Local 40 says the vote shows that Council is not listening to the thousands of Vancouver residents speaking up about the need for a more affordable city
VANCOUVER, B.C. — After Vancouver City Council voted 7 to 3 to approve the controversial Holborn luxury megaproject, hospitality workers, tenants, and residents say the vote is yet another giveaway to a foreign billionaire developer.
The vote comes amid growing public concern over Vancouver’s housing crisis. Nearly 50,000 people have signed petitions calling on the City Council to fight for a more affordable city for working people, not selling it off to developers. Recent Stratcom polling also found Vancouver voters favor prioritizing affordable housing over additional hotel development by roughly three to one.
“Today’s vote was yet another giveaway to an international billionaire developer, but it does not change what we know to be true: Vancouver has a housing affordability crisis, not a luxury hotel crisis,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40. “When the City Council does not reflect the needs of the people who live and work here, we have to keep speaking up, keep showing up, and keep standing up for the future of our city.”
Earlier today, UNITE HERE Local 40 President Zailda Chan sent a letter to Mayor Ken Sim inviting him to meet with Local 40 members as soon as possible. The union said meeting with the Mayor is a top priority and urged him to hear directly from hospitality workers who have already been forced out of Vancouver, as well as those fighting to stay in the city they help keep running. That letter is available upon request.
“As a mother of three children here, I want a city where working families can afford to live, where people aren’t forced farther from their jobs,” said Sonia Chua, a hospitality worker who works at Vancouver International Airport. ”I have spoken to many residents concerned about the direction Vancouver is heading. At a time when so many families are struggling to make ends meet, I believe City Hall should be focused on policies that improve affordability and strengthen our communities.”
The campaign has challenged the argument that Vancouver urgently needs more hotel rooms, pointing to recent tourism and hotel data showing that World Cup hotel demand did not match industry claims. Local 40 has argued that City Hall should prioritize affordable, social, co-op, non-market, and workforce housing over additional luxury development and hotel incentives.
The union, along with the Affordable Housing Now! Campaign, said the vote makes public accountability even more important ahead of the October election.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2026-07-27 13:29:582026-07-27 13:29:58Press Release: After Holborn Vote, Local 40 Workers Say Yet Another Giveaway to Billionaire Developers
Following last night’s public hearing at Vancouver City Council, UNITE HERE Local 40 President Zailda Chan is calling for an investigation into the ABC majority’s treatment of predominantly racialized women workers who testified about affordability and how developers shape the city we live in.
The union is also demanding an immediate moratorium on major hotel and luxury-development hearings and approvals until its legal and human rights complaints are addressed and Vancouver voters have had their say.
“Workers are not taking anything from Vancouver. They are asking City Hall to stop giving away the city’s future,” Chan said. “The mayor calls worker solidarity ‘foreign interference’ while Council rushes approvals for international billionaire developers like Holborn. Pause the approvals, resolve the legal challenges and let Vancouver voters decide who should shape their city’s future. This is bigger than any single project. It is about public trust, democratic accountability and who gets to shape Vancouver’s future: the people who live and work here, or billionaire development interests that stand to profit from the city’s land.”
UNITE HERE Local 40 is calling on Council to:
Investigate the treatment of union members who participated in recent public hearings.
Pause major hotel and luxury-development hearings and approvals immediately and hold until after the municipal election.
Disclose developers’ past commitments, promised public benefits and records of performance.
Rally at Vancouver City Hall to Pause Holborn Project
What: Hotel Worker Rally before Public Hearing
Date: Thursday, July 23, 2026
Time: 5pm start time
Location: Vancouver City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2026-07-23 15:06:452026-07-23 15:06:45Workers Demand Investigation as ABC Council Rushes Luxury Development Approvals
Vancouver, BC — As Vancouver City Council prepares to consider Holborn Group’s proposed downtown megaproject this Thursday, UNITE HERE Local 40 is calling on Council to halt all major hotel and land-use approvals until after October’s municipal election, giving Vancouver residents – not just developers – the opportunity to decide what kind of city they want to build.
