayor Ken Sim abandoning its “core principles.”
“I think it’s the right direction for me and for our city,” Bligh said at the time.
In the week prior, she had openly questioned Sim’s plan to pause all net new supportive housing projects in Vancouver.
Bligh was originally elected to council as a member of the Non-Partisan Association in 2018, but cut ties with that party too in late 2019. Since joining council, she became president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
In her announcement Monday, Bligh promised her new party will prioritize affordability and housing issues.
In response to the announcement, OneCity Vancouver stated its opposition.
“We need a progressive mayor on the ballot to deliver the change Vancouver needs. And we’ll get one,” said OneCity co-chair Cara Ng, adding that the party will make an announcement about its own mayoral candidate in the coming weeks.
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