{{Short description|Canadian politician and writer}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Sean Orr | image = Sean Orr at the COPE candidate nomination meeting on May 11, 2026.jpg | image_upright = | alt = | caption = | office = Vancouver City Councillor | term_start = April 15, 2025 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|05|18}} | birth_place = Surrey, British Columbia, Canada | party = COPE | other_party = {{plainlist| * VOTE Socialist (2022) * BC Greens (2005) }} | partner = | children = | education = | occupation = {{hlist|Politician|writer}} | profession = | awards = | footnotes = | alma_mater = Simon Fraser University }}
'''Sean Orr''' (born {{birth date|1978|05|18}})<ref>{{cite web |last1=Orr |first1=Sean |title=Sean Orr: Obscure Bands Played My Friend's Secret Loft Party... |url=https://scoutmagazine.ca/sean-orr-obscure-bands-played-my-friends-secret-loft-party/ |website=Scout Magazine |access-date=8 April 2025 |date=20 April 2010}}</ref> is a Canadian politician and writer in Vancouver, British Columbia.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |last1=Ali |first1=Amir |title=Newly elected Vancouver councillor receives death threats after storm over past remarks |url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-councillor-sean-orr-past-remarks |website=Daily Hive |access-date=2026-04-18 |language=en|date=2025-04-09}}</ref> In 2025, he was elected to represent the left-wing Coalition of Progressive Electors (COPE) on Vancouver City Council. During the 2025 Vancouver City Council by-election, Orr garnered 50.7 percent of the vote, becoming one of two councillors elected.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Weichel |first1=Andrew |date=6 April 2025 |title=2 new councillors elected in chaotic Vancouver byelection |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/2-new-councillors-elected-in-chaotic-vancouver-byelection/ |access-date=8 April 2025 |website=CTV News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=McElroy |first1=Justin |title=Vancouver's byelection a story of big lines, big passion, and ABC coping with a big loss |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-election-analysis-orr-maloney-abc-sim-1.7503180 |access-date=22 April 2025 |work=CBC News |date=6 April 2025}}</ref>
== Biography == Orr was born in Surrey to Northern Irish immigrant parents and raised in the Metro Vancouver area. He credits his family for his involvement in politics from a young age.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=Nate |date=February 12, 2025 |title=COPE council candidate Sean Orr opens up about advocacy, pragmatism, and the intimidation of city hall |url=https://www.vancitylookout.com/p/cope-council-candidate-sean-orr |website=Vancity Lookout |language=en}}</ref>
He studied geography at the University of British Columbia before dropping out in his third year<ref>{{cite web |last=Kronbauer |first=Bob |date=29 April 2009 |title=PRETTY DRIFTED – PHOTOS BY SEAN ORR |url=https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/events-and-entertainment/pretty-drifted-photos-by-sean-orr-1917634 |access-date=8 April 2025 |website=Vancouver Is Awesome |language=en}}</ref> and soon began writing letters to the editor and blogging. This led to Orr writing for Toronto-based Beyond Robson's Morning Brew column in the mid-2000s, through which he gained popularity.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sean Orr |url=https://scoutmagazine.ca/contributor/seanorr/ |website=Scout Magazine |access-date=8 April 2025 |date=16 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=January 27, 2006 |title=Beyond Robson's Sean Orr Emerges from the Blogosphere. |url=https://thetyee.ca/Music/2006/01/27/MusicPix/ |website=The Tyee |language=en|access-date=2026-04-18}}</ref>
Sean has undertaken many art projects. In 2009, he self-published a photography book called "Pretty Drifted," encapsulating snapshots of urban Vancouver.<ref>{{cite web |last=Marigomen |first=Jennilee |date=6 May 2009 |title=The Proof – Sean Orr |url=https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/events-and-entertainment/9506-1917679 |access-date=8 April 2025 |website=Vancouver Is Awesome |language=en}}</ref> Sean has been a musician in multiple bands such as Taxes, Kidnapping, producing music via the project Tassels, and most recently as front man for the hardcore-punk band NEEDS, since 2012.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bollwitt |first=Rebecca |date=October 14, 2007 |title=Vancouver Blogger Profile: Sean Orr |url=https://miss604.com/2007/10/vancouver-blogger-profile-sean-orr/ |access-date=8 April 2025 |website=Miss604}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hudson |first1=Alex |date=April 7, 2025 |title=Vancouver Just Elected a Hardcore Punk Vocalist to City Council |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/vancouver-just-elected-a-hardcore-punk-vocalist-to-city-council |access-date=9 April 2025 |work=Exclaim! |language=en}}</ref>
