Vancouver Centre

Vancouver Centre occupies the urban heart of Vancouver, taking in the densely populated downtown peninsula and surrounding neighbourhoods including the West End, Yaletown, Coal Harbour, False Creek South, and portions of eastern Kitsilano. It is the most densely populated federal riding in Western Canada, with the vast majority of residents living in mid-rise and high-rise apartments and condominiums.

Candidates

Hedy Fry (Liberal) — First elected in 1993 when she defeated incumbent Prime Minister Kim Campbell, Fry was seeking her eighth consecutive term. A physician by training, she practiced family medicine before entering politics. During the Harper years she served in several Official Opposition critic roles and helped develop the Liberal Party’s 2015 health platform.

Constance Barnes (NDP) — Barnes served on the Vancouver Park Board from 2008 to 2014, topping the polls in both the 2008 and 2011 elections. She worked at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden and was active in advocacy for arts, culture, and accessibility. She is the daughter of the late MLA Emery Barnes.

Elaine Allan (Conservative) — Allan held leadership positions with the Salvation Army, the Wish Drop-in Centre, the John Howard Society, and Shelter Net BC. She had extensive experience working with vulnerable populations in Vancouver.

Lisa Barrett (Green Party) — Barrett was a former mayor of Bowen Island, serving from 1999 to 2005, and had previously run as a Green candidate in West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast in 1997.

John Clarke ran for the Libertarian Party and Michael Hill for the Marxist-Leninist Party.

About the Riding

Vancouver Centre encompasses the commercial and financial core of British Columbia’s largest city, including the office towers of downtown, the convention and cruise ship facilities at Canada Place, and the retail district along Robson Street. The West End, one of the most densely populated neighbourhoods in Canada, is home to a large and established LGBTQ+ community. Stanley Park borders the riding to the northwest. The area’s economy is driven by financial services, tourism, technology, film production, and the hospitality sector. Housing affordability was an acute issue in 2015, with Vancouver’s benchmark home price having risen sharply. Homelessness and mental health services, particularly along the border with the Downtown Eastside, remained persistent concerns.