The proposal, which includes three supertall towers, including a 920-room luxury hotel, comes before Council at a time when Vancouver continues to face an unprecedented housing affordability crisis. Yet City Hall is continuing to fast-track luxury developments before breaking for its summer recess.
The question facing Council this week is simple: Why is Vancouver City Hall rushing a proposal by one of the city’s most controversial developers now?
For years, Holborn has faced public criticism over delays in delivering replacement social housing at Little Mountain and scrutiny over the neglect of 500 Dunsmuir. That record should be part of Council’s deliberations before approving one of the largest luxury development proposals in the city’s history.
Moreover, Holborn’s proposed “supertall” towers have prompted City Hall to undertake a review of its Higher Buildings Policy which will not be completed until after the election. This again raises the question, why bring this proposal forward now?
“Before City Hall approves another luxury megaproject, Vancouver deserves answers about whether developers who have failed to deliver on past promises should be rewarded with even bigger projects,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40. “This isn’t simply about one project. It’s about accountability, public trust, and whose interests City Hall is putting first.”
The hearing also comes as workers, renters, students, seniors, and families continue to struggle with rising housing costs and displacement. Council should not be making long-term decisions that reshape Vancouver’s future just weeks before voters head to the polls.
“We need to let the voters decide which city they want to live in – one that continues prioritizing luxury hotel development, or one that responds first to the housing needs of workers, renters, families, and the broader community,” said Chan.
Yesterday, Local 40’s encampment hosted a community teach-in exploring how Vancouver’s housing crisis disproportionately affects workers and migrants. Now, the campaign turns its attention to developer accountability.
UNITE HERE Local 40 is calling on Vancouver City Council to:
Pause all major hotel and land-use approvals until after the October municipal election.
Put affordable housing ahead of additional luxury hotel development.
Ensure developers are held accountable for delivering on past commitments before receiving approvals for new megaprojects.
Allow Vancouver voters to have a meaningful voice in determining the city’s housing and development priorities.
THURSDAY RALLY
Hotel workers, tenants, housing advocates, and community organizations will gather outside Vancouver City Hall ahead of the public hearing to call on Council to put affordable housing first and defer major hotel and land-use approvals until after the election.
WHAT: Rally Before Holborn Public Hearing
WHEN: Thursday, July 23, 2026, 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Vancouver City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue.
VISUALS: Hotel workers and community members with “Affordable Housing Now” and “Hotels Can Wait” signs. Worker and community chanting and marching at City Hall.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2026-07-21 14:42:182026-07-21 14:42:18Day 6 of City Hall Encampment: Hotel Workers Call on Council to Pause Mega Hotel Approvals Until After the Election
VANCOUVER, BC — On Day 5 of the UNITE HERE Local 40 encampment outside Vancouver City Hall, community members will gather Monday evening for a teach-in and community karaoke hosted by BAYAN BC and Gabriela BC, highlighting the connections between Vancouver’s housing crisis, migrant justice, and workers’ rights.
The event marks the beginning of a pivotal week at City Hall as Council prepares to consider several major development proposals before its summer recess, including Holborn Group’s proposed downtown megaproject featuring three supertall towers, including a 920-room luxury hotel.
On Thursday, July 23, UNITE HERE Local 40 will hold a rally outside Vancouver City Hall ahead of the public hearing, calling on Council to pause approval of Holborn’s proposal and put affordable housing ahead of another luxury hotel development.
Monday’s teach-in will explore how migrant workers are disproportionately affected by Canada’s housing crisis while facing increasingly restrictive immigration policies. Speakers will also discuss how international pressures continue to push workers to migrate abroad in search of economic opportunities. The evening concludes with a community karaoke gathering in solidarity with hotel workers maintaining the encampment.
“This week is about more than one hotel project,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40. “It’s about whether City Hall will continue fast-tracking luxury developments while working people, renters, and families struggle to find homes they can afford.”
