SURREY, BC — In a lively community forum hosted by the local Chamber of Commerce, mayoral candidate Mike Starchuk and members of his Imagine Surrey slate presented their municipal election platform, promising a focus on fiscal discipline, community engagement, and long-overdue infrastructure improvements for the rapidly growing city.
Speaking to local business owners, community advocates, and residents, Starchuk—a former Surrey firefighter, city councillor, and provincial MLA—emphasized his deep roots in the municipality and outlined a vision centered on stability and core service delivery.
“The one key thing I want to bring to City Hall is stability,” Starchuk told attendees. “I want to bring confidence to the people who do business within this city, and ensure that those at City Hall are listeners.”
Joining Starchuk at the event were several Imagine Surrey council candidates, including Margaret Mubanda, Narima Dela Cruz, Kevin Wilkie, Yousef Aldabainah, William Li, and Ashiyana Hanif.
Key Takeaways from the Meeting:
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Public Safety & Police Services: Starchuk, pointing to his 32-year career in the fire service, criticized recent budget cuts to law enforcement and promised stronger support for frontline workers. Council candidates highlighted platform commitments to expand dedicated mental health crisis response teams (such as Car 67) to de-escalate non-violent emergency calls and free up police resources.
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Transit & Traffic Congestion: Addressing transit needs in expanding neighborhoods like Cloverdale and Clayton Heights, Starchuk committed to improving local bus routing to seamlessly connect residents to future SkyTrain extensions.
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Responsible Financial Management: Rejecting calls from rival slates for a total tax freeze, Starchuk described zero-percent tax increase promises as “irresponsible” in an inflationary environment, warning that freezes inevitably lead to cuts in essential public services. Instead, Imagine Surrey proposes reducing costs by auditing municipal contracts and bringing select outsourced services back in-house.
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Senior Services: Starchuk announced a plan to eliminate facility fees for “super seniors” (ages 70 and above) at city recreation centers and reduce fees by 50% for seniors aged 60–69, aiming to encourage healthy, active aging.
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Environment & Development: Local environmental advocates in attendance raised pressing concerns regarding urban tree canopy loss, heat pump noise regulations, and protection for salmon-bearing streams. Imagine Surrey candidates pledged to re-evaluate development approval processes to ensure green spaces and infrastructure keep pace with housing density.
Surrey voters will head to the polls to elect a mayor, eight city councillors, and school trustees on Saturday, October 17, 2026.
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