Since 2011, Sean has been a writer for Vancouver-based Scout Magazine. His column ''Tea and Two Slices'' showcases Orr's outspoken leftist political commentary and has provided a digital outlet for his advocacy and activism.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Carrigg |first1=David |title=Jewish groups condemn statements from new Vancouver councillor Sean Orr |url=https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/jewish-groups-condemn-statements-from-new-vancouver-councillor-sean-orr/ar-AA1CzoUA |access-date=22 April 2025 |agency=MSN |publisher=Vancouver Sun |date=8 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=20 years after Woodsquat, the protest that began at an old Vancouver department store continues to resonate |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/woodsquat-retrospective-2022-1.6586412 |access-date=22 April 2025|last=Kulkarni|first=Akshay|date=2022-09-17|work=CBC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Kulkarni |first1=Akshay |title=Vancouver Police Union breaks with tradition and endorses ABC Vancouver for municipal election |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-police-union-endorsement-1.6607093 |access-date=22 April 2025 |work=CBC News |date=5 October 2022}}</ref>
Orr graduated from Simon Fraser University with a Bachelor of Arts in geography and political science in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 29, 2025 |title=SFU Geography Alumni Sean Orr wins Vancouver council seat in byelection |url=https://www.sfu.ca/geography/news-events/news-kudos-archives/2025-archives/Sean-Orr-wins-Vancouver-council-seat-in-byelection.html |access-date=2025-06-12 |website=Simon Fraser University |language=en}}</ref>
== Vancouver City Council == Orr first ran as a candidate for Vancouver City Council in the newly formed municipal party VOTE Socialist during the 2022 Vancouver municipal election.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fumano |first=Dan |date=2022-10-10 |title=Vancouver firefighters' union endorses Kennedy Stewart for re-election |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/vancouver-firefighters-endorse-kennedy-stewart-for-re-election |access-date=2026-04-18 |work=Vancouver Sun}}</ref> Orr received 13,744 votes in the election. Orr previously ran as a Green Party of British Columbia candidate in Surrey-Tynehead in the 2005 British Columbia general election.<ref>Elaine O'Connor, "What's at stake in the rest of the Lower Mainland's ridings". ''The Province'', May 15, 2005.</ref>
Ahead of the 2025 Vancouver City Council by-election, the VOTE Socialist party officially deregistered as an electoral party in support of Sean Orr's candidacy with COPE.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mooney |first1=Harrison |authorlink=Harrison Mooney|title=Sean Orr Is Fired Up to Grill Ken Sim |url=https://thetyee.ca/News/2025/04/14/Sean-Orr-Fired-Up-Grill-Ken-Sim/ |website=The Tyee |access-date=22 April 2025|date=2025-04-14}}</ref> His campaign focused on homelessness, rent control, the Downtown Eastside, and climate change.
== Electoral record == {{2025 Vancouver municipal by-elections/City Council}} {{2022 Vancouver municipal election/City Council}} {{2005 British Columbia general election/Surrey-Tynehead}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Vancouver City Council}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Orr, Sean}} Category:Living people Category:1978 births Category:Artists from Vancouver Category:People from Surrey, British Columbia Category:Vancouver city councillors Category:Coalition of Progressive Electors councillors Category:21st-century Canadian municipal councillors Category:Green Party of British Columbia candidates in British Columbia provincial elections Category:Singers from Vancouver Category:Writers from Vancouver Category:Canadian punk rock singers Category:21st-century Canadian male singers Category:21st-century Canadian photographers Category:Simon Fraser University alumni