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In some respects, the Vancouver election was a referendum on Mayor Gregor Robertson's greenest-city agenda.

With 111 of 133 polls reporting, it appears as though his legacy, which included a dramatic expansion of separated bike lanes and a push for greener buildings, will remain intact.

That's because a significant number of very green politicians have cracked the top 10 list for council.

Greens Adriane Carr, Pete Fry, Michael Wiebe, and David Wong, as well as COPE's Jean Swanson and OneCity's Christine Boyle are all extremely concerned about rising greenhouse-gas emissions, putting this at the centre of their political agendas.

The four NPA members in the top 10—Melissa De Genova, Colleen Hardwick, Lisa Dominato, and Rebecca Bligh—are considered more liberal rather than conservative, and some have ties to the federal Liberals.

The leading mayoral candidate, Kennedy Stewart, was one of the greenest New Democrats in the federal caucus when he was an MP.

So even though Vision Vancouver was trounced, the mayor can still take a small measure of satisfaction in the results.

All of this may also be good news for city manager Sadhu Johnston, who won't have to deal with a mayor or councillors eager to rip out bike lanes on the Cambie Bridge and along West 10th Avenue.

That's because he's played a key role in advancing environmental initiatives in recent years.

City manager Sadhu Johnston has played a major role in the greening of Vancouver's civic government. Yolande Cole

They include nation-leading climate-change adaptation measures and encouraging the creation of separated bike lanes, which have sharply increased the percentage of commuter cyclists.

When Vision Vancouver took power in 2008, it fired the long-time city manager, Judy Rogers.

The composition of the current council, if it holds when all votes are counted, means that the same fate is very unlikely to befall Johnston 10 years later.

To learn more about the Greenest City Action Plan, visit the City of Vancouver website.