Councillor Ellen Woodsworth

First elected to Vancouver City Council in 2002 and re-elected in 2008, Ellen Woodsworth is a community developer committed to economic equality, social justice and environmentally sound planning that will make Vancouver a world-class city. Her goal is to help create a Vancouver where every resident has equal opportunities to be successful and to develop their full potential.

Ellen wants to create a Vancouver for everyone, and is deeply committed to working on housing, climate change and creating a sustainable city. She believes in safe, strong, diverse neighbourhoods and thriving local businesses.

During her first term on Council, she was Vice-Chair of the City's Finance Committee and representative to the Executive of the Union of BC Municipalities and the Lower Mainland Treaty Advisory Committee. She sat on the Food Policy Task Force, the Women's and Creative Cities Task Force and was Council's representative to the Seniors and Youth Advisory Committees, and the Peace and Justice Committee.

Ellen has been president of the Britannia Community Services Centre, South Vancouver Neighbourhood House, Bridge Housing Society for Women in the Downtown Eastside and has worked closely with immigrant communities and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, transexual and queer communities.  For 10 years, she was a community organizer in the Downtown Eastside and Coordinator of the Seniors Summit, a provincial seniors organization.

Ellen grew up in Toronto, and then moved with her family to Japan where she finished high school at the Canadian Academy. Ellen attended the University of British Columbia, completing a bachelor of arts degree in Sociology, and two years of art school.  She and her partner of 19 years live in the Grandview/Woodlands area. In her spare time she likes to kayak, hike, ski, snowshoe, go to art events and read.

Her current local and regional appointments:

• Lower Mainland Treaty Advisory Committee
• Hastings Institute Inc. Board
• Council Liason to the Women's Advisory Committee and the Lesbian, Gay, Transgendered, Transsexual, Bisexual, Queer Advisory Committee