From property-tax freezes and police recruitment to housing, transit and major capital projects, here is what Surrey’s seven mayoral campaigns are proposing ahead of October 17.
SURREY, B.C. — Surrey’s seven mayoral candidates are presenting different approaches to public safety, property taxes, housing affordability, transportation and infrastructure ahead of the October 17, 2026, municipal election.
Incumbent Mayor Brenda Locke is seeking re-election, while former mayor Doug McCallum is campaigning for a return to City Hall. The other candidates are Linda Annis, Mike Starchuk, Honveer Singh Randhawa, Troy Van Vliet and Igal Ammons II.
Their published platforms range from large capital-investment proposals and police staffing targets to tax reductions, homeownership initiatives, permit guarantees and neighbourhood services.
StudioX News reviewed the candidates’ published campaign platforms and available policy material. This comparison summarizes selected commitments and identifies questions voters may wish to ask about costs, timelines and implementation. Campaign proposals are attributed to their respective campaigns and are not endorsements or guarantees of delivery.
At a glance: Seven campaigns, different approaches
- Brenda Locke — Surrey Connect: Approximately $1.496 billion in proposed capital investments, additional public-safety personnel and eight additional city-supported medical clinics.
- Doug McCallum — Safe Surrey Coalition: A four-year property-tax freeze, SkyTrain to Newton, a police helicopter and drone fleet, and a 60-day residential-permit commitment.
- Linda Annis — Surrey First: 300 additional police officers over four years, a police training centre, no property-tax increase in 2027 and a proposed $1.791-billion capital program.
- Mike Starchuk — Imagine Surrey: A campaign-described platform with 79 commitments, three proposed Bus Rapid Transit routes, anti-extortion measures and affordability initiatives.
- Honveer Singh Randhawa — Conservative Party of Surrey: A proposed $600 residential property-tax reduction followed by a freeze, business tax measures, water-bill proposals and a five-business-day permit guarantee for qualifying applications.
- Troy Van Vliet — Surrey NOW: Twelve commitments covering public safety, housing, growth, ownership, business costs and municipal accountability.
- Igal Ammons II — New Surrey+: Twelve broad priorities covering safety, housing, health-care access, education, transit, neighbourhood services and recreation.
1. Brenda Locke — Surrey Connect
Central theme: Invest in public facilities and neighbourhood infrastructure while keeping property-tax increases at or below inflation.
Surrey Connect’s platform, titled Plan for a Safer, Healthier, More Connected Surrey, proposes approximately $1.496 billion in capital investments across four categories.
The campaign allocates:
- $625 million to recreation, culture and community facilities.
- $484.5 million to public safety and emergency services.
- $211.5 million to parks and green space.
- $175 million to streets, transportation and active mobility.
Major proposed recreation and cultural projects include a $150-million South Surrey Ice Arena, a $150-million Surrey Concert Hall, two $120-million aquatic centres for City Centre/Whalley and Cloverdale/Clayton, an $80-million Fleetwood Library and a $5-million Newton Athletic Clubhouse.
The proposed public-safety investments include a $350-million public-safety campus, a $120-million Green Timbers firehall, $12 million for additional four-person fire vehicles and $2.5 million for domestic-violence victim support.
The platform also outlines park expansions, neighbourhood parks, sports fields, tree planting, street upgrades, bike-path improvements and pedestrian-safety measures.
Locke’s campaign says property-tax increases would be kept at or below inflation. It also identifies eight additional city-supported medical clinics, a proposal to provide city land for a provincial women’s and children’s hospital, and continued advocacy for a veterinary college in Surrey.
The campaign says the proposed capital program would be additional to previously announced projects, including 560 additional public-safety personnel.
Questions for voters: How would the capital program be financed and sequenced? What would the facilities cost to operate after construction? How would the proposed spending fit alongside existing commitments and the campaign’s tax policy?
Official platform: Surrey Connect
2. Doug McCallum — Safe Surrey Coalition
Central theme: Freeze property taxes, expand policing resources and accelerate development.
Safe Surrey Coalition proposes zero per cent property-tax increases for four consecutive years.
On public safety, the campaign promises a major expansion of policing resources, a zero-tolerance approach to crime and extortion, and a dedicated Surrey Police Service helicopter and drone fleet within 90 days of taking office. The main platform page reviewed does not specify a numerical target for additional police personnel.
The campaign also proposes extending rapid transit to Newton, building new swimming pools in Clayton Heights and City Centre, and developing a Newton community centre with a pool.
Its economic proposals include a Surrey Centre Opportunity Zone intended to eliminate municipal fees for specified projects and reduce red tape. The campaign promises a 60-day residential building-permit timeline, with permit fees waived if the deadline is missed, and proposes waiving business-licence fees for new businesses during their first two years.
