Gregor Robertson (politician)
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Gregor Angus Bethune Robertson (born September 18, 1964) is a Canadian entrepreneur and a progressive politician, who served as the 39th
mayor of Vancouver The mayor of Vancouver is the head and chief executive officer of Vancouver, British Columbia, who is elected for a four-year term. The 41st and current officeholder is Ken Sim, who has held office since November 7, 2022. List indicate ...
,
British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
, from 2008 to 2018. As the longest serving Mayor in Vancouver's history, Robertson and his team led the creation and implementation of the Greenest City 2020 Action Plan and spearheaded the city's first comprehensive Economic Action Strategy. Robertson was elected to the position of mayor of Vancouver as part of the
Vision Vancouver Vision Vancouver is a green liberal municipal political party in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Vision was formed in the months leading up to the 2005 municipal election. Formation Vision was founded by former Coalition of Progressive ...
slate. Prior to that, he served as a
Member of the Legislative Assembly A member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to a legislative assembly. Most often, the term refers to a subnational assembly such as that of a state, province, or territory of a country. S ...
for
Vancouver-Fairview Vancouver-Fairview is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada. Fairview is made up of two rectangles: one bounded by Granville Street to the east, 16th Avenue to the south, Arbutus Street to th ...
, as a member of the
New Democratic Party of British Columbia New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...
, from 2005 until his resignation in 2008 to run for the mayoral position. On January 10, 2018, Robertson announced that he would not seek re-election after three terms in office.


Background

Robertson was born in North Vancouver in 1964. His father was an attorney with Russell Dumoulin, a prominent Vancouver law firm, and his mother was a teacher. After his parents divorced, Robertson grew up partly in
Portola Valley Portola Valley is a town in San Mateo County, California. Located on the San Francisco Peninsula in the Bay Area, Portola Valley is a small, wealthy community nestled on the eastern slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains. History Portola Val ...
, near San Francisco with his mother, and later with his father in North Vancouver. In 1982, he graduated from
Carson Graham Secondary School Carson Graham Secondary is a public high school in the city of North Vancouver, British Columbia and part of School District 44 North Vancouver. History The school opened September 15, 1965, and is named after Dr. Carson Graham. In 2009, Car ...
in North Vancouver and attended
Colorado College Colorado College is a private liberal arts college in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It was founded in 1874 by Thomas Nelson Haskell in his daughter's memory. The college enrolls approximately 2,000 undergraduates at its campus. The college offer ...
and the
University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public university, public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks a ...
,"Pursuit of Happiness"
, ''BC Business'', December 1, 2006.
graduating from the former with a BA in
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
and
Biology Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...
. After graduating, he intended to become a physician, but the University of British Columbia School of Medicine rejected his application."Gregor Robertson, Sustainability's Superman"
, ''Today's Vancouver Woman,'' July 30, 2007.
Robertson then completed Emergency Medical Technician (EMT/paramedic) training but turned his career focus to healthy food and nutrition. . His relations include grandfather Dr. Emile Therrien, a pioneering doctor, and Dr.
Norman Bethune Henry Norman Bethune (; March 4, 1890 – November 12, 1939; zh, t=亨利·諾爾曼·白求恩, p=Hēnglì Nuò'ěrmàn Báiqiú'ēn) was a Canadian thoracic surgeon, early advocate of socialized medicine, and member of the Communist Party ...
, his grandmother's cousin, a noted anti-fascist and Communist famous for battlefield medicine in the
Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...
and the
Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...
. He worked on a ranch as a cowboy in the
Cariboo The Cariboo is an intermontane region of British Columbia, Canada, centered on a plateau stretching from Fraser Canyon to the Cariboo Mountains. The name is a reference to the caribou that were once abundant in the region. The Cariboo was the ...
restored a wooden sailboat and sailed across the
Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
for 18 months, accompanied by his wife, Amy, whom he had met in Colorado. They settled in
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
, where he was attracted to, and began, farming as a trade. After turning 25, he returned to Canada, where he purchased land in Glen Valley near
Fort Langley Fort Langley is a village community in Township of Langley, British Columbia, Canada. It has a population of approximately 3,400 people. It is the home of Fort Langley National Historic Site, a former fur trade post of the Hudson's Bay Company. ...
, and made his living as a farmer there. Robertson went on to co-found
Happy Planet Happy Planet is a private company in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, known for making organic juices and smoothies. The company was started in 1994 by Randal Ius and Gregor Robertson. They originally started out with one farm producing car ...
, a Vancouver-based company that produces and markets organic fruit and vegetable beverages and soups. He was named one of Canada's "Top 40 under 40" by ''
The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...
''."City Profile"
''City Award'',
He was also a Tides Canada director from 2002 until 2004, when he entered politics with the provincial New Democratic Party. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly in the 2005 election as a member of the
British Columbia New Democratic Party The New Democratic Party of British Columbia (BC NDP) is a social-democratic provincial political party in British Columbia, Canada. As of 2017, it governs the province. It is the British Columbia provincial arm of the federal New Democrati ...
having defeated the trade union leader
Judy Darcy Judy Darcy (born 1950) is a Canadian health care advocate, trade unionist, and former politician. Darcy was the first Minister of Mental Health and Addictions of British Columbia. She was the fourth National President of the Canadian Union of P ...
in a high-profile battle for the party's nomination. He then beat
British Columbia Liberal Party The British Columbia Liberal Party, often shortened to the BC Liberals, is a Centre-right politics, centre-right provincial political party in British Columbia, Canada. The party currently forms the Official Opposition. Subsequent to the 2020 Br ...
's Virginia Greene in the general election. During his time as the MLA for Vancouver-Fairview, Robertson served as the Opposition Critic for Advanced Education, Small Business Critic and as the Co-Chair of the Caucus Climate Change Taskforce.Palmer, Vaughn, "NDP faces prospect of losing its 'catch' to civic politics," ''
Vancouver Sun The ''Vancouver Sun'', also known as the ''Sun'', is a daily broadsheet newspaper based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The newspaper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network. Published s ...
'', January 9, 2008


