Add StudioX as a preferred source on GoogleDoug McCallum is preparing to return to Surrey City Hall for another four-year term, bringing a campaign agenda built around rapid transit to Newton, a zero-property-tax-increase pledge, public safety and new recreation facilities. The City of Surrey officially declared him elected on October 21.
McCallum’s return follows a four-year period out of the mayor’s office after Brenda Locke defeated him in 2022. The official 2026 results recorded 42,745 votes for McCallum and 30,886 for Locke, a margin of 11,859 votes. StudioX News has published the full official vote breakdown separately.
A long political history in Surrey
McCallum’s City-hosted candidate profile says he previously led Surrey as mayor for a total of 13 years. It highlights capital projects including community centres, ice rinks, pools, turf fields, the extension of SkyTrain to Clayton Heights, Bear Creek Stadium and the 84th Avenue road connector. Those descriptions are claims submitted by his campaign; the candidate-profile page notes that the views expressed are the candidate’s own and are not the City’s endorsement.
His return gives the Safe Surrey Coalition control of the mayor’s office and seven of the eight council seats. Harry Bains, elected under Surrey Connect, is the only councillor-elect outside the coalition. The new mayor and council are scheduled to take their oaths at Surrey City Hall on November 2.
What McCallum promised for 2026–2030
In his candidate profile, McCallum’s campaign lists several major commitments:
- SkyTrain to Newton: extend rapid transit south along King George Boulevard.
- Property taxes: hold increases at zero per cent for four years.
- Public safety: pursue a zero-tolerance approach to crime and extortion.
- Police technology: establish a Surrey Police helicopter and drone fleet within 90 days.
- Recreation: build new pools in Clayton Heights and City Centre, and a Newton community centre with a pool.
- Farmland: introduce a Farm Local plan aimed at protecting Surrey farmland.
These are campaign promises, not approved projects or funded budget items. Each will require decisions about costs, timelines, staffing, land, procurement and, where necessary, agreements with other governments and agencies.
The first tests: taxes, policing and transit
The zero-tax-increase pledge will be tested against the City’s operating costs, capital requirements and service demands. Residents will be watching whether the new council can maintain existing services and deliver promised projects without shifting costs elsewhere or delaying infrastructure work.
The 90-day helicopter and drone pledge will also require a clear public explanation of procurement, operating costs, staffing, privacy safeguards and how the equipment would be integrated into Surrey Police Service operations. The campaign profile does not provide a cost estimate or implementation plan.
A SkyTrain extension to Newton is a regional transit project, not a city-only decision. Its delivery would depend on planning, funding and approvals involving TransLink and senior governments. McCallum’s promise therefore raises questions about what the City can commit to directly and what must be negotiated with regional and provincial partners.
A council with a clear majority
Safe Surrey’s seven elected councillors are Cheney Cloke, Doug Elford, Meera Gill, Suhana Gill, Laurie Guerra, Mandeep Singh Nagra and Allison Patton. With McCallum as mayor, the coalition holds eight of the nine seats. Bains is the sole Surrey Connect councillor.
The majority gives McCallum’s team a strong position to advance its agenda, but residents will still need to assess each decision against the City’s budget, public reporting and measurable delivery. The key question is not only what was promised during the campaign, but which commitments receive funding and when.
What happens next
McCallum and the eight councillors-elect are scheduled to be sworn in at Surrey City Hall on November 2, 2026, at 7 p.m. The new council’s early decisions on the budget, policing priorities, transit advocacy and capital projects will provide the first indication of how the campaign platform will be translated into government policy.
Related StudioX coverage: Official Surrey mayoral results and the 2026 Surrey mayoral candidates’ platform comparison.
Sources
- City of Surrey: Doug McCallum candidate profile
- City of Surrey: Official 2026 municipal election results
- City of Surrey: Inauguration of Mayor and Council, November 2, 2026
- City of Surrey: 2026 councillor candidates and elector organizations
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving multilingual diaspora communities across Canada. 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
