Klassen to ask council to approve trip to Junos with Sim

Vancouver Coun. Mike Klassen will seek council's approval for a $3,650 expenditure to cover his trip to Halifax next month to join Mayor Ken Sim at the Juno Awards.

Sim is planning to attend the Junos, a music awards ceremony, and his trip will be covered out of the mayor's office budget, Klassen said, but the expenditure to cover the councillor's trip requires council approval.

With Vancouver hosting the 2025 Juno Awards, Klassen said next month's trip would provide “a really great opportunity for us to take away some examples of what Halifax is doing to activate and energize their city for the Junos.”

“I'm really going to be interested to see what me and the mayor bring back from that experience,” said Klassen, who represents the mayor's party, ABC Vancouver, on council.

The estimated costs for Klassen's trip included $1,885 for return airfare, $895 for four nights' accommodation, $300 for ground transportation, $300 for Juno tickets and a per diem of $60 per day for five days, for a total of $3,650.

The mayor's research and communications co-ordinator, Luhan Yao, will also attend as a staff member, Sim's office said in a statement, but a cost estimate for her trip wasn't immediately available as she was only added to the trip this week.

Sim's trip was expected to cost around $3,550, his office said, but the final total will be calculated after he returns from Nova Scotia.

“The Junos serve as an opportunity to highlight Canadian music and culture,” said the statement from the mayor's office. “As Vancouver is set to host the Junos in 2025, the mayor was formally invited to attend in advance of next year. This trip serves as an incredible opportunity for Vancouver to gain valuable insights into organizing next year's event.”

Vancouver's expense bylaw states that other than trips to attend annual conventions of the Union of B.C. Municipalities and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, which are deemed to be approved, councillors seeking paid travel expenses require the prior approval of council.

The budget request is on the agenda for a council meeting next week.