2008 mayoral campaign

In February 2008, Robertson announced that he would run for
Mayor of Vancouver The mayor of Vancouver is the head and chief executive officer of Vancouver, British Columbia, who is elected for a four-year term. The 41st and current officeholder is Ken Sim, who has held office since November 7, 2022. List indicate ...
. In June 2008, Robertson secured the
Vision Vancouver Vision Vancouver is a green liberal municipal political party in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Vision was formed in the months leading up to the 2005 municipal election. Formation Vision was founded by former Coalition of Progressive ...
party's nomination as its mayoral candidate,Loxam, Erin, "Gregor Robertson is Vision Vancouver's candidate for mayor", ''News 1130'', June 15, 2008 defeating
Raymond Louie Raymond Louie (; born January 16, 1965) is a Canadian politician. He is a five-term Vancouver City Councillor. Formerly a member of Coalition of Progressive Electors civic party, Louie broke away and was re-elected in 2005, and again in 2008, ...
and Allan De Genova."It's Robertson vs. Ladner for mayor"
, ''
Vancouver Sun The ''Vancouver Sun'', also known as the ''Sun'', is a daily broadsheet newspaper based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The newspaper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network. Published s ...
'', June 16, 2008.
Robertson soon announced his resignation from the Legislative Assembly effective July 15, 2008."NDP MLA resigning seat to run for Vancouver mayor"
'' CBC'', June 19, 2008
His main rival was
Peter Ladner Peter Ladner (born February 12, 1949) is a former Vancouver city councillor, Metro Vancouver vice-chair and business owner. Ladner has more than 40 years of journalistic experience in print, radio and television; is the author of ''The Urban Foo ...
of the
Non-Partisan Association The Non-Partisan Association (NPA) is a municipal political party in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was established by the city's business leaders in 1937 to challenge the democratic socialist Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) ...
. In November 2008, Robertson came under scrutiny after reporters discovered that he had an unpaid transit infraction fine from the SkyTrain system. While the public generally appeared willing to accept his explanation that the original infraction was a mistake, he was criticized by some for attempting to spin his failure to pay into a politically positive statement. Robertson ultimately paid the $173 fine. He was elected by a solid margin in the 2008 municipal election. Seven of the ten seats on Vancouver City Council also went to Robertson's Vision Vancouver party. "It was a hard-fought campaign," he told supporters gathered at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, "but there is far more that unites us than divides us.""Robertson is Vancouver's Olympics mayor"
''
The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...
'', November 16, 2008.
Robertson's campaign received donations from at least two American supporters."Union of B.C. Municipalities resolution could turn off U.S. cash taps for Vancouver elections"
''
Georgia Straight ''The Georgia Straight'' is a free Canadian weekly news and entertainment newspaper published in Vancouver, British Columbia, by Overstory Media Group. Often known simply as ''The Straight'', it is delivered to newsboxes, post-secondary schools, ...
'', September 24, 2009.
Councilor
Ellen Woodsworth Ellen Woodsworth is an international speaker and activist based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She is the founder and matriarch of Women Transforming Cities International Society and the Co-Chair of WILPF, Canada. Woodsworth was a Van ...
, who ran as part of the coalition led by Robertson in the 2008 election, later called for a ban on foreign campaign donations such as those received by Robertson.


