Kathryn
banner
kmsheps.bsky.social
Kathryn
@kmsheps.bsky.social
Engagement, research coordination and collaboration. Regional Project Coordinator, Marine Plan Partnership for the North Pacific Coast. Facilitator, marine scientist, dog-rescuer, happy mama and baseball fan. Previously, BECI, DCC-NEP
Reposted by Kathryn
For the Disability community, losing Alice Wong is like losing Ursula Le Guin or Octavia Butler. She was a powerhouse, a pioneer, and a mentor to many. She taught me so much. And always reminded me what we were fighting towards, as well as against. I miss her clarity, bravery, and joy.
Alice Wong
Alice Wong had an outsized impact on Disability justice. As a community organiser, activist, mentor, and co-conspirator, as writer, editor, and friend, she is irreplaceable.
nicolagriffith.com
November 16, 2025 at 7:59 PM
¡Alice Wong, Presente!
November 15, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Reposted by Kathryn
If you're a vancouver based business owner who wants to show support for the city's sustainability, planning and arts programs and staff, here's a letter to sign:

(letter facilitated by stand.earth)

docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Open Letter: Vancouver Businesses Urge Council to Protect Vancouver’s Clean Competitiveness in Budget 2026
Sign on to the letter here. SUBJECT: Vancouver Businesses Urge Council to Protect Vancouver’s Clean Competitiveness in Budget 2026 Dear Mayor and Councillors, We are writing as businesses based and w...
docs.google.com
November 13, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Reposted by Kathryn
Councillor @seanorr.bsky.social via his ‘gram: “Last night, after council was dispersing around 10pm, I heard [Mayor Sim] say something that really bothered me… He said ‘What an awesome waste of time. Another day in paradise.’”
Ok folks we are back at it again from 1-5. Yesterday was a lot. Heard from so many passionate Vancouverites.

Unfortunately I heard the mayor say it was a waste of time. But I assure you, I’m listening.
Budget hearing continued after short recess. 157: environmental lawyer (?)Reads poem. 158: raised in east van. This is austerity and hasn’t been asked for. I’ve been lucky enough to use public services. Breaks my heart to think they won’t get same quality. Few people asked for this police budget.
November 13, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Reposted by Kathryn
Absolutely fitting coda to the whole Epstein horror show is that the brave testimony of dozens of women could not be credited and we need the emails of men to deem it credible.
November 13, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Reposted by Kathryn
The timing of this video as I’m reflecting on the revolt at City Council against Sim’s budget cuts is just perfect.

Can’t wait to vote against all of ABC.
BIG NEWS: OneCity is running for Mayor in 2026!

We’re officially launching our open Mayoral nomination contest and giving *you* a voice in who should lead our city.
November 13, 2025 at 1:31 AM
That's me - I feel like I spoke too quickly and of course my voice shook with nerves, but it was important to me to speak up for a city I love.
155: small biz owner, lives in co-op. Need budget that reflects public input. Maintaining is not enough it’s regressive. Richest city in world, deeply shameful that we have such inequality. Losing public expertise makes us all vulnerable. How many will die in a disaster? We look small and weak.
November 13, 2025 at 3:14 AM
Follow along here as Councillor Orr reports out on the city council's budget discussion (thanks, Sean for keeping us updated!)
Good morning. It’s budget day. I’m going to try and live skeet the proceedings so speakers know where we are at. First is staff presentation. 91 slides.
November 12, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Reposted by Kathryn
Worth noting that because Sim brought forward his proposal for a property tax freeze requiring millions in cuts with just weeks left in the budget process, this is not up for public debate and is not outlined in the documents available to councillors when they vote on this
SCOOP: Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim is planning to eliminate the city's sustainability and climate department under the guise of a push to prevent increases to property taxes in his proposed 2026 budget.
Great source work by Marc Fawcett-Atkinson to uncover this
www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/11/n...
Vancouver mayor plans to eliminate city's climate and sustainability department
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim is planning to eliminate the city's sustainability and climate department under the guise of a push to prevent increases to property taxes. Canada's National Observer learned a...
www.nationalobserver.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:26 AM
Reposted by Kathryn
Without an elected Park Board no one would know about Ken’s cuts. This is why he wanted us gone.

