▁int ra ven ous ▁hero in ▁users ▁in ▁the ▁city . ▁ ▁V ancouver ▁is ▁govern ed ▁by ▁the ▁eleven - member ▁V ancouver ▁City ▁Council , ▁a ▁nine - member ▁School ▁Board , ▁and ▁a ▁seven - member ▁Park ▁Board , ▁all ▁of ▁whom ▁serve ▁four - year ▁terms . ▁Un us ually ▁for ▁a ▁city ▁of ▁V ancouver ' s ▁size , ▁all ▁municipal ▁elections ▁are ▁on ▁an ▁at - large ▁basis . ▁Histor ically , ▁in ▁all ▁levels ▁of ▁government , ▁the ▁more ▁aff lu ent ▁west ▁side ▁of ▁V ancouver ▁has ▁voted ▁along ▁conserv ative ▁or ▁liberal ▁lines ▁while ▁the ▁eastern ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁has ▁voted ▁along ▁left - wing ▁lines . ▁This ▁was ▁re aff ir med ▁with ▁the ▁results ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁provincial ▁election ▁and ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁federal ▁election . ▁ ▁Though ▁polar ized , ▁a ▁political ▁cons ensus ▁has ▁emer ged ▁in ▁V ancouver ▁around ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁issues . ▁Prote ction ▁of ▁urban ▁par ks , ▁a ▁focus ▁on ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁rapid ▁trans it ▁as ▁opposed ▁to ▁a ▁fre ew ay ▁system , ▁a ▁harm - redu ction ▁approach ▁to ▁illegal ▁drug ▁use , ▁and ▁a ▁general ▁concern ▁about ▁community - based ▁development ▁are ▁examples ▁of ▁policies ▁that ▁have ▁come ▁to ▁have ▁broad ▁support ▁across ▁the ▁political ▁spectrum ▁in ▁V ancouver . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁Municipal ▁E lection ▁campaign , ▁N PA ▁inc umb ent ▁mayor ▁Sam ▁S ull ivan