Mayoral term


Action on homelessness

Under Robertson's leadership, Vancouver City Council made important progress in reducing homelessness, including the approval of more than 600 temporary modular homes; however, providing safe and affordable housing for Vancouver's most vulnerable residents continues to be a challenge. The 12th annual Homeless Count in Vancouver held in 2018 saw a 2% increase in homeless residents since the 2017 count, compared with a 16% increase between 2016 and 2017. Of those counted in 2018, 659 were living on the street and 1,522 were living in shelters, compared to 537 street homeless and 1,601 sheltered in 2017. Fifty-two per cent of those counted reported being homeless for less than a year, showing the fluidity of homelessness year over year in Vancouver, and in 2017, the Homelessness Service's Outreach Team secured 850 homes for residents who were homeless or at risk of homelessness. In September 2017, the Government of British Columbia announced a funding commitment of $66 million towards building 600 units of temporary modular housing in Vancouver. In partnership with the B.C Government, temporary modular homes are being built in a matter of months on empty or underutilized City-owned land, providing immediate relief to hundreds of people living without a home, as well as access to 24/7 supports, including life skills training and health services.


Issues of marginalized people


Mental health advocate position

During the 2008 campaign, Robertson promised he would establish a
mental health Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being, influencing cognition, perception, and behavior. It likewise determines how an individual handles stress, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making. Mental health ...
advocate An advocate is a professional in the field of law. Different countries' legal systems use the term with somewhat differing meanings. The broad equivalent in many English law–based jurisdictions could be a barrister or a solicitor. However, ...
position,"Opposing viewpoints"
, ''
Vancouver Sun The ''Vancouver Sun'', also known as the ''Sun'', is a daily broadsheet newspaper based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The newspaper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network. Published s ...
'', November 14, 2008.
as previously recommended by Vision Vancouver councilor
Heather Deal Heather Deal is a Canadian biologist and politician. She served as a Vancouver city councillor until 2018, first elected as a member of Vision Vancouver in 2005. She previously served as a Vancouver Park Board commissioner for the 2002 to 200 ...
."Mentally ill need advocate: Councillor"
, ''
Vancouver Province ''The Province'' is a daily newspaper published in tabloid format in British Columbia by Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network, alongside the ''Vancouver Sun'' broadsheet newspaper. Together, they are British Columbia's only ...
'', February 24, 2008.
In September 2009, it was announced that there were no plans to do so, and that instead the task would be added to the responsibilities of city staff."Vision breaks promise on mental health advocate"
, ''
Vancouver Courier The ''Vancouver Courier'' was a Canadian semi-weekly local newspaper published in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, by the Van-Net chain owned by Glacier Media Group. In 2007, it was Canada's largest distributed community newspaper, with a we ...
'', September 9, 2009.


