Gregor Robertson survives challenge from Meena Wong in Vancouver poll
Gregor Robertson keeps top job after a tough campaign that saw rival from Hong Kong Meena Wong question his left-wing credentials
Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson has been returned to power after a tough campaign that was threatened with being upended by the candidacy of Meena Wong, a Hong Kong emigrant and fellow progressive who accused Robertson of having sold out to the city's powerful real estate industry.
Robertson, a telegenic former fruit-juice magnate whose popular brand of left-leaning politics has dominated the western Canadian city for the past six years, won 46.7 per cent of the vote in Saturday's election.
He beat journalist Kirk LaPointe of the business-friendly Non-Partisan Association (NPA) with 41.1 per cent, and Wong of the Coalition of Progressive Electors (Cope) with 9.4 per cent.
The mayoral race was not as close as some had predicted, but Robertson's Vision Vancouver team had its grip on the city's elected bodies weakened.
In his victory speech he said he was "confident that we are going to find common ground" with new opponents on the city's council, park board and school board, as he sought to build a "green, inclusive and vibrant city".
He said he had heard "loud and clear that there are things we can do better", pledging to focus on climate change, homelessness, affordability and public transit.