VDLC Opposes Closure of Vancouver Economic Commission

On September 22 it was announced that the Vancouver Economic Commission (VEC) would be wound down and closed effective immediately.

Since its inception in1995, VEC has operated as the city’s economic development agency, working to attract jobs and build the local economy. In recent years, VEC has been key to important economic and development policies and plans such as the Vancouver Plan, Climate Emergency Action Plan, UNDRIP Strategy, Transportation 2050 Plan, Broadway Plan, Rupert & Renfrew Station Area Plan, Zero Waste 2040, and the Zero Emission Economic Transformation Plan, as well as the recently launched Sustainable Workforce Coalition.

It unclear how this decision was even made, but we know that it was not in a public meeting of city council, and that it was without transparency, and public or stakeholder input.

The Vancouver & District Labour Council condemns the decision to close the Vancouver Economic Commission as short-sighted, and calls upon Mayor Sim to clarify how the decision to close the Vancouver Economic Commission was made, and halt its implementation until a decision can be made by city council, in a public meeting, with appropriate transparency, accountability, and public input.