Homeless Emergency Action Team (HEAT)

On December 9, 2008, he announced low-barrier
HEAT In thermodynamics, heat is defined as the form of energy crossing the boundary of a thermodynamic system by virtue of a temperature difference across the boundary. A thermodynamic system does not ''contain'' heat. Nevertheless, the term is al ...
shelters to assist
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
’s homeless citizens during an extremely cold winter, which were filled to capacity. Two of the shelters in a residential neighbourhood near a daycare centre and senior housing facility at the North end of the
Granville Street Bridge The Granville Street Bridge or Granville Bridge is an eight-lane fixed cantilever/truss bridge in Vancouver, British Columbia, carrying Granville Street between Downtown Vancouver southwest and the Fairview neighborhood. It spans False Creek a ...
were controversial. Community residents cited concerns with lack of public consultation, fights, public urination, defecation, public sex, and open drug use."Controversial homeless shelter to shut down Aug. 7", ''
Vancouver Sun The ''Vancouver Sun'', also known as the ''Sun'', is a daily broadsheet newspaper based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The newspaper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network. Published s ...
'', July 30, 2009.
"Decision on HEAT shelter closure likely today"
''
Metro Vancouver The Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD), or simply Metro Vancouver, is a Canadian political subdivision and corporate entity representing the metropolitan area of Greater Vancouver, designated by provincial legislation as one of the 28 ...
'', July 29, 2009.
British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
Housing Minister
Rich Coleman Richard Thomas Coleman (born c. 1956) is a Canadian politician and former police officer, who served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly in British Columbia from 1996 to 2020, and is a former interim leader of the British Columbia Liberal P ...
cited the need for laying out rules of operation and the need for better community consultation. He called Robertson's bargaining on housing homeless people "amateurish" and later apologized for the remark."B.C. housing minister apologizes to Vancouver mayor for calling city’s tactics on homeless ‘amateurish’"
''
Vancouver Sun The ''Vancouver Sun'', also known as the ''Sun'', is a daily broadsheet newspaper based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The newspaper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network. Published s ...
'', June 29, 2009.
Robertson reached an agreement with Housing Minister
Rich Coleman Richard Thomas Coleman (born c. 1956) is a Canadian politician and former police officer, who served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly in British Columbia from 1996 to 2020, and is a former interim leader of the British Columbia Liberal P ...
and came to a mutual decision to close one shelter and reassess another. The second controversial shelter shut down on August 5, 2009, as alternate housing was found."Howe Street shelter shuts down early"
''CBC News'', June 29, 2009.
Later that year,
Penny Ballem Penny Janet Drury Ballem is a Canadian physician and government administrator. She was the city manager for the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from 2008 to 2015 and served as a member of the VANOC board of directors, corporate directo ...
, the unelected city manager, notified council about a federal proposal from the
Mental Health Commission of Canada The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) is a national non-profit organization created by the Canadian government in 2007 in response to a senate committee tasked to study mental health, mental illness, and addiction. The committee appointed ...
to address the homeless crisis by turning the 102-room low-budget Bosman's Hotel on Howe Street near Helmcken Street into an experiment designed to see if aggressive health treatment along with housing could help the same target population. Council will decide on the proposal in the Fall of 2009. Council member
Kerry Jang Kerry Jang () is a Canadian politician. He previously served as councillor on Vancouver, British Columbia's City Council between 2008 and 2018. From 2013, he also represented the city of Vancouver on the Greater Vancouver Regional District Board ...
was said to be behind the Vancouver portion of the project. On September 15, 2009, Vancouver city staff issued a report warning Robertson and the City Council that they should no longer expect the HEAT shelters to be funded after the 2009–2010 fiscal year."Now, THAT's an agenda!"
'' News 1130'', September 18, 2009.
"City of Vancouver Administrative Report"
''
City of Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. The ...
archives'', September 15, 2009.
On January 5, 2010, Robertson announced that the controversial shelter at 1435 Granville Street, in a predominantly residential neighbourhood, would re-open the following day without robust neighbourhood consultations. It is scheduled to close by April 30, 2010. The city is planning an open house approximately two weeks after re-opening the shelter.