Hotel workers have set up an encampment at City Hall from July 14 – 28 to urge Council to prioritize affordable housing, protect existing communities, and ensure major development decisions serve the public interest rather than luxury projects.
WHAT: Community Teach-In & Karaoke in Solidarity with the UNITE HERE Local 40 Encampment
WHO: UNITE HERE Local 40, BAYAN BC, Gabriela BC, community supporters
WHEN: Monday, July 20, 2026; 6:00 p.m.
WHERE: Vancouver City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver
VISUALS: Encampment, community teach-in, speakers and supporters, signs
MEDIA NOTE: UNITE HERE Local 40 will hold a rally on Thursday, July 23 at 5:30 p.m. before Council’s public hearing on Holborn Group’s proposed downtown megaproject.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2026-07-20 16:04:002026-07-21 14:42:33Day 5 of Hotel Workers’ Encampment: Community Teach-In Highlights Housing Crisis as City Hall Enters Critical Week of Development Decisions
Vancouver, BC — Hotel workers held a press conference today to discuss the gap between the promises made before the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the reality they experienced after the tournament.
City Hall and hotel developers repeatedly cited the World Cup to justify fast-tracking hotel developments, arguing Vancouver urgently needed more hotel rooms. Instead, hotel occupancy dropped sharply following the tournament, leaving many hotel workers with fewer shifts and reduced income during what was expected to be one of the busiest summers in years.
While workers bore the financial impact, hotel companies were able to protect profits by raising room rates while reducing staffing and scheduled hours. Workers will call on Vancouver City Council to consider directing a small portion of $105 million raised through the Major Events Tax to those who experienced lost hours and earnings during the tournament.
UNITE HERE Local 40 will also comment on last night’s abruptly halted public hearing for 75 East 8th Avenue. After hearing from a single speaker, Council recessed public input until July 23, even though more than 200 people have registered to speak and dozens were waiting to oppose the proposed hotel at 75 E 8th Avenue, which would displace dozens of families and tenants.
WHAT: Media availability on the impact of the FIFA World Cup on hotel workers.
WHEN: Friday, July 17 at 12pm
WHERE: Vancouver City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue
VISUALS: Workers and community allies holding colourful signs, bullhorns.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2026-07-17 13:18:092026-07-17 13:18:09Day 4 of City Hall Encampment: FIFA Walked Away, Workers Paid the Price: Hotel Workers to Speak Out as Vancouver Rushes More Hotel Approvals
Press Release: After Holborn Vote, Local 40 Workers Say Yet Another Giveaway to Billionaire Developers
Local 40 says the vote shows that Council is not listening to the thousands of Vancouver residents speaking up about the need for a more affordable city
VANCOUVER, B.C. — After Vancouver City Council voted 7 to 3 to approve the controversial Holborn luxury megaproject, hospitality workers, tenants, and residents say the vote is yet another giveaway to a foreign billionaire developer.
The vote comes amid growing public concern over Vancouver’s housing crisis. Nearly 50,000 people have signed petitions calling on the City Council to fight for a more affordable city for working people, not selling it off to developers. Recent Stratcom polling also found Vancouver voters favor prioritizing affordable housing over additional hotel development by roughly three to one.
“Today’s vote was yet another giveaway to an international billionaire developer, but it does not change what we know to be true: Vancouver has a housing affordability crisis, not a luxury hotel crisis,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40. “When the City Council does not reflect the needs of the people who live and work here, we have to keep speaking up, keep showing up, and keep standing up for the future of our city.”
Earlier today, UNITE HERE Local 40 President Zailda Chan sent a letter to Mayor Ken Sim inviting him to meet with Local 40 members as soon as possible. The union said meeting with the Mayor is a top priority and urged him to hear directly from hospitality workers who have already been forced out of Vancouver, as well as those fighting to stay in the city they help keep running. That letter is available upon request.
“As a mother of three children here, I want a city where working families can afford to live, where people aren’t forced farther from their jobs,” said Sonia Chua, a hospitality worker who works at Vancouver International Airport. ”I have spoken to many residents concerned about the direction Vancouver is heading. At a time when so many families are struggling to make ends meet, I believe City Hall should be focused on policies that improve affordability and strengthen our communities.”
