Homeless advocate seeks nomination in Vancouver city council byelection

Longtime homeless advocate Judy Graves has announced she'll be seeking the nomination of the fledgling municipal party, OneCity. Graves hopes to run in the upcoming byelection which is to be held in the fall of 2017.

"I think it's the only thing to do," Graves toldOn the Coastguest host Gloria Macarenko.

"At this point, I can't go anywhere in Vancouver wherepeople are not talking about their fears of being pushed out of the city."

The fall byelection will be held to fill the seat former Vision Vancouver councillorGeoff Meggs left vacant, when he resigned to work as premier-designate John Horgan's chief of staff.

Graves had links with the current governing Vision partyfrom 2010 to 2013 when she served as the city's official advocate for the homeless.

However, shesays her suggestions concerningVancouver's homeless fell on deaf ears while she was in the role.

"We would all have to give them a fail," said Graves. "They came in saying they would end homelessness ... The numbers of homelesspeople isskyrocketing."

"If they had actually listened to me, things might have gone a little differently."

Listen to the interview with Judy Graves:

Graves says her majorconcern is thatcondominium developers' needs are being met before the needs of middle-class families in Vancouver. She says developers have a "hold" of the city and she feels taxpayers deserve an active voice on city council to advocate for them.

If Graves does get the nomination and wins a seat on the council, she will be the only OneCitycouncillorat city hall. Graves, however, is not deterred by that fact.

"This is a byelection," she said. "It's only for alittle over a year.When we get to 2018, we've got a new election of council and I don't anticipate that I'll be the lone voice from OneCity at that point."

The OneCitypartywas formed before the 2014 municipal election. Its candidate, R.J. Aquino,ran unsuccessfullyfor city council.

Graves has received numerous awards over her career including an honourary Doctorate in Law from the University of British Columbia and the Freedom of the City award in 2014.

With files from On the Coast