Vancouver Council Watch
How does J Swanson actually vote?
A look at how Councillor J Swanson has voted across every council meeting the city has published — and what those votes are about.
Pushes back on Housing & rezoning and By-laws & admin
Councillor J Swanson most often votes against motions that still passed on Housing & rezoning, By-laws & admin and Budget & fees — 171× on housing & rezoning alone.
Housing & rezoning 171×By-laws & admin 84×Budget & fees 60×
JR
Janae Ross
CouncillorVision Vancouverleft Oct 2022
on council since Nov 2018 · lives in Mount Pleasant
On council in the records: 2018–2022 · 3,586 votes cast
What they care about
Janae Ross: opposes densification and rezonings (171× against motions that still passed) · backs environment and climate actions (votes yes 95% vs the council's 86.5%).
Their push-back has been steady across their time on council.
What they're for
Environment
backs environment and climate actions
95% yes
What they push back on
Housing & rezoningsteady
opposes densification and rezonings
171×
By-laws & adminsteady
challenges by-law and administrative motions
84×
Budget & feessteady
pushes back on budgets, fees and taxes
60×
Public safetysteady
disagrees with public-safety measures
11×
"Push back on" counts no-votes on motions that still carried; "% yes" compares their in-favour rate to the council-wide average on that issue. Full vote-by-vote record below.
1The story
In plain terms: across 3,586 recorded votes, 81% were in favour and 17% in opposition. Their disagreements cluster around Housing & rezoning, By-laws & admin and Budget & fees (468 dissents total), while they've backed carried motions on 3075 occasions. They attended 61 of the 128 full council meetings in the records (48%).
2What they vote on
430
times against a motion that still passed
1705
motions they helped carry (by issue)
48%
council attendance (61/128)
Where they push back
Issues where they voted against a motion that was still carried — their most consistent disagreements. Each motion links to the City's published agenda. Don't know what a motion type means? See Motions, explained →
Housing & rezoning171×
9. Exploring Amendments to Short-Term Rental Policy and an Affordable Rental Housing Fund …
Full motion text
9. Exploring Amendments to Short-Term Rental Policy and an Affordable Rental Housing Fund at the City of Vancouver
Rental Incentive: A payment or tax break to a developer in exchange for building or keeping affordable rental units.
Voted Jul 10, 2019
5. REZONING: 686-688 East 22nd Avenue, 3811-3891 Fraser Street and 679 East 23rd Avenue
CD-1 Rezoning: A request to change the zoning rules for specific properties so they can be built taller or denser than current rules allow. If approved, new buildings at those addresses become legal.
Voted Jul 11, 2019
6. REZONING: 1535-1557 Grant Street
CD-1 Rezoning: A request to change the zoning rules for specific properties so they can be built taller or denser than current rules allow. If approved, new buildings at those addresses become legal.
Voted Sep 17, 2019
By-laws & admin84×
9. Exploring Amendments to Short-Term Rental Policy and an Affordable Rental Housing Fund …
Full motion text
9. Exploring Amendments to Short-Term Rental Policy and an Affordable Rental Housing Fund at the City of Vancouver
Rental Incentive: A payment or tax break to a developer in exchange for building or keeping affordable rental units.
Voted Jul 10, 2019
RR2 - Special Events Policy Framework - Amendment
Other motion: A council motion that doesn't fit a standard category. The agenda text has the detail.
2. Amendments to the Procedure By-law No. 9756 - vote reconsidered
By-law: A formal city rule. Adopting or amending a by-law creates or changes a binding regulation (parking, noise, development standards, etc.).
Voted Oct 23, 2019
Budget & fees60×
2. Vancouver Development Cost Levy By-law Updates (2023-2032) - sections A and C
By-law: A formal city rule. Adopting or amending a by-law creates or changes a binding regulation (parking, noise, development standards, etc.).
Voted Jun 22, 2022
2. 2021-2025 Budget Outlook
Other motion: A council motion that doesn't fit a standard category. The agenda text has the detail.
Voted Jul 8, 2020
2021 Capital and Operating Budget - Amendment to Amendment D
Operating Budget: The city's annual spending plan — how much money goes to each department and service for the coming year.
Public safety11×
6. Supporting Community-Led Public Safety in Mount Pleasant - D
Other motion: A council motion that doesn't fit a standard category. The agenda text has the detail.
Voted Jul 21, 2021
12. Prioritizing Public safety (Member’s Motion B6) - C first section
Other motion: A council motion that doesn't fit a standard category. The agenda text has the detail.
Voted Mar 30, 2022
UB2-Collecting Fines and Exploring Ways to recover Costs Related to Public Safety in the C…
Full motion text
UB2-Collecting Fines and Exploring Ways to recover Costs Related to Public Safety in the City of Vancouver’s Entertainment District - i.
Other motion: A council motion that doesn't fit a standard category. The agenda text has the detail.
Voted Feb 27, 2019
Streets & transit7×
7. Prioritizing Commercial Drive as a Pedestrian-First High Street - Section A(h)
Other motion: A council motion that doesn't fit a standard category. The agenda text has the detail.
Voted May 27, 2021
7. Including Pedestrians in Vancouver's Snow Protocol and Response
Other motion: A council motion that doesn't fit a standard category. The agenda text has the detail.
Voted Feb 12, 2020
7. Prioritizing Commercial Drive as a Pedestrian-First High Street - Section C
Other motion: A council motion that doesn't fit a standard category. The agenda text has the detail.
Voted May 27, 2021
Environment3×
1. Climate Emergency Response (Cllr De Genova's addition to the end - AND FURTHER THAT)
Other motion: A council motion that doesn't fit a standard category. The agenda text has the detail.