The campaign has challenged the argument that Vancouver urgently needs more hotel rooms, pointing to recent tourism and hotel data showing that World Cup hotel demand did not match industry claims. Local 40 has argued that City Hall should prioritize affordable, social, co-op, non-market, and workforce housing over additional luxury development and hotel incentives.
The union, along with the Affordable Housing Now! Campaign, said the vote makes public accountability even more important ahead of the October election.
Media Contact: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785
Workers Demand Investigation as ABC Council Rushes Luxury Development Approvals
Following last night’s public hearing at Vancouver City Council, UNITE HERE Local 40 President Zailda Chan is calling for an investigation into the ABC majority’s treatment of predominantly racialized women workers who testified about affordability and how developers shape the city we live in.
The union is also demanding an immediate moratorium on major hotel and luxury-development hearings and approvals until its legal and human rights complaints are addressed and Vancouver voters have had their say.
“Workers are not taking anything from Vancouver. They are asking City Hall to stop giving away the city’s future,” Chan said. “The mayor calls worker solidarity ‘foreign interference’ while Council rushes approvals for international billionaire developers like Holborn. Pause the approvals, resolve the legal challenges and let Vancouver voters decide who should shape their city’s future. This is bigger than any single project. It is about public trust, democratic accountability and who gets to shape Vancouver’s future: the people who live and work here, or billionaire development interests that stand to profit from the city’s land.”
UNITE HERE Local 40 is calling on Council to:
Rally at Vancouver City Hall to Pause Holborn Project
What: Hotel Worker Rally before Public Hearing
Date: Thursday, July 23, 2026
Time: 5pm start time
Location: Vancouver City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue.
Contact: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785
Day 6 of City Hall Encampment: Hotel Workers Call on Council to Pause Mega Hotel Approvals Until After the Election
Vancouver, BC — As Vancouver City Council prepares to consider Holborn Group’s proposed downtown megaproject this Thursday, UNITE HERE Local 40 is calling on Council to halt all major hotel and land-use approvals until after October’s municipal election, giving Vancouver residents – not just developers – the opportunity to decide what kind of city they want to build.
The proposal, which includes three supertall towers, including a 920-room luxury hotel, comes before Council at a time when Vancouver continues to face an unprecedented housing affordability crisis. Yet City Hall is continuing to fast-track luxury developments before breaking for its summer recess.
The question facing Council this week is simple: Why is Vancouver City Hall rushing a proposal by one of the city’s most controversial developers now?
For years, Holborn has faced public criticism over delays in delivering replacement social housing at Little Mountain and scrutiny over the neglect of 500 Dunsmuir. That record should be part of Council’s deliberations before approving one of the largest luxury development proposals in the city’s history.
Moreover, Holborn’s proposed “supertall” towers have prompted City Hall to undertake a review of its Higher Buildings Policy which will not be completed until after the election. This again raises the question, why bring this proposal forward now?
“Before City Hall approves another luxury megaproject, Vancouver deserves answers about whether developers who have failed to deliver on past promises should be rewarded with even bigger projects,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40. “This isn’t simply about one project. It’s about accountability, public trust, and whose interests City Hall is putting first.”
The hearing also comes as workers, renters, students, seniors, and families continue to struggle with rising housing costs and displacement. Council should not be making long-term decisions that reshape Vancouver’s future just weeks before voters head to the polls.
“We need to let the voters decide which city they want to live in – one that continues prioritizing luxury hotel development, or one that responds first to the housing needs of workers, renters, families, and the broader community,” said Chan.
Yesterday, Local 40’s encampment hosted a community teach-in exploring how Vancouver’s housing crisis disproportionately affects workers and migrants. Now, the campaign turns its attention to developer accountability.
UNITE HERE Local 40 is calling on Vancouver City Council to:
THURSDAY RALLY
Hotel workers, tenants, housing advocates, and community organizations will gather outside Vancouver City Hall ahead of the public hearing to call on Council to put affordable housing first and defer major hotel and land-use approvals until after the election.
