The mayor told a news conference \u2014 attended by councillors from his majority ABC Vancouver slate \u2014 that he will convene an emergency council meeting on Friday<\/a> in order to add the questions to the ballot for Vancouver voters on Oct. 17<\/a>.<\/p>\n He argued that asking voters to weigh in on the issues in an official capacity would give the next municipal government a stronger mandate to address drug use in the city.<\/p>\n Ken Sim’s proposal \u2014 which will have to be passed by city council \u2014 would see two plebiscite questions added to the ballot on Oct. 17. (Gian-Paolo Mendoza\/CBC)<\/p>\n However, in response to a question from CBC News, Sim did not specify which bylaws in particular would be strengthened if voters approve the proposed plebiscite question.<\/p>\n “The plebiscite is just another, you know, step in pivoting and making sure we’re … doing things that will actually make this place better,” he told reporters.<\/p>\n “When it comes to specific laws so, you know, we can take a look and make it a little clearer. And you know, we’ll get back to you on that one.”<\/p>\n Possession of small amounts of illicit drugs is already illegal in Canada, and Vancouver city bylaws<\/a> prohibit smoking in public parks, beaches and a number of other areas.<\/p>\n Involuntary care at St. Paul’s<\/p>\n Sim and ABC were elected four years ago on a platform of increasing public safety<\/a> in the city. The mayor has previously criticized the province for how it deals with social housing<\/a> and overdose prevention services<\/a> in the city.<\/p>\n During his tenure, Sim saw a motion passed that would freeze the construction<\/a> of net-new supportive housing in the city, arguing that Vancouver is responsible for a disproportionate share of social housing units in the region.<\/p>\n In addition to the question on strengthening drug-use laws, Sim’s second proposed plebiscite question would be that the city push the province to convert portions of the St. Paul’s Hospital site in downtown Vancouver into a “secure medical facility that provides acute voluntary and 100-plus involuntary care beds.”<\/p>\n St. Paul’s Hospital is set to relocate from its current site on Burrard Street to a new site in the False Creek Flats next year.<\/p>\n The St. Paul’s Hospital site in downtown Vancouver, seen here in 2018, will be closed next year. (Tina Lovgreen\/CBC)<\/p>\n In response to a question from CBC News on why it was so important to locate the involuntary care beds within the city \u2014 as opposed to within the wider region \u2014 Sim said that Vancouver had an acute need for involuntary treatment facilities.<\/p>\n “When you’re closer to your community, when you’re closer to loved ones, guess what? The chances of you having better or improved outcomes go up significantly,” he said.<\/p>\n Questions lack details, opponents argue<\/p>\n Vancouver Liberals mayoral candidate Kareem Allam \u2014 who was formerly Sim’s chief of staff<\/a> \u2014 said the proposed second plebiscite question showed Sim has “flip-flopped” on the issue of whether social services should be located in Vancouver or not.<\/p>\n “Everything that Ken Sim has done on these issues has pulled Vancouver back and has not moved anything forward,” he said. “And I see this as nothing more than a cheap political distraction.”<\/p>\n City council, which was on summer break, will have to approve Sim’s proposed plebiscite questions at the Friday emergency meeting.<\/p>\n![\"Vancouver](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/cbc.ca\/74c562a1356fc96099349eecfb55109d.jpg\"\/)
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