B.C. civic election profile: City of Surrey

Campaigning to be the next mayor in the City of Surrey is officially underway, with a whopping eight candidates fighting it out for the city’s top job.

Many of the candidates for the province’s second-largest city are high-profile and political veterans.

Let’s take a look at all of them:

Amrit Singh Birring (People’s Council Surrey)

Birring is a software developer who vows to bring straightforwardness and honesty to city hall.

He says he will provide a clean city hall, that works only for the people of Surrey.

He says his approach will be to find the root causes of issues and then provide sustainable solutions.

His platform is on defending the freedom of people, the right to affordable housing, and defending children’s right to robust education.

Birring is a runner, backcountry camper, hunter, archer, horse rider, and practices taekwondo and yoga.

Sukh Dhaliwal (United Surrey)

Dhaliwal is a professional engineer, land surveyor, and small business owner.

He currently serves as MP for Surrey-Newton with the Federal Liberal Party, he was previously the MP for Newton North Delta from 2006-2011.

His United Surrey party is running on freezing city taxes for a year, rolling back the parcel tax from $300 to $100, getting more rental units on the market, and investing in parks and recreation.

Dhaliwal has made it clear he will not oppose the city’s transition from the RCMP to the Surrey Police Service.

He lives in Surrey with his wife Roni and their son Arjan, who is a university student, and their two daughters Keerat and Joat, who are both practicing physicians in Metro Vancouver.

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Gordie Hogg (Surrey First)

Hogg is another political veteran running from the Mayoral seat, serving as MLA and MP in Surrey for more than 22 years.

He also spent 20 years on the City of White Rock’s council, including 10 as Mayor.

His slate calls for a referendum on policing in Surrey and promises transparency at city hall.

The party is also advocating for the creation of an independent city auditor general and better transit.

Hodd began his career as a youth probation officer in Whalley.

He and his wife, LaVerne have a son Blair and were local foster parents and billet parents with the Surrey Eagles for 12 years.

Brenda Locke (Surrey Connect)

Locke is a current member of Surrey city council and previously served as MLA in Surrey-Green Timbers with the BC Liberal Party.

Her platform includes bringing ethics and integrity back to Surrey, reducing wait times for building permits, and putting public safety first by increasing the fire service and retaining the RCMP.

While MLA, Locke served as minister of state for mental health and addictions.

She has also been executive director of the RMT Association and the BC Liquor Retailers Association.

As a councillor for the last 4 years, she supported the Harmony Apartments, the Cloverdale Arena, and other community sport and leisure infrastructure projects.

Doug McCallum – Incumbent Mayor (Safe Surrey Coalition)

McCallum has been Mayor of Surrey since 2018. He previously served as Mayor of Surrey from 1996 to 2005.

If re-elected, he says he will extend the SkyTrain to Newton, approve smart development that will create attainable housing for the middle class, and build a new 60,000-seat stadium.

McCallum has been vocal about transitioning the Surrey RCMP to a municipal police force, something that is already underway in the city.

He claims he has delivered record investments in 26 capital projects while keeping property taxes low and maintaining a balanced budget.

McCallum has been charged with public mischief over an incident that happened in a Surrey parking lot back in September 2021. His legal bills are being paid for by Surrey taxpayers.

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Kuldip Pelia (Independent)

Pelia has 7 years of experience teaching accounting, finance, and computer software to university/college students and adults.

He has an engineering degree, a computer diploma, and four years of accounting and finance studies.

Pelia’s platform includes a speedy completion of the police transition, hospital, and Surrey-Langley SkyTrain line.

He claims he is a social activist, proactive, and believes in working with others to achieve goals.

Jinny Sims (Surrey Forward)

Sims is another political veteran vying for your vote.

She serves as MP for Newton-North Delta in 2011, and as the MLA representing Surrey-Panorama in 2017 and 2020.

Sims was elected as the President of the BC Teacher’s Federation in 2004.

Her party vows to address the cost of living in the city and hold the line on city taxes.

She says she has the proven experienced leadership needed to move Surrey forward and is excited to make the city the best it can be for every resident.

John Milton Wolanski (Independent)

Wolanski believes there is no need for party politics at the municipal level.

If elected, he says he will bring in the ward system, transit improvements, and public safety.

He also believes in electing a council that leaves egos at the door and will have the people’s best interests at heart.