In spite of her abbreviated formal education, Andrea Reimer has run advocacy organizations and businesses, organized in communities, and served as an elected official, pursuing her passions for environmental justice and supporting the empowerment of indigenous and marginalized communities.
She served 3 terms on the Vancouver City Council from 2008-2018, where she was the city’s first permanent Deputy Mayor, and spearheaded initiatives that included the first comprehensive urban plan for the Downtown Eastside, a nationally significant municipal framework for reconciliation with indigenous peoples, the largest municipal childcare program in Canada, and award-winning environmental and open government policies.
Prior to being on the city council, Reimer served on the school board and ran the Western Canada Wilderness Committee–the largest membership-based environment organization in Canada. She led the Organizing for Change initiative; was president of a credit union and the Canadian Women’s Voter’s Congress; ran a small business; worked in service, retail, and manufacturing; and survived a street-involved youth.