Other commitments include a “Farm Local” program involving farmland protection, faster greenhouse approvals and direct sales from farmers to residents, as well as heritage designations for Crescent Beach and Ocean Park.
The campaign also proposes an independent forensic audit of City Hall land deals and withdrawal from the Metro Vancouver Regional District while retaining connections for water, sewer and waste services.
Questions for voters: How would a four-year tax freeze accommodate inflation and rising operating costs? What would the proposed policing equipment and facilities cost? What legal, financial and service arrangements would be required for the proposed regional-district withdrawal?
Official platform: Safe Surrey Coalition
3. Linda Annis — Surrey First
Central theme: Increase public-safety staffing, expand local economic opportunities and improve municipal accountability.
Surrey First’s October 6 platform is organized around six commitments: safer neighbourhoods, jobs close to home, infrastructure that keeps pace, a more effective City Hall, responsible spending and a more livable Surrey.
Its public-safety proposals include 300 additional police officers over four years, a police training centre, real-time access to 600 city traffic cameras, 600 additional police security cameras, 40 additional firefighters every year and 25 additional bylaw officers every year. The platform also proposes an emergency-services training centre for firefighters and completion of the Surrey Police Service transition.
The campaign identifies a proposed $1.791-billion capital program. Major projects include a $200-million Surrey Conference Centre, a $170-million Surrey Performing Arts Centre, a $350-million Cloverdale Multi-Sport Event and Aquatic Centre, a $150-million Cloverdale Trade and Exhibition Centre, a $37-million curling rink, an $18-million truck museum, a $250-million police training centre and recreation facilities under a 20-year plan.
The campaign proposes a new recreation facility approximately every 16 months, beginning with the Newton Indoor Sports Centre. It says public-private partnerships and long-term leases of city-owned land could help support major projects.
Annis has committed to no residential or business property-tax increase in 2027. The platform reviewed does not establish a four-year freeze.
Other commitments include a City Hall modernization review within 90 days, an independent Auditor General, public project-reporting tools, a public question period at every council meeting and a pilot extending service-counter hours.
Surrey First also proposes free access to city recreation facilities for children and seniors and swimming instruction for 60,000 children by age 10. Its economic-development proposals target sectors including manufacturing, technology, agribusiness, food processing, transportation, logistics and professional services.
Questions for voters: What financing assumptions underpin the capital program? How would the city pay for additional staff and free recreation access? What financial obligations could public-private partnerships create for taxpayers?
Official platform: Surrey First
4. Mike Starchuk — Imagine Surrey
Central theme: Set measurable commitments on public safety, transit, affordability and city services.
Imagine Surrey says its signed Contract for a Better Surrey contains 79 commitments across five pillars: Safe Streets, Fast Commutes, Smart Investments, Lower Costs and Strong Services. The campaign says it intends to publish quarterly progress updates using green, amber and red status indicators.
On public safety, the proposals include a coordinated anti-extortion command, additional intelligence capacity, victim support and safety planning, helicopter patrols, crime-prevention cameras and additional police capacity. The campaign says the police transition should be completed no later than December 2027. It also proposes mental-health crisis teams working with first responders, additional fire halls and improvements to emergency preparedness.
For transportation, Imagine Surrey proposes three Bus Rapid Transit routes during its first term:
- Scott Road Station toward Newton.
- A 152nd Street route from Guildford toward the South Surrey Bus Loop.
- A King George Station corridor toward Semiahmoo Mall.
The platform also proposes 50 kilometres of new sidewalks, synchronized traffic signals, targeted road upgrades, connected cycling infrastructure, additional park-and-ride capacity and advocacy for West Coast Express service into Surrey.
Affordability measures include a $70 monthly transit pass, discounted recreation fees, removal of the “Super Senior Fee,” free fitness and wellness programs for seniors and a first free swim lesson for children under five. The campaign also proposes more affordable and co-operative housing.
For permitting, Imagine Surrey proposes a 180-day housing-permit guarantee, with automatic approval and discounted fees if the deadline is missed, subject to safety and building-code checks. Its accountability proposals include a lobbyist registry, searchable contract disclosures and project scorecards tracking budgets, timelines and contractor performance.
The campaign says property-tax increases should be kept at or below its stated inflation measure for four years.
Questions for voters: What are the full costings and revenue assumptions behind the commitments? How would the transit, staffing and housing proposals be financed? Which projects depend on TransLink or other governments?
Official platform: Imagine Surrey
5. Honveer Singh Randhawa — Conservative Party of Surrey
Central theme: Reduce property taxes and household costs while expanding policing and access to municipal services.