Green issues


Greenest City Action Team

On February 25, 2009, Robertson announced the members of the Greenest City Action Team in support of his campaign promise to make Vancouver the greenest city in the world."Start now to make Vancouver the world’s greenest city, report urges"
, ''
Vancouver Sun The ''Vancouver Sun'', also known as the ''Sun'', is a daily broadsheet newspaper based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The newspaper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network. Published s ...
'', April 27, 2009.
In April 2009, Robertson and the Greenest City Action Team released a report outlining quick-start recommendations to move aggressively on its green plan. The report focused on three key areas: jobs and the economy, greener communities, and protecting human health.


China democracy controversy

In September 2010 on a trip to China, Robertson was questioned about working with an authoritarian regime by the CBC to which he responded, "You can question how worthwhile democracy is in a lot of countries right now." Upon returning to Canada he later admitted he was guilty of a "poor choice of words".


Transportation issues


Canada Line

Robertson was a strong supporter of
Cambie Street Cambie Street is a street in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is named for Henry John Cambie, chief surveyor of the Canadian Pacific Railway's western division (as is Cambie Road, a major thoroughfare in nearby Richmond). There are two ...
merchants and spoke regularly about hardships from the
Canada Line The Canada Line is a rapid transit line in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, that is part of the SkyTrain system. The line is owned by TransLink and InTransitBC and is operated by ProTrans BC. Coloured turquoise on route maps, it op ...
construction."Vancouver mayor testifies in Cambie merchant lawsuit"
CBC News CBC News is a division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on the corporation's English-language operations, namely CBC Television, CBC Radio, CBC News Network, and CBC.ca. ...
, March 23, 2009.
He called the handling of the rail line construction an "injustice"."The long and troubled road to the Canada Line"
CTV News CTV News is the news division of the CTV Television Network in Canada. The name ''CTV News'' is also applied as the title of local and regional newscasts on the network's owned-and-operated stations (O&Os), which are closely tied to the national ...
, August 17, 2009.
On March 23, 2009, Robertson testified in a lawsuit brought by a Cambie Street plebiscite merchant in the B.C. Supreme Court regarding damage to her business from the construction, a lawsuit for which the merchant was awarded $600,000 by the B.C. Supreme Court because in part there was insufficient action to mitigate the effects of Canada Line construction on Cambie Street merchants."Ex-Cambie merchant's court victory linked to defendants' failure to mitigate effects of Canada Line"
''
Georgia Straight ''The Georgia Straight'' is a free Canadian weekly news and entertainment newspaper published in Vancouver, British Columbia, by Overstory Media Group. Often known simply as ''The Straight'', it is delivered to newsboxes, post-secondary schools, ...
'', May 28, 2009.
This decision was later appealed and overturned at the B.C. Court of Appeal on February 18, 2012."Susan Heyes Inc. (Hazel & Co.) v. South Coast B.C. Transportation Authority"
'' B.C. Court of Appeal'', 2011 BCCA 77.
On the Canada Line opening day of August 17, 2009, Robertson said
Greater Vancouver Greater Vancouver, also known as Metro Vancouver, is the metropolitan area with its major urban centre being the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The term "Greater Vancouver" is roughly coterminous with the geographic area governed b ...
needed more rapid transit but the Canada Line was a "great start" and that he was a "Johnny-come-lately" to the project."Vancouver's Canada Line starts up"
''
National Post The ''National Post'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet newspaper available in several cities in central and western Canada. The paper is the flagship publication of Postmedia Network and is published Mondays through Saturdays, with ...
'', August 17, 2009.


Arbutus rail corridor

The City of Vancouver has been trying to acquire the disused railway line running adjacent to Arbutus Street from Marpole to Granville Island. The line is private property owned by CP who have been trying to sell it to the City of Vancouver after many citizens objected to their plans to develop it for housing.


