‘As a working mother, I really understand the anxiety of finding secure, affordable housing in the city.’
’As a working mother, I really understand the anxiety of finding secure, affordable housing in the city.’
Annette Reilly announced Thursday that she hopes to replace recently retired city councillor Adriane Carr as the Green Party of Vancouver’s second representative at city hall.
Reilly, a filmmaker and community leader, was chosen by the party’s membership Wednesday night to represent the Greens in the April 5 byelection. If she wins, Reilly would join the Greens’ Pete Fry, who is the only non-ABC Vancouver member on council.
“As a working mother, I really understand the anxiety of finding secure, affordable housing in the city,” she told reporters outside city hall.
“As a cancer survivor, I know how environmental policies directly impact our health. And as a community leader, I believe in a government that listens, a government that engages and a government that acts with integrity.”
Housing affordability is a top priority for Reilly, a renter.
“Across Vancouver, it’s been a major issue for years, so that’s something that still isn’t solved and still needs a lot of focus,” she said.
Gender Equity in Film Society
A news release issued by the party after the press conference described Reilly as a passionate advocate for social justice, gender equity and environmental sustainability.
She serves on the board of the Gender Equity in Film Society and has been a long-time volunteer with the party.
“Her acclaimed work in the film industry, including her role in Netflix’s The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and her award-winning film A Typical Fairytale, has positioned her as a leader in storytelling that drives social change,” the release said.
The party said her personal journey as a cancer survivor has also shaped her commitment to public health advocacy. Diagnosed with stage 3B colon cancer at the age of 30, Reilly has dedicated over a decade to supporting young adults with cancer through organizations such as the Young Adult Cancer Canada.
“After losing her sister to pancreatic cancer last year, she joined the Green Party, and became even more determined to address the environmental causes of cancer and advocate for evidence-based policies that protect public health,” the release said.
ABC Vancouver still without candidates
Reilly becomes the fifth person to announce their candidacy for the April 5 byelection.
OneCity will be represented by Lucy Maloney, COPE by Sean Orr, and TEAM for a Livable Vancouver by Colleen Hardwick and Theodore Abbott. Asked how she will distinguish herself from the field of candidates, Reilly told reporters:
“I may be a rookie to this, but I’m not a rookie to media, and to filmmaking and getting my voice out, getting my face out into the world,” she said, while Carr and Fry stood by her side. “I think I can pull on a lot of my skill sets that already exist to really get out there talk to people. And honestly, I love people. That’s why I’m doing this.”
ABC Vancouver, meanwhile, has yet to announce its candidates, with Mayor Ken Sim suggesting to reporters Thursday that an announcement could come next week.
ABC Vancouver holds eight of the 11 seats on council.
The byelection became necessary after OneCity’s Christine Boyle was elected as the NDP MLA for Vancouver-Little Mountain. She officially resigned in December, which was followed in January by Carr calling it quits.
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