Gregor Robertson Wins Vision Vancouver Nomination for Mayor

From the Georgia Straight

Vancouver-Fairview NDP MLA Gregor Robertson has won the Vision Vancouver mayoral-nomination race.

Robertson, the creator of Happy Planet juices, was just announced as the winner over Vision councillor Raymond Louie and Vision park commissioner Al De Genova.

Voting took place all day at the Croatian Cultural Centre in East Vancouver.

Robertson's win could have some major developers reaching for the Alka Seltzer. That's because Robertson was the prime instigator of the city's decision to slow the rate of change in Fairview Slopes, which will reduce evictions of tenants to make room for condos.

Louie is popular with many real-estate developers, who have been generous donors to Vision Vancouver in the past; De Genova is a real-estate agent and is a well-known figure in the development industry.

In an interview with the Georgia Straight last August, former mayor Larry Campbell said he was not overly excited about the prospect of Robertson becoming mayor.

Campbell was very supportive of the city's developers when he served as mayor of Vancouver from 2002 to 2005. Campbell's support for the Olympic bid, the convention-centre expansion, and the Canada Line has created a bonanza for developers.

This November, Robertson will face NPA councillor Peter Ladner, who won his party's mayoral nomination last Sunday over incumbent Sam Sullivan.

During his attempt to win the nomination, Ladner tried to increase attention on the city's housing crisis. This suggests that the 2008 mayoral election might revolve around housing issues.

Robertson's victory might have also reduced the likelihood that COPE will run a mayoral candidate.

Within COPE, there is a great deal of frustration over Louie's decision to leave the debt-saddled party in 2005 along with then-mayor Larry Campbell, Coun. Tim Stevenson, and then-councillor Jim Green.