VANCOUVER — Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim accused city Coun. Sean Orr of “handing out illegal drugs on Christmas Day” in a briefing for Chinese-speaking reporters earlier this month, in a false assertion that was partially repeated and then retracted with an apology by a Sim ally.

Sim on Tuesday had applauded Coun. Lenny Zhou for “acknowledging his mistake” and retracting elements of the claim that Zhou shared on Chinese-language social media, but Sim did not reveal that it was he who originally made the claim in the Feb. 6 briefing.

Orr denies the allegation and says he wasn’t even in Vancouver on Christmas Day.

Orr says he’s “shocked and appalled” to find out Sim was behind the claim and he doesn’t know where the idea came from.

In a recording of Sim’s remarks to Chinese-speaking reporters about three weeks ago, the mayor says in English that Orr “was handing out illegal drugs on Christmas Day to people on the streets.”

On Tuesday, after Zhou said he was “unequivocally” apologizing for sharing incorrect information that councillors had been giving out drugs, Sim thanked his ABC Party colleague for “taking responsibility for sharing information that was not accurate.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 26, 2026.

Darryl Greer, The Canadian Press