Surrey Mayoral Candidates Square Off in High-Stakes Forum Ahead of October 2026 Municipal Election

SURREY, B.C. — With voters set to head to the polls on Saturday, October 17, 2026, candidates vying to lead British Columbia’s fastest-growing city took the stage at a mayoral forum hosted by the local Chamber of Commerce. Moderated by Walter van Halst, the event brought together six mayoral contenders to detail their visions for Surrey’s rapid growth, public safety, infrastructure, and fiscal management.

Key Takeaways from the Candidates

• Mike Starchuk (Imagine Surrey): Framing his vision around his history as a firefighter, Starchuk declared that “what I see at City Hall is a fire.” He pledged that his team’s first 100 days would focus on putting out that fire by tackling crime, extortion, housing affordability, traffic congestion, and stabilizing municipal taxation with a diverse slate.
• Doug McCallum (Safe Surrey Coalition): The former mayor emphasized his deep family roots in Surrey and identified affordability, public safety, and infrastructure expansion as the city’s top priorities. McCallum touted his team as the strongest slate he has fielded across his six mayoral campaigns.
• Troy Van Vliet (SurreyNow): Positioned as a private-sector outsider and second-generation builder, Van Vliet highlighted his work delivering major projects like South Surrey’s St. John Paul II Academy. He called for city hall reform, focusing on cutting permitting delays and streamlining rezoning processes.
• Brenda Locke (Surrey Connect – Incumbent Mayor): Highlighting Surrey’s growth from 140,000 residents in 1980 to over 734,000 today, Locke pointed to her administration’s track record. She emphasized $700 million invested in road infrastructure and major capital projects, including community center expansions and new ice arenas in Cloverdale.
• Linda Annis (Surrey First): Leveraging her 15 years as Executive Director for Crime Stoppers, Annis emphasized public safety, tax dollar accountability, and economic growth. She noted that her team had already knocked on 50,000 doors to build a platform directly addressing resident concerns.
• Igal Ammons II (New Surrey+): Describing himself as an innovator, author, and family counselor, Ammons promised “outside the box” solutions to financial and social issues. He pledged to resolve City Hall’s core issues in a single term before passing leadership to the next generation.

Debates Focus on Rapid Growth and Governance

Throughout the evening, candidates tackled critical municipal issues, including:

1. Permitting & Business Approvals: Strategies ranged from adopting AI-driven plan reviews and concierge queues to implementing time guarantees and penalties for municipal delays.
2. Taxation Strategy: Debate centered on whether to institute multi-year tax freezes or cap increases to the rate of inflation to protect core municipal services.
3. Transportation & Infrastructure: Discussions addressed key road corridors (such as 16th Avenue upgrades), trucking infrastructure, and adjusting transit connections around the ongoing SkyTrain extension.
4. Public Safety & Community Services: Proposals spanned from expanding municipal police, fire, and bylaw officers to introducing drone/helicopter surveillance technology and increasing support services for mental health and addiction.

General voting day for the Surrey Municipal Election takes place on Saturday, October 17, 2026, with advance voting opportunities scheduled earlier in the month.

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