Vancouver Liberals say no to involuntary-care plebiscite, call $500K cost wasteful
Mayoral candidate Kareem Allam opposes the October 17 vote on a secure medical facility, citing jurisdictional issues, cost, and concerns about a developer bailout on the St. Paul's Hospital site.
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Vancouver's Liberal mayoral candidate Kareem Allam is urging voters to reject the October 17 plebiscite on creating a secure medical facility with involuntary-care beds, arguing the non-binding vote wastes $500,000 and crosses into provincial jurisdiction.
The plebiscite asks whether to convert the old St. Paul's Hospital or a similar site into a facility with acute voluntary beds and more than 100 involuntary-care beds for people posing serious risk to themselves or others due to severe substance use and mental health disorders. Allam called the facility a "mental health prison" and raised three objections: the plebiscite is non-binding so the cost is wasteful; involuntary-care authority rests with the province, not the city, making detention of people who use drugs potentially illegal; and the enormous renovation cost would be better spent revitalizing the neighbourhood.
The province sold St. Paul's to Concord Pacific in 2020 for nearly $1 billion. Allam expressed concern the plebiscite would amount to a "bailout" to the developer after the market bottomed out, rather than true neighbourhood revitalization.
ABC Vancouver, which holds the city council majority and voted to place the plebiscite on the ballot, pushed back. Councillor Lisa Dominato said she was "shocked" to hear Allam call the site a bailout. "The whole focus of this is about getting the services we need," Dominato told The Tyee. She noted the city has been "consistently hearing" public concern about street disorder and people "clearly suffering and severely unwell." A yes vote would give council "clear endorsement" to take to the province and advocate for health-care resources, Dominato said, comparing the city's role to when mayors oppose local emergency department closures. She added the council is "willing partners" with St. Paul's owners on the project.
The cost to add the two plebiscite questions to the ballot is about $500,000, according to ABC Vancouver's spokesperson.
If voters approve the plebiscite, what specific steps would city council take to pressure the province, and what is the timeline?
What does provincial law actually allow municipalities to do regarding involuntary care facilities for people with mental health and substance-use disorders?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
When is the Vancouver plebiscite on involuntary-care beds?
The plebiscite is scheduled for October 17, 2026.
How much is the plebiscite costing Vancouver?
The cost to add the two plebiscite questions to the ballot is approximately $500,000.
What facility would the plebiscite create?
The plebiscite asks voters whether to convert the old St. Paul's Hospital or a similar site into a facility with acute voluntary beds and more than 100 involuntary-care beds for people posing serious risk to themselves or others due to severe substance use and mental health disorders.
Why does Kareem Allam oppose the plebiscite?
Allam argues the plebiscite is non-binding so the $500,000 cost is wasteful, involuntary-care authority rests with the province rather than the city, and the renovation cost would be better spent revitalizing the neighbourhood instead of acting as a bailout to developer Concord Pacific.
