After 11 years of bringing you local reporting, the team behind the Vancouver Observer has moved on to Canada's National Observer. You can follow Vancouver culture reporting over there from now on. Thank you for all your support over the years!

Wes Regan

Wes Regan is the Director of Simon Fraser University's Community Economic Development Programs. Wes has worked in local government, post-secondary and the non-profit sector in public policy, sustainable community economic development and community engagement since 2009. He was the incorporating Executive Director of the Hastings Crossing Business Improvement Association, Canada's first Social Innovation BIA and as a past Federal Candidate he serves on the Green Party of Canada's Federal Shadow Cabinet as the Party Critic for Urban Affairs and Housing. His thoughts on urban affairs, economic development, public policy and Canadian politics have appeared in the National Observer and Vancouver Observer, the Georgia Straight, the Province and other publications. Wes has provided commentary and analysis on radio and televised news broadcasts and speaks regularly in the U.S. and Canada on these and other issues.

He holds degrees in geography and urban geography from Langara College and Simon Fraser University where he also completed the SFU Certificate for CED Professionals before becoming an instructor, and eventually Director of the program. Wes is scheduled to defend his Graduate Thesis in Urban Studies at SFU in November of 2016. His thesis is titled Density and Diversity: Examining the impacts of mixed-use real estate development on the retail culture of Vancouver's Main Street 2007-2016 

How B.C.'s small businesses could be champions for $15 minimum wage

If the Province wants small businesses on-side for $15 minimum wage, it should take seriously the crisis of affordability facing small businesses caused by real estate speculation
Harper government, Justin Trudeau, Thomas Mulcair, Elizabeth May

Voter turnout should be as much of a concern as vote splitting in federal election

What if you have a party and nobody shows up?
Stephen Harper, Canadian politics, Green Party, federal election, 2015 election

Time for change in Vancouver East, and in Ottawa

What would make Vancouver East matter more than ever in Ottawa? Voting Green. Here's why.

Kill Bill C-51, choose courage, Canada: opinion

In my opinion, Bill C-51 is not a response to terror. This bill is "fear itself." Across Canada on March 14, Canadians will come out to show courage and strength and protest Bill C-51.
Stephen Harper and Canadian armed forces

Bill C-51 could be the biggest bait and switch Canada has ever seen: opinion

Bill C-51 may end up being the biggest bait and switch in the history of Canada.

Jacobs and Florida and Gehl oh my! Who really influences our local politicians?

Still undecided about who to vote for? Second guessing yourself? Who really influences and inspires those candidates who are running for a seat in Vancouver's City Hall?
The cenotaph at Victory Square Park

On November 11, think of voting on November 15

"Yes, the long memory is the most radical idea in this country. It is the loss of that long memory which deprives our people of that connective flow of thoughts and events that clarifies our vision,...

Vanishing Vanhattan: Which candidates have the right ideas when it comes to our local economy and small businesses?

Retail gentrification is causing tension and concern in Vancouver's communities as development continues to displace local serving, locally owned, independent businesses. What can the City do?

As election approaches, time to think about what Vancouver's future will look like

Ideas come and go, but a measure of permanence remains in the lasting presence of those ideas within the built form of cities.

Vancouver neighbourhoods tired of towers, maybe it's time to build down?

As Greater Vancouver prepares to accommodate another 1.2 million people by 2041 it's time we talked about all that unused density right below us.