Vancouver Parties Debate Community Hubs, Tax Policy and Plebiscite Proposals Ahead of Municipal Election Municipal campaign platforms clash over community hubs, property tax strategy, and controversial plebiscite questions; Vancouver residents confront decisions on library expansions, school site repurposing and downtown social services. A pair of Vancouver political groups have outlined fresh policy promises ahead of the upcoming municipal election, hoping to reshape the city's public services and devise new ways to manage the budget. The OneCity Vancouver movement, which chose not to field a candidate for mayor, set up its Main Street front office on Tuesday. The organisation's slate-comprising council, school board and parks board contenders-presented a bold plan to transform community spending and offer residents more multi‑purpose public facilities. OneCity's central idea is to create a network of integrated community hubs across the city, consolidating existing facilities such as community centres, libraries, schools and even new amenities into single sites.OneCity Proposes Britannia Renewal PlanThe group said the first step would involve a ten‑year renewal strategy for the Britannia complex, which is home to a community centre, a Vancouver Public Library branch and two elementary schools. As OneCity Park Board candidate Tyler Peterson explained, "We see Britannia as a model for a new way forward in Vancouver to build integrated public amenities with shared services on shared sites wherever possible." Beyond Britannia, the party highlighted another proposal aimed at the former Kingsgate Mall property - now owned by the Vancouver School Board - to turn it into a fresh community hub that could house a new pool, a new public library and affordable rental housing. OneCity also pledged a predictable, moderate increase in property taxes, saying that the incumbent ABC (All C) party's promise of a "Zero Means Zero" budget - which aims to freeze property taxes for an additional year in exchange for a majority - would ultimately raise fees for other city services."We need a steady, moderate property tax increase that people can anticipate and plan for instead of wild swings that have led to a large overall increase over the tenure of Ken Sim and ABC's governance," former OneCity councillor Lucy Maloney told reporters. ABC's track record on property taxes has been a point of contention for the opposition.Critics Question ABC Property Tax RecordWhile the mayor's vehicle succeeded in freezing property taxes in the most recent budget, the party nonetheless rolled up a cumulative 20.9 per cent rise over the last three years, with increases of 10.7 per cent in 2023, 7.3 per cent in 2024 and 3.9 per cent in 2025. The ABC administration has also harnessed its majority to add two plebiscite questions to the upcoming election ballot, in an emergency meeting held after the last council term ended.The first device would ask voters about strengthening regulatory frameworks around public drug consumption, while the second sought to direct the city to pressure the province to convert portions of St. Paul's Hospital into a medical facility that would accommodate 100 involuntary care beds. ABC's online campaign, tailored to push support for the plebiscite, ran alongside the Liberals' counter‑campaign.Liberals Oppose Hospital Plebiscite ChangesThe Vancouver Liberals opposed the two ballot amendments and launched an opposing website that depicted the proposed use of St. Paul's Hospital as a "prison" in the city's downtown core. Their mayoral candidate, Kareem Allam, warned that "the worst place for a prison is between Davie Village and our central business district," and reminded voters that open‑air drug use is already illegal, so that the VPD already has the authority to enforce current drug laws.Allam urged that the public should vote 'no' on the plebiscite questions, believing the city should simply enforce existing statutes instead of enacting new legislation. The debate captures the division in Vancouver's political sphere. OneCity champions comprehensive infrastructure renewal and leverages a new model of community hubs - the idea that shared spaces can lower costs and improve accessibility.ABC insists on subsidies that will keep property taxes frozen for a year, while the Liberals argue that the proposed measures unfairly target downtown residents and hostile tenants, and may ultimately jeopardise local staff and services. Across the board, city residents meanwhile face the pressure of a rapidly rising cost of living that intensifies the tension between public spending, development and taxation. Looking ahead, voters will have to weigh the merits of each party's platform.OneCity appeals to those who prioritise long‑term investment in community infrastructure and a stable tax environment. ABC's stance might attract those who are uncomfortable with a rising tax bill, intrigued by a potential shift towards a re‑structured, centralized approach to drug enforcement and healthcare.Meanwhile the Liberals' assertive stance against the plebiscite could resonate with voters who are concerned about the practicality and civil‑rights implications of placing an involuntary care facility in the middle of a bustling neighbourhood. The municipal election will therefore serve as a barometer of Vancouver's future direction, especially in how it manages its holdings, public facilities, and tax policy - all while growing into an increasingly complex and nuanced urban environment.