Toll proposal

On September 17, 2009, Robertson called for adding a toll to the
Sea-to-Sky Highway Highway 99 is a provincial highway in British Columbia that serves Greater Vancouver and the Squamish–Lillooet corridor over a length of . It is a major north–south artery within Vancouver and connects the city to several suburbs as well ...
, the primary driving route between Vancouver and
Whistler, British Columbia Whistler ( Lillooet/Ucwalmícwts: Cwitima, ; Squamish/Sḵwx̱wú7mesh: Sḵwiḵw, ) is a resort municipality in Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, British Columbia, Canada. It is located in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mounta ...
, and to all major crossings of the
Fraser River The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Blackrock Mountain in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia just south of the City of Vancouver. The river's annual d ...
to help fund
Translink Translink (or TransLink) may refer to: * TransLink (British Columbia), the public transport operator in Vancouver, Canada * Translink (Northern Ireland) Translink is the brand name of the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company (NITHCo), a ...
."Gregor Robertson: Tolls could fix TransLink's money problems"
, '' News 1130'', September 18, 2009.
British Columbia Minister of Transportation
Shirley Bond Shirley Bond (born 1956 or 1957)P.G. Mount Robson's Liberal candidates: Party members choose their candidate Friday and Saturday: inal EditionHoekstra, Gordon. Prince George Citizen rince George, B.C27 Sep 2000: 5. is a Canadian politician who ...
dismissed the proposal by stating that the Province has no plans to add a toll to the Sea-to-Sky Highway, and that the Province was not contemplating a change in tolling strategy."Sea-to-Sky toll pitched by Vancouver mayor"
''
Vancouver Province ''The Province'' is a daily newspaper published in tabloid format in British Columbia by Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network, alongside the ''Vancouver Sun'' broadsheet newspaper. Together, they are British Columbia's only ...
'', September 17, 2009.


Cycling and livability

Robertson and his team led the charge on cycling infrastructure, transforming Vancouver into one of the world's most livable cities. In an April 2008 speech to a
Critical Mass In nuclear engineering, a critical mass is the smallest amount of fissile material needed for a sustained nuclear chain reaction. The critical mass of a fissionable material depends upon its nuclear properties (specifically, its nuclear fissi ...
rally, Robertson requested the assistance of Critical Mass riders to help get him elected."Mayor-to-be Gregor Robertson addresses Critical Mass"
'' You Never Bike Alone/YouTube'', April 2008.
He took part in the April 2008 ride by illegally riding without a helmet to show his support for the protesters."Hysteria reaches Critical Mass In Vancouver ahead of 2010 Olympics"
''
Georgia Straight ''The Georgia Straight'' is a free Canadian weekly news and entertainment newspaper published in Vancouver, British Columbia, by Overstory Media Group. Often known simply as ''The Straight'', it is delivered to newsboxes, post-secondary schools, ...
'', July 31, 2009.
However, in July 2009, after he was elected, he expressed that he was "pissed off" at Critical Mass because organizers had not announced the route for the next ride and would not participate."Robertson used Critical Mass for political gain"
, ''City Caucus'', July 31, 2009.

''
Vancouver Sun The ''Vancouver Sun'', also known as the ''Sun'', is a daily broadsheet newspaper based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The newspaper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network. Published s ...
'', July 31, 2009.
Vancouver's Critical Mass does not plan its routes. Cycling had been growing in popularity in Vancouver as it has all over the world and the desire of its citizens to cycle for at least some of their trips had been growing for decades however little was done before July 2009 when the Burrard Bridge bicycle lane trial was initiated to determine whether creating a new protected bike lane was a viable solution to increase the safety and comfort of people cycling and walking while still maintaining an effective flow of traffic. During his mayorship, the City's flagship project was the Seaside Greenway, running from downtown Vancouver to the Jericho Beach. This active transportation corridor was created by repurposing one lane of automobile traffic from the Burrard Bridge as well as blocking through vehicular traffic from the prestigious Point Grey Road.