Voted Apr 24, 2019
6. Accountability for Climate Change - Amendment to Amendment
Other motion: A council motion that doesn't fit a standard category. The agenda text has the detail.
Voted Jun 27, 2019
1. Climate Emergency Response (Cllr De Genova's addition of THAT and FURTHER THAT)
Other motion: A council motion that doesn't fit a standard category. The agenda text has the detail.
Voted Apr 24, 2019
What they've pushed through
Issues where they voted in favour of motions that carried — the work they backed into law.
Housing & rezoning722×
6e. REZONING: 6908-6968 Ash Street and 575 West 54th Avenue
CD-1 Rezoning: A request to change the zoning rules for specific properties so they can be built taller or denser than current rules allow. If approved, new buildings at those addresses become legal.
Voted Jul 11, 2019
6d. REZONING: 6808-6888 Ash Street
CD-1 Rezoning: A request to change the zoning rules for specific properties so they can be built taller or denser than current rules allow. If approved, new buildings at those addresses become legal.
Voted Jul 11, 2019
Rezoning: 6538-6568 Oak Street
CD-1 Rezoning: A request to change the zoning rules for specific properties so they can be built taller or denser than current rules allow. If approved, new buildings at those addresses become legal.
By-laws & admin416×
RR1 A City-wide Plan for Vancouver: Report Back on General Planning and Engagement Process
Report Back: Staff presenting findings or progress on something. Usually no money or new policy is attached — it's information, not a decision.
Voted Jul 16, 2019
RR1 A City-wide Plan for Vancouver: Report Back on General Planning and Engagement Process…
Full motion text
RR1 A City-wide Plan for Vancouver: Report Back on General Planning and Engagement Process - Amendment
Report Back: Staff presenting findings or progress on something. Usually no money or new policy is attached — it's information, not a decision.
Voted Jul 16, 2019
A6 Updates to On-Street Car Sharing Parking Policy
Other motion: A council motion that doesn't fit a standard category. The agenda text has the detail.
Voted Jul 17, 2019
Budget & fees353×
2. 2020-2024 Budget Outlook
Other motion: A council motion that doesn't fit a standard category. The agenda text has the detail.
Voted Jul 10, 2019
A4 - 2020 Interest Rate Property Tax Arrears
Property Taxation: Setting or adjusting property tax rates — the amount homeowners and businesses pay based on their property's assessed value.
A1 - 2019 Q3 Capital Budget Adjustments and Closeouts
Capital Budget / Expenditure: Money set aside for big long-term projects — roads, buildings, infrastructure — spread over several years rather than spent in one year.
Voted Nov 5, 2019
Environment103×
15. City Support for the September 2019 Global General Strike for Climate - Motion as Amen…
Full motion text
15. City Support for the September 2019 Global General Strike for Climate - Motion as Amended
Other motion: A council motion that doesn't fit a standard category. The agenda text has the detail.
Voted Sep 11, 2019
R1d Non-Market Housing Climate Resilient Retrofit Grant
Grants & Funding: The city giving money to an organization, program, or community project.
R1c Annual Carbon Pollution Limits for Existing Large Commercial and Multifamily Buildings
Other motion: A council motion that doesn't fit a standard category. The agenda text has the detail.
Streets & transit73×
A6 Updates to On-Street Car Sharing Parking Policy
Other motion: A council motion that doesn't fit a standard category. The agenda text has the detail.
Voted Jul 17, 2019
2. Encouraging EV Charging at Gas Stations and Parking Lots - Climate Emergency Action Pla…
Full motion text
2. Encouraging EV Charging at Gas Stations and Parking Lots - Climate Emergency Action Plan
Other motion: A council motion that doesn't fit a standard category. The agenda text has the detail.
Voted May 19, 2022
1. TEXT AMENDMENTS: Regulation Redesign - Amendments to Zoning & Development and Parking B…
Full motion text
1. TEXT AMENDMENTS: Regulation Redesign - Amendments to Zoning & Development and Parking By-laws
Text Amendment: A small edit to an existing city bylaw or document — often procedural, but sometimes it changes a rule in a meaningful way. The detail is in the wording.
Voted Jun 25, 2020
Public safety38×
Motion B3 - Standing Up to the Rise in Anti-Asian Racism, All Racism & Hate Crimes - Refer…
Full motion text
Motion B3 - Standing Up to the Rise in Anti-Asian Racism, All Racism & Hate Crimes - Referral
Other motion: A council motion that doesn't fit a standard category. The agenda text has the detail.
14. Sustaining Public Safety as a Core Service in the City of Vancouver (B.9) - amendment
Other motion: A council motion that doesn't fit a standard category. The agenda text has the detail.
Voted Oct 15, 2020
5. Deterring & Preventing Money Laundering & Organized Crime - Referred
Other motion: A council motion that doesn't fit a standard category. The agenda text has the detail.
Voted Jan 16, 2019
How they split all their votes
In Favour 81%In Opposition 17%Abstain 1%
3The fine print
Affiliation: Vision Vancouver. Party affiliation is sourced from Wikipedia's council roster; the City of Vancouver's own pages are deliberately party-neutral. Councillors are elected at-large (Vancouver has no wards).
How we calculated this
We pulled every council vote the City of Vancouver has published (over 80,000 records) and counted this member's. 'Dissent' means they voted In Opposition to a motion that was still carried — i.e. they went against the final outcome. Attendance is measured against full Council meetings (not committee meetings). Issue categories are assigned by matching keywords in the official agenda text (e.g. 'rezoning', 'housing', 'budget') — a transparent, auditable rule set, not AI. This is our own tally of public records.