Vancouver’s contrasts are visible on its streets. Luxury cars cruise past some of North America’s worst homeless encampments. Last Saturday, October 17, the city produced a political contrast to match: after four years of a center-right city hall, its municipal council has transformed into one of the most left-wing in North America.

The breakthrough comes alongside strong socialist showings in municipal elections around the world, from Zohran Mamdani’s win in New York to Die Linke’s recent state election victory in Berlin. The Coalition of Progressive Electors (COPE), a democratic socialist party, elected all twelve candidates it ran: four to council, four to school board, and four to park board. COPE’s Sean Orr topped the council ballot in raw votes. Together with the four Green councilors, OneCity’s sole council seat, and Green Mayor Pete Fry, COPE’s four council wins give the progressive bloc nine of ten councilor seats and the mayor’s office — ten of city hall’s eleven elected seats.

As right-leaning candidates made gains in other British Columbia municipalities, and as the social democratic New Democratic Party fought to retain power in the October 24 provincial election, COPE’s result testified to the party’s hard work and organizing efforts. It vindicated a party that was presumed dead after its near wipeout four years ago. The Breach reported in depth on COPE’s lengthy effort to rebuild its membership and organizing capacity, give members a meaningful role in shaping the party, and embrace its socialist identity rather than blur it into generic progressivism. That work positioned COPE to capitalize on the growing working-class discontent and the material realities of everyday life in Vancouver.