What you should know

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  Eligibility

  To qualify as a candidate, you must be: 

  • 18 years of age or older as of general election day
  • A Canadian citizen
  • A resident of BC for 6 months before nomination date
  • Not subject to any of the disqualifications set out in section 38(2) of the Vancouver Charter External website, opens in new tab
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  Compensation

  The following are annual salaries based on most recent rates.

  City Council (2022 rates)

  • Mayor: $185,000
  • Councillor: $92,000

  Read more about City Council salaries and expenses

  Park Board Commissioners (2022 rates)

  • Board Chair: $23,000
  • Commissioner: $18,700

  Read more about Commissioner salaries and expenses

  School Board Trustees

  • Board Chair: $35,000
  • Trustee: $32,000
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  Time commitment

  City Council

  • Average of 30 to 55 hours per week
  • Council meetings every two weeks
    • Council meetings typically run from 9:30am to 10pm
    • Public Hearings – a minimum of four meetings per month, from 6pm to 10pm or later
  • Attending briefings, workshops, and other assigned appointed committees or boards
  • Representation to external agencies (example: Metro Vancouver)
  • Participating in community events
  • Responding to inquiries from the public and media

  Park Board

  • Average of 20 to 30 hours per week:
    • Preparing for and attending board and committee meetings (meetings typically 5:30pm to 10pm, every 2 to 3 weeks)
    • Attending advisory committee and community association meetings as appointed Park Board liaison
    • Participating in community engagement  activities and events
    • Responding to public and media enquiries

  School Board

  • Average of 20 to 25 hours per week:
    • Preparing for and attending board and committee meetings
    • Attending committee meetings and workshops
    • Attending community meetings as representative of Vancouver School Board
    • Attending British Columbia School Trustees Association (BCSTA) Annual General Meetings
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  Legislation governing Vancouver elections

  City of Vancouver Election By-law
  The provincial Election Act does not apply to the City of Vancouver’s municipal election

  Election signs by-law PDF file (265 KB)

  Local Elections Campaign Financing Act External website, opens in new tab

  School Act External website, opens in new tab

  Vancouver Charter External website, opens in new tab

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  Resources

  Elections BC (an independent, non-partisan Office of the BC Legislature)

  Thinking about running for local office? External website, opens in new tab

  Elections BC created a brochure to help potential candidates make decisions on whether to run or not.

  Creating an elector organization External website, opens in new tab

  An elector organization or political party promotes a candidate or group of candidates and must register their party name with Elections BC.

  Visit the Elections BC website for details on:

  • Registering an elector organization with Elections BC
  • Candidate expense limits (available in May 2022)
  • Requirements for elector organizations
  • Campaign contribution limits
  • Organization financial disclosure statements

  Third party advertising External website, opens in new tab

  Read the rules that be must followed during the pre-campaign and campaign periods.

  More resources for prospective candidates

  Institute for Future Legislators External website, opens in new tab

  Learn from political practitioners in this intensive hands-on mentoring and training presented by the University of British Columbia.

  Women Transforming Cities External website, opens in new tab

  Explore how self-identified women and girls can have real social, economic, and political power in cities.