Vancouver city manager Paul Mochrie is no longer on the job.
Mayor Ken Sim announced in a news release Tuesday that he and Mochrie “mutually agreed that it was the right time for a leadership change” at the City of Vancouver.
Mochrie’s last day was Tuesday, but he has agreed to “assist with the transition” while the city seeks to find his replacement, Sim said.
“We thank Paul for his 14 years of dedicated service, including the last four as city manager, and wish him nothing but success in the future,” the mayor said.
Karen Levitt, a deputy city manager, has been named acting city manager.
Both Sim and Mochrie declined interviews with BIV when asked via email requests for more details about Mochrie leaving his post. The city, however, did provide an emailed statement from Mochrie.
“It has been a privilege to spend the past 14 years at the City of Vancouver, although I am excited to move on,” he said. “There is an extremely capable leadership team in place and the organization is very well positioned to support council in delivering results for residents and businesses.”
Added Mochrie: “I have shared my best wishes with council and the entire staff team at the city as they work day-in and day-out to serve this remarkable city.”
Mochrie joined the city in May 2011 as general manager of human resources services. He became deputy city manager in October 2015.
Mochrie replaced Johnston
Mochrie was appointed city manager in April 2021 under the-then Kennedy Stewart administration. He replaced Sadhu Johnston, who announced his retirement in the fall of 2020.
Mochrie accepted the top management job as the city faced one of its most challenging periods in its history, both internally and in the community.
The pandemic affected the city’s revenues, caused layoffs, pay cuts and temporarily closed services such as libraries and community centres. The pandemic also further exposed the crises of homelessness, affordability and overdose deaths.
In his years as city manager, he was a point person with media over the city’s concerns — and then purchase — of the Balmoral and Regent hotels in the Downtown Eastside.
He was also the city’s representative at public meetings related to homeless camps, including the now-defunct Oppenheimer Park and Strathcona Park encampments, as well as the city-led efforts to clear the sidewalks on East Hastings Street of tents.
Park board, UNDRIP
More recently, Mochrie was charged with overseeing the mayor’s wish to abolish the elected park board, which has yet to happen; the provincial government has not made the necessary Charter changes to put parks and recreation under the control of city council.
The Broadway, Vancouver, and Rupert and Renfrew Area Station plans, along with the plan for the Jericho Lands, were all approved by council while Mochrie was on the job.
The city’s UNDRIP strategy, which was developed with the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh nations, was also approved under Mochrie’s tenure; the document is the first of its kind in Canada.
In 2017, Mochrie was a member of the city’s development permit board when he cast the lone vote to allow Beedie Development Group to construct a nine-storey residential building at 105 Keefer St.; Beedie has since won a legal fight and got approval to build on the property.
Mochrie earned $387,110 in 2024, according to the city’s Statement of Financial Information report.
His departure comes the same year that Adam Palmer retired as chief of the Vancouver Police Department.
X/@Howellings