Welcome to Ken’s dirty, closed, no-fun Vancouver!

vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/11/04/v...
Pools, fireworks, polar bear swims at risk as Vancouver Park Board motions for a lesser share of Sim's 'Zero Means Zero' cuts
The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation has filed an official response to Mayor Ken Sim's steep budget reductions for 2026.
vancouver.citynews.ca
November 4, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Reposted by Kathryn
Vancouver had 117 people die during the 2021 heat dome climate disaster.
November 11, 2025 at 1:49 AM
I figured this was coming. This budget is entirely an ideological project. Nowhere in this budget is consideration for Vancouver residents or their needs.
November 11, 2025 at 1:58 AM
Reposted by Kathryn
42% of residents and 37% of businesses surveyed supported a 5% property tax increase in order to maintain the current level of services in the city of Vancouver

but wait there’s more

a lot more

1/?

council.vancouver.ca/20251112/doc...
November 10, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Reposted by Kathryn
The level of incompetence with the budget is historic. In all of Vancouver history no one has raised taxes more than Ken Sim in a 4 year period. What’s the reward for the taxpayer’s investment… record historic cuts.
Everyone’s property tax bill will go up this year. Ken Sim and ABC are increasing utility fees, user fees, and business permit fees. But worse, they have been cutting frontline services while spending money on back-office consultants and analysts.
November 10, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Reposted by Kathryn
Ken Sim hopes you don't see this screenshot from the City's 2026 Budget Feedback report.

By a more than 4-to-1 margin, residents of Vancouver preferred a tax rate that maintained public services to ABC's reckless 0% tax gimmick.

#vanpoli #StopTheCuts #Budget2026 #FightForVancouver
November 9, 2025 at 6:36 PM
I suspect this was long-planned - when ABC realized they wouldn't get re-elected, they decided to impose their ideology on the city and destroy some of the most forward thinking, innovative departments in the city. Always money for cops, never money for regular people or their priorities.
“In his final budget before facing voters next October, Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim is presenting a property tax freeze and $50 million more for police, & major cuts to arts, culture, community services & sustainability.”

Brutal austerity for everything else, but $50 million more for over-budget cops.
'I'm proud of this one': Mayor Ken Sim talks budget with $50 million more for police amid property tax freeze | CBC News
In his final budget before facing voters next October, Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim is presenting a property tax freeze, and $50 million more for police, balanced by major cuts to arts, culture, community ...
www.cbc.ca
November 6, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Reposted by Kathryn
Vancouver's 'zero means zero' budget will mean slashing 400 jobs “These aren’t surgical cuts. These are chainsaw cuts. We haven’t gotten the details of where these cuts are going to really land and what it’s going to mean for services that Vancouverites rely on"
vancouversun.com/opinion/colu...
Leaked memo says Vancouver's 'back to basics' budget will mean slashing 400 jobs
Draft budget contemplates cuts in 12 of 20 areas, and spending freezes in two. Five departments will get spending boosts. Read more.
vancouversun.com
November 6, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Reposted by Kathryn
A ray of hope during bleak times for #nature and #climate. Gratitude to Coastal First Nations for their leadership defending the #GreatBear #Rainforest and Sea from #oiltankers & Premier Eby for signing the #NorthCoast Protection Declaration with them #bcpoli #cdnpoli news.gov.bc.ca/releases/202...
Premier’s, Coastal First Nations’ statement on the North Coast Protection Declaration
This morning, on Nov. 5, 2025, Premier David Eby; Chief Marilyn Slett, president, Coastal First Nations; Mayor Garry Reece, Lax Kw’alaams; Jason Alsop, president, Haida Nation; Paula Amos, Indigenous Tourism B.C.; and Clarence Innis, Hereditary Elder, all signed the following declaration:
news.gov.bc.ca
November 5, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Reposted by Kathryn
Please help share and sign this letter with your colleagues before November 4th. If you have applied for Tri-Council funding in the last 25 years, all of your data is at risk of being included and sent to an unnamed researcher and MPs on the committee.
Open Letter to Protect Tri-Council EDI Data
Why do we need urgent action to protect our data? The mandate of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Science and Research is to review and report on topics relating to science and research in ...
docs.google.com
October 31, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Reposted by Kathryn
“Tell your children who the cowards were.”
October 27, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Reposted by Kathryn
a trans girl in vermont was kicked off her swimming team and committed suicide and at the very same time, the discourse in d.c. today is about whether the democratic party should’ve abandoned her sooner in order to win votes

a day in an american life
October 27, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Reposted by Kathryn
RED ALERT: Ken Sim Plans to Drop HUGE CUTS on Vancouver's Public Services THIS WEDNESDAY

That could mean cuts to:
❌ Libraries
❌ Community Grants
❌ Road Safety
❌ Homelessness supports
❌ Arts & Culture
❌ Reconciliation
❌ Climate change programs

Write to council now:
www.votecope.ca/stopsim
October 6, 2025 at 8:24 PM
¡Jane Goodall, Presente!
Jane Goodall, ethologist and conservationist, has died. She was 91
October 1, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Reposted by Kathryn
I support a democratically elected park board. Part of democracy is ensuring that the government’s decisions match the city’s values.

Vancouver is a city for all its people. Trans people included. I am calling on the Park Board to rethink this event and make this right.
September 8, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Reposted by Kathryn
what a fucking stupid time to be a person who cares about other people
August 28, 2025 at 10:40 PM