New Surrey City Council takes office
Mayor Doug McCallum and the members of Surrey City Council officially took the Oath of Office at an inauguration ceremony held Monday evening at City Hall, beginning the 2026 to 2030 term.
In his inaugural address, Mayor McCallum announced that at its first regular meeting, Council will bring forward motions to proceed on each of the 15 commitments the Mayor and Council were elected on, including the new women and children's hospital in Newton. The first motions include freezing property taxes at zero per cent for the four-year term, moving forward with the hospital on City-owned land in Newton, and moving forward with the extension of SkyTrain down King George Boulevard to Newton. Council will also move at that meeting to establish a Commission on Government Efficiency, reporting within 100 days, and to introduce zero tolerance for illegal dumping with stronger penalties.
“The people of Surrey did not elect this Council to study things. They elected us to get things done, and that work starts at our first meeting,” said Mayor McCallum. “Surrey is about to become the largest city in British Columbia. A city of that size needs a new women and children's hospital, it needs SkyTrain to Newton, it needs safe neighbourhoods and recreation facilities in every community, and it needs City Hall to keep life affordable for families while we build them. That is what this Council is going to deliver.”
Mayor McCallum said the City will work with the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada to advance the hospital and the SkyTrain extension, and congratulated Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson and the incoming provincial government on their election.
“When the largest city in the province, the government of the province and the government of Canada all want the same things, those things get built,” said Mayor McCallum. “Surrey is ready, and we have partners in Victoria and in Ottawa who are ready too.”
The commitments Council will move on at its first regular meeting are:
- A new women and children's hospital in Newton on City-owned land, with City approvals fast-tracked
- Freeze property taxes for four years
- Zero tolerance on crime and extortion, with more officers on the street
- SkyTrain down King George Boulevard to Newton
- Surrey: A Global City, attracting world-class investment, business and tourism
- Surrey Police Service helicopter and drone fleet within 90 days
- New pools for Clayton Heights, City Centre, Newton and Cloverdale
- Heritage designation for Crescent Beach and Ocean Park, from 140 Street west to the ocean, with zoning frozen as single-family and a no-tree-cut bylaw, protecting these neighbourhoods from Bill 44
- Surrey Recreation for All: free recreation fees for seniors, free swim lessons for ages 3 to 16, a four-year freeze on recreation fees, and public pools returned to the public
- Farm Local Plan: protect farmland and increase local food production
- Independent forensic audit of land dealings at City Hall
- Withdraw from the Metro Vancouver Regional Board, maintaining core services only
- 60-day residential building permit guarantee
- Free business licences for the first two years for every new business
- Purchase the Rosemary Heights Retreat Centre Lands, stop the proposed residential development, and protect the lands permanently as a park
“Surrey's best days are still ahead of us, and we will get there together,” said Mayor McCallum.
Mayor McCallum, who previously served as Mayor of Surrey for 13 years, was sworn in alongside the following members of Council:
- Deputy Mayor and Councillor Mandeep Nagra
- Councillor Doug Elford
- Councillor Laurie Guerra
- Councillor Allison Patton
- Councillor Meera Gill
- Councillor Suhana Gill
- Councillor Cheney Cloke
- Councillor Harry Bains
The first regular meeting of the new Council will take place on Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers at Surrey City Hall. Council meetings are open to the public and livestreamed at surrey.ca.