Bylaw changes

In July 2009, Robertson led the Vancouver City Council to pass several bylaw changes—including security checkpoints, closed-circuit cameras, prohibition of "disturbance or nuisance interfering with the enjoyment of entertainment on city land by other persons", and prohibition of commercial flyers at celebration sites—which were controversial for some civil liberties advocates who argued that they "make it more difficult to exercise hefundamental constitutional rights to free speech, peaceful assembly and free expression.""Rights go out the window to create a seamless 2010 circus"
, ''
Vancouver Sun The ''Vancouver Sun'', also known as the ''Sun'', is a daily broadsheet newspaper based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The newspaper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network. Published s ...
'', July 21, 2009.
As part of the changes city manager
Penny Ballem Penny Janet Drury Ballem is a Canadian physician and government administrator. She was the city manager for the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from 2008 to 2015 and served as a member of the VANOC board of directors, corporate directo ...
, an unelected official, was given special powers that were referred to by
Coalition of Progressive Electors The Coalition of Progressive Electors (COPE) is a municipal political party in the Canadian city of Vancouver, British Columbia. It has traditionally been associated with tenants, environmentalists, and the labour movement. COPE is generally gu ...
councilor
Ellen Woodsworth Ellen Woodsworth is an international speaker and activist based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She is the founder and matriarch of Women Transforming Cities International Society and the Co-Chair of WILPF, Canada. Woodsworth was a Van ...
as "wide open carte blanche.""City manager to lead Vancouver during Olympics"
''
The Tyee The Tyee is an independent online daily news source primarily based in Vancouver, British Columbia. It was founded in November 2003 as an alternative to "corporate media". Articles in The Tyee focus on politics, culture, and life. The Tyee was f ...
'', July 23, 2009.
Robertson defended council's position, explaining the bylaw changes were necessary given what Vancouver is expected to achieve in February 2010. According to Robertson, "It is our ultimate obligation to ensure the safety and security of people who are in our city and this, I think, addresses a lot of the concerns proactively on that level while respecting the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This is a temporary set of changes we're putting it in place for a special event.""Vancouver passes temporary Olympic Bylaws"
'' CBC'', July 24, 2009.
Robertson also implemented a bylaw in April 2014 that prevented homeowners from cutting trees down on their own private property. The bylaw was proposed due to the rapid reduction in tree cover in the City of Vancouver. Many of the trees had been removed by property developers, with the blessing of the City Council, yet it is homeowners who are suffering from the restrictions. Legal experts believe that the bylaw is unconstitutional and a
Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
case will be imminent.


Vancouver charter amendment

On January 12, 2009, Robertson requested an amendment to the
Vancouver Charter The Vancouver Charter is a provincial statute that incorporates the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The legislation was passed in 1953 and supersedes the ''Vancouver Incorporation Act, 1921''. It grants the city different powers tha ...
to allow the city to borrow $458 million to fund the completion of the 2010 Olympic Village in
False Creek False Creek (french: Faux ruisseau) is a short narrow inlet in the heart of Vancouver, separating the Downtown and West End neighbourhoods from the rest of the city. It is one of the four main bodies of water bordering Vancouver, along with Eng ...
without seeking approval from taxpayers in an election-day plebiscite."Vancouver seeks charter change to borrow $458M for Olympic Village"
'' CBC'', January 12, 2009.
Robertson said this was due to extraordinary circumstances. The amendment was passed on January 18, 2009, in an emergency session of the
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is the deliberative assembly of the Parliament of British Columbia, in the province of British Columbia, Canada. The Legislative Assembly meets in Victoria, British Columbia, Victoria. Members ar ...
."Legislation lets Vancouver borrow for Olympic village"
, '' The Daily News'', January 19, 2009.
"City gets its emergency borrowing bid"
, ''
Vancouver Province ''The Province'' is a daily newspaper published in tabloid format in British Columbia by Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network, alongside the ''Vancouver Sun'' broadsheet newspaper. Together, they are British Columbia's only ...
'', January 18, 2009.


Vancouver Stanley Cup riot

On June 15, 2011, the 2011 Vancouver Stanley Cup riot occurred after a
Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce B ...
loss in game 7 of the
Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
final. Robertson attributed the situation to "a small group of troublemakers". Bob Whitelaw, author of a report into the 1994 Vancouver Stanley Cup riot, indicated that authorities had made several mistakes in the planning for the crowd—among them allowing parked cars near the screens and leaving newspaper boxes nearby which could be used as projectiles. It was later claimed by Vancouver Police Chief
Jim Chu Jim Chu, COM () is a former-Chief Constable of the Vancouver Police Department (VPD). On June 21, 2007, Chu was named as the successor of Chief Constable Jamie Graham. On January 23, 2015, it was announced Chu was planning to retire after a 36- ...
that Bob Whitelaw was not a contributor to the final report, and that all recommendations of the final report had been followed. Robertson admitted to not having read the 1994 report. Suzanne Anton dubbed the riot as "Robertson's Riot", a moniker which was picked up by some media outlets. Robertson later accepted some of the responsibility for allowing the riot to occur.