The Conservative Party of Surrey publishes policy areas covering residential and commercial taxes, public safety, water bills, permits, neighbourhood access, transit, health-care advocacy, animal care and public washrooms.
The campaign proposes a $600 reduction on each residential property-tax bill, followed by a four-year freeze. It also proposes no commercial property-tax increases for four years, a 5% property-tax reduction for qualifying small businesses that create jobs, and elimination of business-licence fees for four years.
On household water costs, the campaign proposes city-funded installation of residential water meters and targets a 50% reduction in household water bills through metered usage. That is a campaign target, not an independently established saving for every household; actual results would depend on usage, rates and implementation.
For public safety, the campaign proposes accelerating police recruitment beyond the existing transitional goal of 860 officers, establishing a Surrey Tactical Training Centre, placing dedicated school liaison officers in senior secondary schools, and deploying public-safety cameras and drones under a stated privacy and data-deletion framework.
The campaign also proposes a five-business-day permit guarantee for qualifying single-family home and renovation applications stamped by approved architects or engineers.
Other measures include monthly drop-in clinics in eight geographic zones, public-washroom access, a Home Protection Fund for qualifying Residential Tenancy Branch damage awards and assistance resolving municipal compliance issues.
On transit, Randhawa proposes a business case for an Expo Line extension from King George Station to South Surrey Park & Ride, with proposed stations near 88th Avenue, Newton Exchange and South Surrey.
The campaign also proposes reserving a site at 6965 King George Boulevard for a seniors’ and children’s hospital and seeking provincial and federal support.
Questions for voters: How would the city fund the residential tax reduction, business tax measures and water-meter installation? What evidence supports the proposed water-bill savings? Which transit and hospital decisions would require provincial, federal or regional approval?
Official platform: Conservative Party of Surrey
6. Troy Van Vliet — Surrey NOW
Central theme: Affordable homeownership, coordinated growth, safer neighbourhoods and transparent municipal decision-making.
Surrey NOW lists 12 commitments grouped around public safety, housing and growth, schools and youth, ownership, and accountability.
On public safety, the campaign proposes stronger action against extortion and crime, 200 additional police officers, a new police training centre and privacy-focused crime-prevention technology. Its plan also describes a permanent extortion-response framework, neighbourhood safety audits and public reporting.
For housing, Surrey NOW proposes a Family Housing Standard, more family-sized homes, streamlined permitting, incentives for attainable ownership housing and partnerships with non-profit housing providers. Its plans also address local investment and employment, business-licence fees, faster approvals, neighbourhood transit and infrastructure planning alongside population growth.
The campaign proposes coordinating development approvals with school-capacity planning, protecting land for future schools and parks, and advocating for provincial funding that reflects Surrey’s growth.
Its ownership proposals include a pilot involving approximately 100 to 200 homes, protections for public value and pathways for local businesses to own their commercial space.
Surrey NOW also pledges a four-year property-tax freeze and proposes a forensic audit, plain-language budgets, public capital-project dashboards and a promise tracker.
Questions for voters: How would the ownership pilot be structured and funded? What staffing and cost model supports the proposed 200 additional officers? What budget measures would support the tax freeze?
Official platform: Surrey NOW — Our Plans
7. Igal Ammons II — New Surrey+
Central theme: Neighbourhood equality, youth opportunities, housing pathways and broader access to services.
New Surrey+ publishes a 12-part platform covering public safety, affordable housing, health-care access, education innovation, transparent leadership, civic engagement, transit, local growth, green space, inclusion, arts and culture, and sports and recreation.
The campaign proposes addressing extortion and improving safety in parks and on streets. Its housing agenda includes pathways to homeownership for college and master’s-degree graduates.
For health-care access, New Surrey+ proposes partnering to establish a staffed clinic in each of Surrey’s six neighbourhoods. On education, it calls for better school resources and action on overcrowding and portable classrooms.
The campaign’s transit vision includes a regional journey from West Vancouver to Abbotsford Airport at one flat fare. It also proposes faster storefront repairs and business approvals, protection for green spaces and tree canopies, improved community centres and sports facilities, and more arts and cultural programming.
New Surrey+ also emphasizes transparent City Hall operations, clearer budget reporting and neighbourhood round-table planning, with the stated goal of giving communities more equal consideration in municipal services and decisions.
Questions for voters: Which commitments have detailed cost estimates and timelines? How would the proposed clinics, school improvements and regional transit services be delivered with the necessary government and agency partners?