WHAT: Rally Before Holborn Public Hearing
WHEN: Thursday, July 23, 2026, 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Vancouver City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue.
VISUALS: Hotel workers and community members with “Affordable Housing Now” and “Hotels Can Wait” signs. Worker and community chanting and marching at City Hall.
Media Contact: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785
Day 5 of Hotel Workers’ Encampment: Community Teach-In Highlights Housing Crisis as City Hall Enters Critical Week of Development Decisions
VANCOUVER, BC — On Day 5 of the UNITE HERE Local 40 encampment outside Vancouver City Hall, community members will gather Monday evening for a teach-in and community karaoke hosted by BAYAN BC and Gabriela BC, highlighting the connections between Vancouver’s housing crisis, migrant justice, and workers’ rights.
The event marks the beginning of a pivotal week at City Hall as Council prepares to consider several major development proposals before its summer recess, including Holborn Group’s proposed downtown megaproject featuring three supertall towers, including a 920-room luxury hotel.
On Thursday, July 23, UNITE HERE Local 40 will hold a rally outside Vancouver City Hall ahead of the public hearing, calling on Council to pause approval of Holborn’s proposal and put affordable housing ahead of another luxury hotel development.
Monday’s teach-in will explore how migrant workers are disproportionately affected by Canada’s housing crisis while facing increasingly restrictive immigration policies. Speakers will also discuss how international pressures continue to push workers to migrate abroad in search of economic opportunities. The evening concludes with a community karaoke gathering in solidarity with hotel workers maintaining the encampment.
“This week is about more than one hotel project,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40. “It’s about whether City Hall will continue fast-tracking luxury developments while working people, renters, and families struggle to find homes they can afford.”
Hotel workers have set up an encampment at City Hall from July 14 – 28 to urge Council to prioritize affordable housing, protect existing communities, and ensure major development decisions serve the public interest rather than luxury projects.
WHAT: Community Teach-In & Karaoke in Solidarity with the UNITE HERE Local 40 Encampment
WHO: UNITE HERE Local 40, BAYAN BC, Gabriela BC, community supporters
WHEN: Monday, July 20, 2026; 6:00 p.m.
WHERE: Vancouver City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver
VISUALS: Encampment, community teach-in, speakers and supporters, signs
MEDIA NOTE: UNITE HERE Local 40 will hold a rally on Thursday, July 23 at 5:30 p.m. before Council’s public hearing on Holborn Group’s proposed downtown megaproject.
CONTACT: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785
Day 4 of City Hall Encampment: FIFA Walked Away, Workers Paid the Price: Hotel Workers to Speak Out as Vancouver Rushes More Hotel Approvals
Vancouver, BC — Hotel workers held a press conference today to discuss the gap between the promises made before the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the reality they experienced after the tournament.
City Hall and hotel developers repeatedly cited the World Cup to justify fast-tracking hotel developments, arguing Vancouver urgently needed more hotel rooms. Instead, hotel occupancy dropped sharply following the tournament, leaving many hotel workers with fewer shifts and reduced income during what was expected to be one of the busiest summers in years.
While workers bore the financial impact, hotel companies were able to protect profits by raising room rates while reducing staffing and scheduled hours. Workers will call on Vancouver City Council to consider directing a small portion of $105 million raised through the Major Events Tax to those who experienced lost hours and earnings during the tournament.
UNITE HERE Local 40 will also comment on last night’s abruptly halted public hearing for 75 East 8th Avenue. After hearing from a single speaker, Council recessed public input until July 23, even though more than 200 people have registered to speak and dozens were waiting to oppose the proposed hotel at 75 E 8th Avenue, which would displace dozens of families and tenants.
WHAT: Media availability on the impact of the FIFA World Cup on hotel workers.
WHEN: Friday, July 17 at 12pm
WHERE: Vancouver City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue
VISUALS: Workers and community allies holding colourful signs, bullhorns.