Vancouver mayoral race heats up as backroom organizer and businessman announce intentions

Longtime political organizer Mark Marissen hasannounced his bid for mayor of Vancouver.

In messages posted Wednesday on social media, Marissen says he will run for Vancouver's top job in the next civic election, set forOctober 2022.

The biography accompanying the announcement says Marissen hasadvised political, business, labour and arts groups in B.C., and is the founder and owner of a Vancouver-based public affairs company.

Marissen, the ex-husband of former premier Christy Clark, says on social media that he is "building a new coalition to get Vancouver on the right track, for everyone.''

Mayor Kennedy Stewart, who ran as an independent in 2018, previouslyannounced his intentionto seek re-election.

The Non-Partisan Association announced earlier this month that it has nominated park board commissioner John Coupar as its mayoral candidate.

New political party

Businessman Ken Sim, who co-founded Nurse Next Door Home Care Services andRosemary Rocksalt, said he's interested in running as a mayoral candidate forA Better City,a new political party thatlaunched April 14.

Simsaid he'sworked in the past with others involved with the party.

"We planted a seed a couple of years ago. They started this party and they're creating a movement."

Sim ranin the 2018 civic election under the NPAbanner but lost to Stewart by a narrow margin of fewer than a thousand votes.

He left the party and said his values align more with A Better City.Sim said hewill compete in a nomination race in the fall to become the party's mayoral candidate in the next civic election, which is 18 months away.

"I'm going to put my name in the hat. I really love what the party stands for."

The party says on its website that it represents"a diverse group of ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, economic backgrounds, and political viewpoints" andis"for anyone who believes in the potential of our world-class city, who is tired of petty partisans derailing important conversations."

When Sim was asked whether the Vancouver civic election was already getting crowded on the right side of the political spectrum, he said he was tired of identity politics.

"Is there a right or left when it comes to having vibrant neighbourhoodsor safe and clean streets or helping our businesses succeed? No."

A Better Citysays it plans to hold its mayoral nomination in October 2021.