2014 Vancouver civic election

On November 15, 2014, Robertson was re-elected as Mayor of Vancouver, defeating opponent
Kirk LaPointe Kirk LaPointe (born December 12, 1957) is a Canadian journalist. Early life LaPointe was born in Toronto, where he was raised by a single mother in what he describes as poverty conditions. He was educated at New Toronto Secondary School and Ryer ...
by 5 percent.


Family and personal life

Robertson was previously married to Amy Oswald, whom he met at Colorado College, and they have three children. In 2012, Robertson's foster son Jinagh was arrested on cocaine and firearms charges. On July 5, 2014, the Robertsons announced their separation in a joint statement. Robertson was the partner of pop singer
Wanting Qu Wanting Qu (; born October 10, 1984), known simply as Wanting, is a Chinese-born singer-songwriter and pianist who is currently based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Career Wanting Qu was born and raised in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China, w ...
from January 2015 to May 2017. Robertson is married to Eileen Park Robertson, a journalist, filmmaker, communications professional and climate/racial justice advocate. The two met in
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
at the C40 World Mayors Climate Summit. In 2020, they married at
Stanley Park Stanley Park is a public park in British Columbia, Canada that makes up the northwestern half of Vancouver's Downtown Peninsula, surrounded by waters of Burrard Inlet and English Bay. The park borders the neighbourhoods of West End and ...
in Vancouver, paying tribute to their ancestral roots by wearing the Robertson clan tartan and a Park family emblem. When news of their interracial marriage was published in ''
Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...
'' magazine, Eileen, a Korean-American, was targeted with racist and misogynist hate. She spoke out about her personal experiences with racism while working in media and government. Robertson is also a
tuba The tuba (; ) is the lowest-pitched musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by lip vibrationa buzzinto a mouthpiece. It first appeared in the mid-19th century, making it one of the ne ...
player; he and his former MLA colleague
Nicholas Simons Nicholas Simons is a Canadian politician. He is a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of British Columbia, representing the riding of Powell River-Sunshine Coast since 2005, and member of the New Democratic Party. Early life and career S ...
performed on country-punk musician Slim Milkie's 2010 album ''Silverado''."NDP MLA Nicholas Simons strikes hardcore gold record"
''
The Georgia Straight ''The Georgia Straight'' is a free Canadian weekly news and entertainment newspaper published in Vancouver, British Columbia, by Overstory Media Group. Often known simply as ''The Straight'', it is delivered to newsboxes, post-secondary schools, ...
'', September 3, 2009.
He is a distant relative of
Norman Bethune Henry Norman Bethune (; March 4, 1890 – November 12, 1939; zh, t=亨利·諾爾曼·白求恩, p=Hēnglì Nuò'ěrmàn Báiqiú'ēn) was a Canadian thoracic surgeon, early advocate of socialized medicine, and member of the Communist Party ...
. His grandmother was a first cousin of the Canadian doctor, a hero of the mainland
Chinese Communist Revolution The Chinese Communist Revolution, officially known as the Chinese People's War of Liberation in the People's Republic of China (PRC) and also known as the National Protection War against the Communist Rebellion in the Republic of China (ROC ...
.


Election results


2008 election for mayor


2011 election for mayor


2014 election for mayor


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Robertson, Gregor 1964 births Businesspeople from Vancouver Canadian drink industry businesspeople British Columbia New Democratic Party MLAs Canadian chief executives Canadian expatriates in New Zealand Canadian farmers Colorado College alumni Living people Mayors of Vancouver People from Langley, British Columbia (city) People from North Vancouver 21st-century Canadian politicians