Official platform: New Surrey+
Where the platforms differ most
Property taxes
The campaigns do not offer identical tax commitments. McCallum proposes no property-tax increases for four years. Randhawa proposes a $600 residential reduction followed by a four-year freeze. Surrey NOW also promises a four-year freeze. Locke proposes increases at or below inflation, while Imagine Surrey proposes an inflation-linked cap. Annis has committed to no residential or business property-tax increase in 2027. The New Surrey+ platform reviewed did not identify a specific headline property-tax pledge.
Public safety
Public safety is a prominent issue across the campaigns, but the proposals differ in scale and emphasis. Surrey First proposes 300 additional police officers over four years, while Surrey NOW proposes 200. Randhawa proposes faster recruitment beyond the stated transitional goal of 860 officers. Locke’s campaign identifies 560 additional public-safety personnel, a broader category that should not be treated as 560 police officers.
Safe Surrey emphasizes a helicopter and drone fleet, while Imagine Surrey proposes a coordinated anti-extortion response and additional frontline capacity. New Surrey+ emphasizes action against extortion and safer neighbourhood spaces.
These figures are campaign proposals and are not directly equivalent: police officers, broader public-safety personnel and technology investments are different categories.
Transit and infrastructure
McCallum proposes SkyTrain to Newton. Randhawa proposes developing a business case for an Expo Line extension to South Surrey through Newton. Imagine Surrey proposes three Bus Rapid Transit routes and a $70 monthly transit pass. New Surrey+ outlines a wider regional transit vision.
Major capital investment is especially prominent in the Surrey Connect and Surrey First platforms, which publish consolidated proposed programs of approximately $1.496 billion and $1.791 billion respectively. Those figures should not be compared with other campaigns as if the latter had no infrastructure plans: the platforms reviewed simply do not all publish directly comparable consolidated totals.
Housing, business and accountability
The housing approaches include Surrey NOW’s ownership pilot, Imagine Surrey’s affordable and co-operative housing proposals, New Surrey+’s graduate homeownership pathways and Safe Surrey’s proposed Opportunity Zone.
Business measures range from tax and licence-fee relief to faster approvals and local economic-development initiatives. Accountability proposals include an independent Auditor General, forensic audits, searchable contract disclosures, public dashboards and progress trackers.
What voters should ask before accepting a campaign promise
Who pays? Property-tax freezes and reductions may appeal to taxpayers, but voters should ask how each campaign would fund additional officers, fire services, recreation facilities, transit and ongoing operating costs.
What is within City Hall’s control? Surrey can make municipal decisions on property taxes, land use, permits, parks, city facilities and local services. Hospitals, school construction and regional rapid transit require other governments or agencies. A mayor can advocate, negotiate and make municipal contributions, but cannot unilaterally deliver every project.
What does the timeline mean? A five-day permit guarantee for qualifying applications is different from a city-wide housing strategy. An arena, hospital or transit line requires planning, approvals, financing, construction and long-term operations. Voters should compare each commitment with its proposed milestones.
How will residents track delivery? Published budgets, project timelines, staffing reports, progress dashboards and clear explanations of delays can help residents assess whether commitments are being met after the election.
How and when to vote
The City of Surrey says general voting day is Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Advance voting dates are October 7, 10, 14 and 15, also from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The 10 advance-voting locations listed by the City are:
- Cloverdale Recreation Centre
- Earl Marriott Secondary
- École Panorama Ridge Secondary
- Fleetwood Community Centre
- Frank Hurt Secondary
- Fraser Heights Recreation Centre
- Guildford Recreation Centre
- Kwantlen Park Secondary
- Princess Margaret Secondary
- Semiahmoo Secondary
For street addresses, general voting-day locations, identification requirements and other voting details, visit the City’s official election page: surrey.ca/election.
Conclusion
Surrey’s seven mayoral campaigns share concerns about public safety, affordability and growth, but they differ in their approaches to taxation, policing, housing, transportation, infrastructure and accountability.
Some campaigns publish large capital-project budgets; others emphasize tax reductions, service standards, homeownership pathways or new transit proposals. A specific dollar figure or deadline does not by itself establish that a proposal is funded, approved or achievable.
For voters, the central questions are how each campaign proposes to pay for its commitments, what it can deliver through municipal authority, what requires outside partners, and how residents would measure progress over the next four-year term.
StudioX News does not endorse any candidate, slate or party. This article summarizes selected publicly available campaign proposals; it is not an independent audit of campaign finances or project feasibility. Campaigns may submit additional public documents or corrections for consideration in future updates.
Sources: City of Surrey’s official 2026 municipal-election and mayoral candidate pages; the seven campaigns’ official platform pages and accessible policy material reviewed as of October 10, 2026.
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving diaspora communities across 44 languages. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, NEPMCC, and the Canadian Freelance Union (Unifor). Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
