| Heather Deal | |
| Office: | Vancouver City Councillor |
| Term Start: | 2005 |
| Term End: | 2018 |
| Office2: | Vancouver Park Board Commissioner |
| Term Start2: | 2002 |
| Term End2: | 2005 |
| Otherparty: | COPE (2002-2005) |
| Profession: | Biologist |
Heather Deal is a Canadian biologist and politician. She served as a Vancouver city councillor until 2018, first elected as a member of Vision Vancouver in 2005. She previously served as a Vancouver Park Board commissioner for the 2002 to 2005 term as a member of Coalition of Progressive Electors.
Deal was born in England and raised in Michigan and spent 6 years in Ohio doing her undergraduate degree in Biology at Oberlin College and working at Case Western University in Cleveland as a medical research technician. In 1984, she moved to Vancouver and became a Canadian citizen in 1991.Deal got her M.Sc. in microbiology/immunology from UBC and worked in various medical research positions at UBC, VGH and the BC Cancer Agency. She then moved to jobs in education, training and research for UBC Continuing Studies, the BC Government’s Watershed Restoration Program and the David Suzuki Foundation.
In 1989 Deal joined the Vancouver Bach Choir, Vancouver’s premier symphonic choir, and became president of the board 2 years later. She recruited housing activist Jim Green to the board of directors and in 2001 the choir performed a free concert of Handel’s Messiah in Blood Alley. She continues to sing in the choir today.Citation
In 2002 Deal ran for office for the first time and came in first for the Vancouver Park Board.[1] She served as chair in her first year on the board.
By 2005 Deal had left COPE and joined the new electoral association, Vision Vancouver. She ran for City Council with the inaugural Vision Vancouver slate in 2005 and was elected to Council for her first of 4 terms (2005-2008,[2] 2008-2011,[3] 2011-2014,[4] 2014-21018[5]).
In her time on Vancouver City Council, Deal was a strong champion for the arts. This included introducing Vancouver’s first Creative City and Music strategies.[6] Deal made it her mission to liven Vancouver’s streets by supporting installations of public art and cultural attractions and festivals like the city’s 125th-anniversary Summer Live concerts. In 2008, Deal introduced an innovative food-cart program that has been credited with creating a food revolution.[7]
Throughout her 16 year tenure as an elected official, Deal served on numerous boards and committees, and chaired several committees:
Vancouver City Councillor 2005-2018
Served as Deputy Mayor, fulfilling diplomacy and protocol responsibilitiesServed as chair of committees and caucusServed as Council liaison to Citizen Advisory Committees, includingActive Transportation, overseeing development/implementation of Transportation 2040Arts and Culture, initiating Nightlife Council, Creative City and Music City StrategiesPublic Art, launching $1.5 Public Art Boost and Mural FestHeritage Commission, driving and implementing new Heritage Action PlanFood Policy, initiating Vancouver Food Strategy and Food Truck ProgramLiaison to People with Disabilities CommitteeVancouver Public Library TrusteeVancouver Art Gallery Board of DirectorsRepresented City on many files and Boards
Metro Vancouver[8] Board and Committees
Chair, Regional ParksMember of multiple Metro Vancouver committees, includingIntergovernmental and FinanceSolid Waste (Vice Chair)Environment and EnergyAboriginal RelationsRegional CultureElectoral Area ALower Mainland Local Government Association (MV Representative)Fraser Basin Council (MV Representative)Chair, Climate Change CommitteeChair, Water and Watersheds CommitteeMember, Flood Mitigation Leadership Committee
Federation of Canadian Municipalities[9]
Board member, advocating to Federal Government for Local Government prioritiesChair, Environmental Issues and Sustainable DevelopmentMember of committees and working groups, includingSocial-Economic DevelopmentWomen’s Participation in Municipal GovernmentCommunity Safety and Crime PreventionMunicipal Infrastructure and TransportationUrban Indigenous Working GroupRail Safety Working Group
Since leaving City Hall in 2018, Deal has continued to be actively involved in civic life. In 2019, Deal was appointed to the new Granville Island Council with authority and responsibility for governance of Granville Island, and was elected chair by the Council. She was re-elected chair in 2020.[10] [11]
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/10/08/2105860/0/en/Granville-Island-welcomes-Tom-Lancaster-as-new-General-Manager.html
https://theprovince.com/opinion/columnists/fred-lees-social-network-rincon-fit-for-a-crown-yule-duel-makes-gastown-merry-lunch-bunch-brightens-crabtree-corner
https://aibc.ca/2019/08/heather-deal-named-new-lieutenant-governor-appointee-to-aibc-council/
https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/grouse-mountain-officially-becomes-a-park-3056093
https://www.mapleridgenews.com/news/metro-vancouver-adds-to-maple-ridges-kanaka-park/#
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/surrey-bend-regional-park-opens-1.3539662
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/creative-city-music-strategy-1.4591402
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-councillor-seeks-ban-on-pet-store-sales-of-dogs-cats-and-rabbits-1.4172841
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/10/08/2105860/0/en/Granville-Island-welcomes-Tom-Lancaster-as-new-General-Manager.html
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vision-vancouver-candidates-city-council-park-board-1.4738767
https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/courier-archive/news/live-alone-tips-on-how-to-manage-during-covid-19-pandemic-3119388
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/false-creek-towers-vancouver-council-july-2018-1.4759703
https://globalnews.ca/news/4579495/vision-vancouver-wiped-out/
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/granville-island-council-cmhc-vancouver
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/douglas-coupland-vancouver-golden-tree-1.3710622
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/creative-city-music-strategy-1.4591402
https://cyclingmagazine.ca/sections/news/vancouvers-proposed-bike-lanes-officially-approved/https://globalnews.ca/news/3913598/vancouver-budget-property-tax-hike/
https://www.bcbusiness.ca/heather-deal-vancouver-city-councillor
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/creative-city-music-strategy-1.4591402