Your City Hall

Learn how City Hall works, how to get involved, and how to make change happen.

City elections take place across BC every 4 years. We deliver election outreach and engagement in the lead-up to every city election.

But what does democratic engagement look like beyond voting, and why does it matter?

Goals of Your City Hall

Increase civic literacy
Civic literacy - understanding how local government works - is key to encouraging everyone to be involved.

Examples of civic literacy
- Knowing about the roles and responsibilities of local government
- Understanding how City Hall works and the roles of elected officials in Vancouver
- Being familiar with current city planning and policy issues, or current trends and community concerns
Deepen local democratic engagement
Democratic engagement can be broadly understood as activities designed to deepen community connectedness, improve access to participation, and strengthen commitment to democracy.

One of the engines of democratic engagement is civic education (or civic literacy).

Examples of democratic engagement
- Having the knowledge and ability to access local decision-makers
- Knowing where to go in local government if problems arise
- Knowing how to participate in political activities like writing to elected officials, speaking at a public hearing, volunteering on an advisory committee, or attending a protest
- Knowing how to analyze and process information from the internet and media, identify misinformation, and understand bias
Reduce barriers to participation in civic life
We want to reduce barriers to participation in civic life using an equity-focused approach.

Reasons people don't participate

The reasons are complex and multifaceted. They can include:
- Systems of oppression like colonialism, racism, sexism, and classism
- Specific factors such as:
  - Lack of knowledge and information
  - Socio-economic factors
  - Negative attitudes towards the political system
  - Language barriers
  - Physical access barriers
How we can achieve this goal

Achieving this goal means recognizing that tools and processes to increase civic literacy and deepen democratic engagement are not one size fits all.

It reflects the need to address inequitable access to systems and resources in ways that prioritize equity and intersectionality.

Civics toolbox

Tools and resources to build civic literacy, get involved, and make change happen.

Includes downloadable:

Presentations
Activities
Worksheets

Why democratic engagement matters

A public opinion survey conducted by SFU’s Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue in 2018 found a strong correlation between citizens’ sense of belonging to the community and their commitment to democracy.

Canadians who trust elected officials

*2018, SFU Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue

Canadians who feel too few chances for participation

*2018, SFU Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue

BC residents who want to be more involved but face barriers

*2019, Vancouver Foundation, Vital Signs

Vancouver residents who feel a sense of belonging

*City of Vancouver Healthy City Strategy

Student projects and collaborations

In partnership with CityStudio, Your City Hall engages with local students to support innovative ways of increasing civic literacy, deepening democratic engagement, and reducing barriers to participation in civic life.

Student projects
Stories of Belonging
- In fall 2020 through to spring 2021, UBC students in the Coordinated Arts Program’s Global Citizens stream (now called Globalization, Power, and Society) reflected on civic engagement by exploring and researching spaces in their cities through a lens of belonging. Thank you to the UBC Centre for Community Engaged Learning for their support.
- Stories of Belonging in Cities Around the World
Stories of Victoria-Fraserview
- In fall 2020, UBC students in the Masters of Education for Sustainability program, with support from the South Vancouver Neighbourhood House, created a visual storytelling project that aims to amplify Victoria-Fraserview residents’ lived experiences through mural and street art.
- Stories of Victoria-Fraserview
Exploring our Roles
- In fall 2020, UBC students in the Masters of Education for Sustainability program, with support from the South Vancouver Neighbourhood House, developed an online conversation club for newcomers to look at the topics of colonization, reconciliation, and systemic racism.
- Exploring our Roles
Exploring our Relationship to Land and Place
- In fall 2020, UBC Forestry and Land and Food Systems students in the Land One integrative seminar, used asset mapping, photos and stories, and reflection to connect with the place they live by exploring examples of positive interactions between people and nature, and what they can do about the issues they care about. Thank you to the UBC Centre for Community Engaged Learning for their support.