Eighteen years into our annual power ranking, it’s clear that it’s not just the names on list that change and shift over time, but our definition of power itself. In 2018, power isn’t just found in the hands of board room bosses and high rollers (though you’ll find plenty still in this year’s class of influencers): it’s also wielded by Vancouverites who are moving the dial in quieter—but equally meaningful—ways. The grassroots activists swaying developers, the humble politicians rolling up their sleeves, and the behind-the-scenes players facing the opioid crisis with concrete solutions: it’s a list that’s heavy on the nice-guy factor, but don’t be fooled—this city’s power players, on all sides of the game, are in it to win it.
37. Malik Talib
President, Aga Khan Council for Canada
As president of the Aga Khan Council for Canada, Malik Talib is one of the most influential voices within the Ismaili Muslim community in Canada, a group that wields incredible wealth and entrepreneurial power. But a huge part of the culture is also about giving back, and Talib embraces this philosophy, too: in addition to being a high-powered tax lawyer turned investor (with stakes in a wide variety of industries—from real estate to mining to food distribution), he’s been ubiquitous on a variety of philanthropic boards, including the Vancouver Foundation and BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.
Ismailimail 