'Because it's 2016' motion aims for gender equality at Vancouver City Hall
'We'd really like to put that into formal policy language so that it's not surprising to anyone'
Vancouver City Councilor Andrea Reimer wants to boost women's equality at city hall.
Reimer will put forward a motion Tuesday — International Women's Day — proposing council adopt a policy requiring city advisory committees to be made up of at least 50 per cent women.
"We have several hundred people on our advisory bodies so it's not an insignificant number of people that we would be supporting through gender equality," said Reimer.
The motion is entitled "Because it's 2016", playing off the now famous "Because it's 2015" quote made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when he appointed a gender equal cabinet back in November.
Reimer says council currently tries to appoint committees so that they are 50 per cent female, but feels the practice need to be made official.
"We'd really like to put that into formal policy language so that it's not surprising to anyone, that they understand this expectation." she said.
The motion also asks for an update to the city's decade-old gender equality strategy to ensure the city's social grants program distributes its funding equally to programs that serve girls and women.
Council will debate the motion sometime in April.