Just like Vancouver Charter? Surrey mayor calls for Surrey Charter

Just like the Vancouver Charter? Surrey mayor calls for new Surrey Charter under provincial legislation

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke. (City of Surrey)

Could the City of Surrey’s powers and governance authority be outlined in a separate piece of provincial legislation?

According to Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke, the City of Surrey is in need of its own unique standalone provincial legislation similar to the Vancouver Charter, which governs how the City of Vancouver operates.

The City of Surrey and all other municipal governments in British Columbia operate under the BC Local Government Act, which does not apply to the City of Vancouver as it has its own Vancouver Charter.

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During a public meeting today, Surrey City Council approved Locke’s member motion directing City of Surrey staff to prepare a report outlining the steps the municipal government would need to achieve to create a new Surrey Charter. The report would also compare the benefits, challenges, and “potential models for implementation.”

Locke states that the City of Surrey would benefit from the Surrey Charter, as opposed to being under the BC Local Government Act, as such a move would recognize the jurisdiction’s rapid growth and unique needs and provide greater autonomy for the municipal government to self-govern.

The municipal government specifically noted its population growth as part of the rationale, with Surrey forecast to exceed Vancouver’s population by 2029.

By 2029, the City of Surrey will become BC’s most populated city when it reaches 785,619 residents — squeaking past Vancouver’s 780,075 residents. The gap led by Surrey will grow with each passing year afterward.

“Surrey is a vibrant and dynamic city, and it’s time we have the legislative powers to match,” said Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke in a statement.

“A Surrey Charter would give us the freedom to innovate and make decisions that are in the best interest of our residents and businesses. We are excited about the possibilities this could bring, from affordable housing options to new economic development opportunities. Our goal is to position Surrey as a leader in the province’s future, and this charter would be a significant step towards achieving that.”

This request from Locke also comes after an unsuccessful and prolonged battle with the provincial government over the policing matter of the transition from the Surrey RCMP to the municipal Surrey Police Service, with a court decision this past spring dismissing the mayor’s petition and siding with the provincial government’s final authority over such matters.

Ultimately, severing the City of Surrey from the BC Local Government Act and creating the new Surrey Charter would entirely depend on the provincial government’s support and approval.

Daily Hive Urbanized has reached out to the BC Ministry of Municipal Affairs for comment.

Recent major housing policies enacted by the BC NDP provincial government — such as transit-oriented development and small-scale, multi-family housing requirements for municipal governments — over the past year have necessitated various separate changes to the BC Local Government Act and the Vancouver Charter at different occasions.

This past spring, through legislated changes to the Vancouver Charter, the provincial government directed the City of Vancouver to create its first-ever citywide Official Development Plan (ODP), which is similar to an Official Community Plan (OCP).

Both ODPs and OCPs provide a long-term vision and guide for urban and transportation planning, land use, growth, rezoning, development, bylaws, and other regulations and policies. However, City of Vancouver staff is calling its legal citywide plan an ODP as it has more powers and authority than jurisdictions under the BC Local Government Act, which is what the City of Surrey falls under.

Another major change to the Vancouver Charter that could potentially come in 2025 is the removal of the requirement that the City of Vancouver have a separately elected body of Vancouver Park Board commissioners to oversee Vancouver’s parks and recreation governance. Instead, the governance responsibilities would be transferred to the mayor and City Council. BC NDP Premier David Eby has confirmed the requested legislation changes relating to the Park Board will be made, but only after the October 2024 provincial election.

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