#LostVotesYVR

The VDLC supports the extension of voting rights to permanent residents. At our April 2019 regular meeting we adopted the following recommendation endorsing the #LostVotesYVR campaign which is campaigning to achieve this reform in the City of Vancouver. 

Subject:  #LostVotesYVR Campaign for Permanent Resident Voting

BECAUSE permanent residents share the same responsibilities as citizens; they work, live, own homes, rent, use public services, and are otherwise fully participating members of our communities; and

BECAUSE despite this, permanent residents can’t vote, including in municipal elections, where representatives who will determine the course of the communities, they live in are elected; and

BECAUSE excluding permanent residents from voting wrongly suggests their voices are less valuable, and can cause disengagement, which is a loss to our municipalities; and

BECAUSE the advocacy group Fresh Voices has launched the #LostVotesYVR campaign for permanent resident voting; and

BECAUSE Vancouver City Councillors voted unanimously to study permanent resident voting in April of 2018, but to date no changes have been made, and the 2018 municipal election passed without permanent residents having the opportunity to vote,

THE VANCOUVER AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL WILL endorse the #LostVotes2018 campaign, supporting the call for voting right to be extended to permanent residents.

Find out more about the #LostVotesYVR campaign HERE.