Think City Archives

Olympic VillageFeb. 22, 2011: Olympic Village Forum

Think City held a special Olympic Village forum on Tuesday, February 22 to review the lessons from the 202 Olympic Village project. 

More than 150 people attended and heard from an expert panel that included developer Michael Geller, UBC Associate Vice President Nancy Knight, SFU Professor Doug McArthur, and city councilor Geoff Meggs. More...

 

Citizen Budget 2011Fall 2010: Citizen Budget

The message from 1,700-plus citizens Think City surveyed as part of the fifth Citizen Budget survey was clear – the vast majority said they wanted Vancouver's city services maintained or improved.

On Dec. 14, the mayor and councillors restored some funding to libraries, parks and recreation, fire services and community services in the final vote on the city's 2011 operating budget. More... 

 

Jane`s WalkMay 1-2, 2010: Think City Tours

For the third straight year, Think City organized a series of free tours given by citizens on May 1 and May 2. In Metro Vancouver, there were 42 walks and 1,000-plus participants.

We also introduced a new feature – cycling tours in Surrey, Vancouver and the University of Brotsoh Columbia. More...

 

Election ReformWinter/Spring 2010: Electoral Reform

Many BC municipalities suffer from declining voter turnout, the taint of big money influence on elections, a lack of neighbourhood accountability, and a host of other democratic challenges.  In October 2009, then Premier Gordon Campbell announced a new local government election task force to consider sweeping legislative changes to how municipal elections are conducted in this province. In response, Think City surveyed over 5,000 British Columbians to learn what they wanted the province to do about local election reform. More...

 

Raj HundalDec. 2009: Think Democracy Forum

With no spending limits, declining voter turnout, an election format that discriminates against minority candidates and a lack of neighbourhood accountability, Vancouver's electoral system needs reform. Think City held a special electoral reform forum on Dec. 4 that featured expert panellists such as parks board commissioner and wards advocate Raj Hundal, and an interactive discussion that engaged over 70 citizens.  More...

 

Citizen Budget 2010Fall 2009: Citizen Budget

Faced with the biggest civic budget cuts in a decade, over 2,000 Vancouver citizens took part in Think City's fourth Citizen Budget survey showing little support for Mayor Gregor Robertson's plans for slashing community centres, libraries, fire and rescue, and other vital public services. More...

 

Yann Martel Sept.-Oct. 2009: BC Library Cuts Petition

In the Sept. 1 budget, Premier Gordon Campbell's government slashed grants to libraries by 22 per cent. With the help of Yann Martel and seven other prominent Canadian authors, Think City called on the BC government to restore the 2009/2010 provincial library grants through an online petition. More...

 

West End TourMay 2-3, 2009: Think City Tours

Think City held its second annual walking tours festival on May 2 and 3, 2009. Inspired by Jane Jacob's grassroots vision of the city and her belief that in order to know your city "you have to get out and walk," Think City Tours is a simple idea. More...



City Hall BudgetWinter 2009: Citizen Budget

For the third consecutive year, the Think City Society has conducted its annual Citizen Budget Survey. Since 2007, approximately 4,000 Vancouver City residents and business owners have participated in Think City's Citizen Budget project, greatly adding to the debate about civic priorities. More...

 

Dream VancouverOct. 21, 2007 - Nov. 15, 2008: Dream Vancouver

When 260-plus citizens gathered at the day-long Dream Vancouver conference in October 2007, people were asked to dream of a better city. The issues of affordable housing, better transit and transportation, and enhancing citizen involvement quickly rose to the top of the emerging citizens' agenda on the day. Over the next twelve months, Think City's Dream Vancouver project followed up with forums, workshops, a survey and other public events to develop and debate 15 policy options on the three issue areas, winning the support of thousands of Vancouverites during the summer of 2008 and a majority of city councillors elected in November 2008. More...

City VotesNov. 15, 2008: 2008 Civic Exit Poll

Think City and Simon Fraser University (SFU) co-organized Canada's second-ever exit poll for the Nov. 15, 2008 Vancouver civic election. Over 840 citizens were surveyed at 18 polling stations across the city. More...

 

 

Jane JacobsMay 3 and 4, 2008: Think City Tours

Think City celebrated the legacy of urban activist and writer Jane Jacobs with a series of free walking tours given in neighbourhoods throughout the city. Over 600 people took part in 30 walks across Vancouver as part of the first-annual Think City Tours. More...

 

 

Think SchoolsApril 6, 2008: Think Schools

Think Schools was a one-day conference on how citizens across the city can develop a vision for renewing schools, so as to leave our children and our neighbourhoods with a legacy of iconic public buildings that serve as community hubs for Vancouver. Nearly 200 parents, community activists, elected officials and school staff participated. More...

Citizen Budget 2008Winter 2008: Citizen Budget

Each year, the City of Vancouver goes through a public consultation process on the annual budget. In an effort to bring more people into the 2008 city budget development process, Think City launched its second annual Citizen Budget project and surveyed 1,648 citizens through its web site or on the street between March 8-31. More...

Citizen Budget 2007Winter 2007: Citizen Budget

Think City launched its first annual Citizen Budget project in 2007 to facilitate greater public awareness and debate about the priorities city council needed to consider when it developed Vancouver's annual operating budget. Think City surveyed 336 residents and businesses between Jan. 16 and Feb. 19, 2007. More...

 

Think DemocracyJune 2003-April 2004: Think Democracy

From June 2003 to April 2004, Think Democracy brought academics, community activists and citizens together to discuss and propose ways to increase citizen control of local governance here in Vancouver.  The process involved nearly 400 people who took part in two phases of enquiry – interactive forums and a survey. More...