The OneCity Vancouver party has confirmed that Lucy Maloney, a prominent and fervent cycling activist, will be their candidate in the upcoming Vancouver City Council by-election in April 2025.
“Being renovicted, and starting to cycle with my children, really brought home just how much the decisions made by the mayor and Council affect our lives,” said Lucy Maloney in a statement today.
“If we want a city where people have affordable housing and safe streets, we need leaders who are ready to listen.”
According to a news release by OneCity Vancouver this morning, she has an MBA and law degree, and previously pursued a career in environmental law with an Australian state’s environmental regulator, and then in business.
More recently, Maloney has served as the chair of the Lord Roberts Elementary School Parent Advisory Council, where she fought to have traffic calming infrastructure installed on the surrounding streets, and the Active Transport/Safe Routes Lead for the Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council.
“I’m thrilled to endorse Lucy and OneCity for City Council. She’s been a tireless advocate for the West End community and trusted advisor for me for many years. Lucy has dedicated her work to making sure our streets are safe for kids and families. I know she’ll be an effective and compassionate leader on Council,” said Peter Ladner, a former Vancouver city councillor and the chair of the BC Cycling Coalition.
Here’s my husband riding along #RichardsSt bike lane. He uses Richards St bike lane all the time and I’m really grateful to have separated, protected infrastructure to keep my loved ones safe when they’re moving around the city. 💕 pic.twitter.com/hWYD3SIAvv
— Lucy Maloney (@Lucyincanada) November 23, 2022
Previously a “contributor” member of the Vision Zero Vancouver team, she also launched the grassroots “Love The Lane” campaign shortly after ABC Vancouver secured majorities in the October 2022 civic election and moved to remove the controversial bike lane on Stanley Park Drive.
Over the past two years, Maloney has been highly critical of ABC Vancouver, particularly in their decisions on cycling infrastructure, both through her formal advocacy efforts and posts on her X account.
“Time and again, we have seen that one of the best ways to reduce traffic congestion is to entice people out of their cars by making alternatives to driving more attractive, and one way to do that is to make cycling safer via protected infrastructure,” said Maloney in a Love The Lane statement in December 2022, after the ABC-led Park Board’s decision directing Park Board staff to begin the process of removing the bike lane.
“Tonight the Park Board took a step backward, without locking in its election commitment to install an improved separated bike lane by next summer. Removing the lane will not only reduce safety for cyclists but also increase traffic by attracting more drivers to the park — a well-documented phenomenon known as induced demand.”
It was so exciting to meet long-time twitter friend @PJNewWest in real life for the 1st time & catch up with @tonyvalente_ca at a @WeAreHub fundraiser yesterday! If you’d like to support HUB’s advocacy for better cycling infrastructure go to: https://t.co/lWgct01Xpd + pic.twitter.com/LFeh2sv2ta
— Lucy Maloney (@Lucyincanada) October 22, 2023
And they just kept coming. Vancouver’s resurgent #CriticalMass movement rode through #StanleyPark last night to protest the removal of the separated bike lane from Stanley Park Drive. The Park Board has directed staff to make a plan to install a permanent lane for summer 2024. pic.twitter.com/3ubCGva6Lc
— Lucy Maloney (@Lucyincanada) May 27, 2023
She states today that if she is elected as a Vancouver city councillor, her very first member motion will be to move to reinstate the Vancouver Renter’s Office, which was a short-lived City-funded rental housing tenant advocacy office disbanded by the ABC-led City Council in January 2023.
“I know what it’s like to be forced out of your home. Vancouver has some of the world’s leading tenant protections, but under Ken Sim, enforcement of those protections is confusing and unclear. Tenants don’t have faith in the city,” said Maloney in a statement today.
“Renters deserve to have someone in their corner. And I am ready to fight for tenants, for workers, for young people, and for everyone who wants a safe, affordable and healthy city – on day one.”
On Saturday, April 5, 2025, Vancouver residents will head to the polls to fill two vacant city councillor seats.
This follows the resignation of OneCity councillor Christine Boyle on December 12, 2024, after she was elected as the MLA for Vancouver-Little Mountain under the BC NDP last fall. On January 15, 2025, Green councillor Adriane Carr also announced her resignation, citing frustrations with working alongside Mayor Ken Sim’s ABC Vancouver-led majority in City Council and a desire to spend more time with her family.
Maloney is currently the first candidate named by a party. Recent public comments suggest that the OneCity and Green parties may each field only one candidate to avoid competing with each other.
ABC Vancouver, TEAM For a Livable Vancouver, and COPE will also field candidates.