Dan Fumano: The fate of Vancouver's natural gas policy now appears uncertain, despite mayor and ABC majority signalling earlier support for reversal.

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Vancouver city council’s abrupt policy shift on natural gas in July marked a rare moment when ABC councillors voted against their caucus colleagues. Now, with council set to consider the final bylaw adoption next month, further cracks appear to be forming within the city’s ruling party.

ABC Coun. Rebecca Bligh, who voted with the ABC majority to support the natural gas pivot, is signalling now she could switch her vote for the final decision.

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“There’s a lot of information coming at us since that vote in July that is levelling the playing field,” Bligh said.

Since sweeping to power in 2022, ABC’s seven councillors and Mayor Ken Sim have voted in unison on almost every council decision, with only a few exceptions on mostly relatively minor matters.

Council’s summer natural gas vote was different.

In July, ABC Coun. Brian Montague introduced an amendment in a council meeting with no prior public notice, directing city staff to amend bylaws to start allowing natural gas for heating and hot water in new buildings. This reversed a four-year-old policy established by Vancouver’s previous council to reduce carbon pollution.

Montague and Sim pitched it as a move to accelerate housing construction and improve affordability, and it narrowly passed by a 6-5 vote.

ABC councillors Lisa Dominato and Peter Meiszner opposed, voicing concerns about moving backwards on the city’s climate targets, along with the three non-ABC councillors.

Council’s July decision was praised by the leadership of the Homebuilders Association Vancouver, as well as a........

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