The City of Surrey recorded its highest-ever monthly construction value in March, contributing to $2.95 billion in construction activity in the first quarter and supporting nearly 3,000 net new homes.

March’s activity was driven primarily by major capital projects, including approximately $1.7 billion associated with the new hospital and cancer centre in Cloverdale. City staff also worked closely with developers to move permit applications forward before Metro Vancouver’s development cost charge increase took effect.

“We’re not immune to the economic challenges that the entire country is facing, but we remain committed to attracting development to Surrey, providing much needed housing for our growing population,” said Mayor Brenda Locke. “We want to be the easiest city to do business with in the region, and we’re increasingly seeing the benefits of all the work we’ve done to cut red tape.”

To maintain housing supply, the City has taken several steps to reduce costs, remove barriers, and speed up approvals. These include rolling back development cost charges to 2023 levels, working directly with developers on office space requirements, parking standards, and amenity costs, and cutting tens of millions of dollars in municipal costs to help keep projects viable.

The City has also reduced residential permit timelines by 75 percent and introduced an AI‑enabled permit review system that checks building permit drawings for compliance before submission, significantly reducing review times and increasing certainty for applicants.

“Our focus is on ensuring projects can move efficiently through the approval process so housing and infrastructure can be delivered as demand continues to grow in Surrey,” Mayor Locke said.