Vancouver’s former city manager Paul Mochrie has landed a new job as the president and CEO of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA).

Mochrie, whose last day at the City of Vancouver was in July 2025, began working for the PHSA in the first week of June.

“I am joining at a complex and challenging time for the sector,” Mochrie said in an emailed statement to Business in Vancouver.

“My priority is to support PHSA’s people in navigating these pressures and strengthen partnerships across the system while maintaining a clear focus on high-quality, culturally safe care and improved access for patients, clients and communities.”

PHSA plans, co-ordinates and evaluates specialized health services with the B.C. health authorities to provide “equitable and cost-effective health care for people throughout the province,” according to the organization’s website.

In a 2025 mandate letter from the B.C. government, Health Minister Josie Osborne told the PHSA that it was to work with ministry staff to review all existing programs and initiatives to ensure programs “remain relevant, efficient, sustainable, grow the economy and help keep costs low for British Columbians.”

“Public sector organizations are expected to adhere to the principles of: cost consciousness, accountability, appropriate compensation, service, and integrity,” Osborne wrote.

“This includes following the spirit and intent of core government fiscal management practices to make all efforts to achieve administrative and operating efficiencies while delivering core programs and services.”

‘Refocused mandate’

Mochrie has experience in the health-care field, having worked with the B.C. Ministry of Health, where he led the business relationships between the PharmaCare program, pharmaceutical companies and retail pharmacies.

“It is an honour to join the organization at this important time and to contribute to its refocused mandate of providing specialized health care services to people living in British Columbia,” he said.

“I am also excited to build on my years in public service and in B.C.’s health system. Through my career, including my time with the City of Vancouver, I have worked closely with health sector partners and I have a deep appreciation for PHSA’s unique and critical role in delivering specialized care.”

Mochrie joined the city in May 2011 as general manager of human resource services.

He became deputy city manager in October 2015 and was appointed city manager in April 2021 under the Kennedy Stewart administration.

In July 2025, Mayor Ken Sim announced in a news release that he and Mochrie “mutually agreed that it was the right time for a leadership change.” Sim thanked Mochrie for his 14 years of service and wished him “nothing but success in the future.”

Mochrie was replaced less than two weeks after his departure by Donny van Dyk, the former city manager in Delta. Van Dyk began his job in September 2025, where he oversaw Sim’s move to lay off staff and cut back on programs to achieve a zero per cent property tax hike for 2026.

Severance pay

A document titled “termination of employment-agreed terms of separation” regarding Mochrie’s departure was posted Sept. 19, 2025 to the city’s website. Release of the agreement was agreed to at a Sept. 16 in-camera council meeting.

The agreement didn’t provide the exact amount of money Mochrie could collect, but the city’s 2025 statement of financial information recorded the 14-year employee as earning $387,110 in 2024.

A term used in the agreement is “salary continuance,” which is explained in this clause:

“For greater mutual clarity, ‘salary continuance’ payments means periodic payments made into the bank account on record for you, and on the same periodic basis as if you continued to be employed, and with the same deductions and withholdings.”

The agreement also means the city will continue to make contributions to Mochrie’s municipal pension and provide extended health and dental benefits over 24 months—six more months than he originally negotiated in the contract he signed when appointed city manager in April 2021.

Though the agreement is in effect for 24 months, a clause stated that Mochrie should make “reasonable efforts” to find alternative employment. Now that he is employed with PHSA, it’s unclear how much of his severance will continue to be paid out, although the agreement provides some guidance.

“If, during the salary continuance period, you do find alternate full-time, indefinite employment, then the salary continuance payments will cease, as will coverage for extended health and dental, and all contributions to your pension,” the agreement said.

Such a scenario would then allow Mochrie to receive either a lump-sum payment equal to 50 per cent of the remaining salary continuance payments and city pension contributions that remain outstanding.

Or he could request a “top up” payment.

“In the event you find part-time employment, your salary continuance payments will not cease, but an adjustment to the periodic payments will be made as contemplated and agreed per section 24 of your employment agreement, to reflect the source of income you are receiving from the alternate part-time source,” the agreement said.

BIV requested clarity on the status of Mochrie’s severance in an email to PHSA. An answer was not provided.

“As I near the end of my first week as President and CEO of PHSA, I’m struck, but not at all surprised, by the dedication and professionalism of the people I’ve me,” Mochrie said. “I’m both energized and focused on the important work ahead.”