More Stories
-
Surrey Municipal Election 2026: Honveer Singh Randhawa Promises $600 Tax Cut and Subsidized Pet Care at Cloverdale Town HallSURREY, BC — Conservative Party of Surrey mayoral candidate Honveer Singh Randhawa met with local residents and business owners at a Cloverdale town hall event to pitch a platform focused on fiscal conservatism, municipal efficiency, and community-level accountability. Speaking alongside members of his council slate—including Calvin Vanderploeg, Ricky Bajwa, Donna Wu, and Manu Sharma—Randhawa laid out an ambitious financial plan designed to tackle rising living costs across the city. “Surrey families are being squeezed, and City Hall must tighten its own belt before asking for more,” Randhawa stated, emphasizing that his team intends to run the municipality with strict fiscal discipline. Key Election Platform Pillars:Tax Relief and Commercial Freezes: Randhawa pledged an immediate $600 tax cut for residential homeowners in year one, followed by a four-year residential property tax freeze at 0%. For commercial properties, the slate promises a 4-year tax freeze alongside a 5% tax reduction co-signed by landlords and tenants to guarantee relief reaches small businesses. Subsidized Pet Care for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities: Highlighting the financial strain on low-income pet owners, Randhawa proposed leasing city-owned land to veterinary clinics for 99 years at zero cost to the city, in exchange for guaranteed subsidized veterinary care for seniors and residents with disabilities. Streamlined Permitting in 7 Days: To cut municipal backlog and lower administrative overhead, Randhawa introduced a plan to issue single-family home and renovation building permits within one week by shifting quality control and legal liability onto certified engineers, architects, and design consultants. Reforming City Contracts: Pointing to $131 million spent annually on general city contracts, the Conservatives pledged to break massive multi-million dollar maintenance contracts into smaller lots, allowing local Surrey businesses and tradespeople to bid competitively. District-Based Governance & Public Safety: Council candidate Calvin Vanderploeg highlighted a plan to divide Surrey into eight distinct districts, requiring a city councillor and staff members to hold monthly town halls at local recreation centers. Meanwhile, candidate Ricky Bajwa championed youth sports scholarships and subsidized coaching to keep youth engaged and away from gangs. Free Water Meter Installation Program: The slate promised to offer free water meter installations to the 38% of Surrey households currently paying flat-rate utility bills by bulk-contracting installations, cutting costs down to $1,200 per unit. Surrey voters will decide the city’s next mayor, eight councillors, and six school trustees on Saturday, October 17, 2026.
-
Australia Make Changes to Immigration Policies
-
Surrey Civic Election 2026: Mayoral Candidate Mike Starchuk and ‘Imagine Surrey’ Slate Host Town Hall with Business Leaders