Core values

In 2021, City Council identified five core values for Vancouver: livability, equity and inclusion, innovation, sustainability and resiliency, and community trust and relationships. The core values guide a vision for engaging with the public and help re-imagine City structures, practices and policies.

• Livability
• Sustainability and resiliency
• Innovation
• Equity and inclusion
• Trust and relationships

Livability

Livability is about supply and access to basic necessities, quality of life, requirements and experiences that everyone in Vancouver expects. Livability means that every resident and cultural group can live in the community with a sense of belonging and pride while maintaining their own values, beliefs and identities.

Sustainability and resiliency

A sustainable and resilient Vancouver values long-term solutions and includes crisis management for economic, environmental and social issues. It seeks to build structures to last in harmony with nature and ensures environmental justice for all Vancouver communities so that everyone can live in a safe, healthy environment. Communities benefit from high quality infrastructure, robust communications and an emergency response system that helps everyone in the city prepare, respond and recover from natural disasters and economic harms in a new and better way.

Innovation

An innovative Vancouver is one that invites and encourages creative thinking. This means calculating risk and finding solutions that promote well-being and improve lives. Innovation can show up in technological solutions, programs, infrastructure investments, climate change and business approaches that ensure Vancouver is a desirable place to open a new business and to bring new jobs to the region.

Equity and inclusion

An equitable and inclusive Vancouver is one where everyone feels a sense of belonging and can feel safe expressing their beliefs and values. It is a community that provides access to opportunities, so everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. A Vancouver where other perspectives are heard with compassion and an open mind, that celebrates and recognizes diverse people, activities and cultures. Ultimately, it means that every culture feels respected and the elements of livability are accessible to all regardless of age, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, creed, religious opinions or affiliations, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, pregnancy, marital status, family status, mental or physical disability, military status, status as a veteran or any other protected status under applicable law. It means everyone has equal opportunities because the City is investing in and valuing outcomes for everyone.

Trust and relationships

A trusting community is reflected by transparent decision-making processes, open communication between the government and the community, and a broadly shared belief that decisions are intended to enhance livability, equity and the resilience of the entire community. There is a belief that the government is representative of all communities. Vancouver communities believe that building trust leads to an engaged community of government, business and residents that actively support and participate in carrying out City initiatives.

Read the complete 2023-2029 Strategic Plan