The Hot Pink Paper Campaign
An issue-based campaign that amplifies the voices of communities who are often not heard at city hall.
The Hot Pink Paper Campaign (HPPC) is how WTC amplifies the voices of communities who are often not heard in the election process. Through this campaign, we hold the mayor and council to account on their commitments to make Vancouver a city where everyone can thrive.
In the lead-up to the municipal election, WTC runs deep engagement with community groups and organizations to identify priority issues for women, girls, and gender non-conforming people in Vancouver. We prioritize hearing from groups who are often excluded from democratic processes and who face systemic oppression in our city.
We use the HPPC to challenge public discussion and debate around city issues and centre the folks who need the city to work for them most.
See our 2022-2026 Policy Asks
As part of our Hot Pink Paper Campaign, Women Transforming Cities developed eight policy asks for mayor and council candidates in the 2022 Vancouver election.
2. IWG2S+ People’s Healing Lodge
3. Reducing Barriers for Affordable Housing
4. Protecting Tenants from Heatwaves
5. Alternative Models to Community Safety
6. Washrooms for All
7. Fully Fund Climate Emergency Responses
8. Affordable and Accessible Transit
A Four Year Campaign
Once elected, we hold mayor and city council accountable to their commitments through regular engagement and monitoring of council agendas. We communicate their successes, highlight work that still needs to be done, and make ourselves available to support equity-driven decisions.
Our Watch Council group speaks at council meetings, sends letters, meets with councillors and organizes campaigns on key issues.
The Impact of the HPPC
WTC has run the HPPC in the 2014, 2018 and 2022 Vancouver municipal election. We know it has the following impacts:
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The HPPC keeps issues impacting equity-deserving genders at the forefront of elections
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It provides council with the blueprints and references needed to embed intersectionality within bylaws, motions, and decision-making
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It gets results — councillors have told us that this campaign raises issues they otherwise wouldn’t have considered, and knowing that WTC is following decisions made at council holds them accountable during their term
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It helps residents make informed voting decisions by providing accessible information to rally around issues that matter the most
The 2022 Hot Pink Paper Campaign Process
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Final Report: Action on Systemic Barriers to Women's Participation in Local Government (2020)The final report offers an overview of this three-year project, concentrating on four areas in which women participate in local civic life: as candidates and elected decision-makers; as participants in citizen-led municipal advisory bodies; as municipal employees; and as participants in city-led public engagement efforts. See the report
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Voter Engagement, Electoral Systems, and Diverse Women’s Political Representation: A Brief Review (2019)"Using the 2018 Vancouver, BC elections as a case study, this brief review looks at representation on city council and who votes in municipal elections. See the review
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Pathways to a Women-friendly Surrey: Outcome Report (2018)This outcome report presents the expertise of women participating in a forum held in Surrey, BC. The forum set out to find out why and how women become involved in the city, what helps and supports a woman candidate and what barriers or challenges she faces. See the outcome report
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Hot Pink Pathways to a Women-Friendly Vancouver: Outcome Report (2018)This outcome report presents the expertise of women participating in a forum held in Vancouver, BC. The forum set out to find out why and how women become involved in the city, what helps and supports a woman candidate and what barriers or challenges she faces. See the outcome report
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Barriers Facing Women in Politics Briefing Note (2018)Submitted to the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women. See the briefing note
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Systemic Barriers to Women's Participation in Local Government Project's Literature Review (2017)Literature review of major research pieces and providing an overview of identified barriers to women's involvement in local government. See the literature review
Run Your Own Hot Pink Paper Campaign
Currently, WTC only runs the HPPC in Vancouver. We have developed a toolkit to help you run a similar campaign to center equity in local government elections wherever you live.
