OneCity's Azaroff exits Vancouver mayoral race, clearing path for Pete Fry

OneCity Vancouver's William Azaroff announced Tuesday he is ending his mayoral campaign, honouring his party's commitment to field only one progressive candidate in the Oct. 17 civic election.

"I thought about the commitment that OneCity made to you all: that only one progressive candidate will be on the ballot this election," Azaroff said at a press conference outside city hall. "So today I'm announcing that I'm keeping that promise. And I've decided to end my campaign for mayor of Vancouver."

Azaroff, CEO of Brightside, has stepped aside less than a week after COPE candidate Stephanie Allen—a BC Housing executive—ended her campaign on similar grounds. Both moves clear the way for Green Party councillor Pete Fry, now the sole progressive mayoral candidate standing against incumbent Ken Sim and other contenders.

Azaroff cited ABC's decisions to pause approvals for supportive-housing developments and cancel the city's commitment to be a living wage employer. "People feel like the city is running on fumes, that our best days are behind us. I've also heard how scared people are of another Ken Sim and ABC majority. And I deeply share this view," he said.

Though Azaroff and Allen would not formally endorse Fry—both cited uncertainty around Elections BC's rules regarding endorsements for another party—they signalled support. "I see in him a commitment to bring competence and ethics back to the mayor's office," Azaroff said of Fry. The three candidates embraced for photos after the announcement.

Polling from earlier this summer showed support for Azaroff was well behind fellow progressive candidate Fry. Candidates from other parties were also polling better than Azaroff, including incumbent Mayor Ken Sim, Kareem Allam and Colleen Hardwick. Azaroff did not cite polling as his reason for stepping back.