Only 36 percent of eligible voters cast a ballot in Vancouver’s 2022 civic election. This reflects a nationwide problem of poor education and a lack of information at the local level. People are increasingly disengaged from civic issues. Too many of us can’t be bothered to vote.  

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This is a shame – and a matter of serious concern, because a healthy, functioning democracy depends on an informed and engaged electorate. 

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“All politics is local,” as the saying goes, so we’ve formed Local Focus to begin tackling the problem of civic disengagement at the granular, neighbourhood level. We want to use Vancouver as a template for a countrywide solution. 

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Informed citizens are more likely to become involved in community issues and vote in local elections. The result will be better policies and better communities – and a stronger democracy.

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Our aim is to provide basic education to help people get a better idea of local government works and how they can make their voices heard. We want to kick-start stimulating public discussions about important local issues. And we’ll work to fill the information gap in covering civic affairs caused by the demise of community-based media. 

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We’re taking a three-pronged approach comprising a Civic Life Think Tank, a series of Explainer Videos, and a Civic Network