Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum's 16 priorities get City Council approval | Daily Hive

Surrey City Council's public meeting on the evening of Nov. 9, 2026. (City of Surrey)

Surrey City Council has adopted Mayor Doug McCallum’s 16-point priorities agenda, pairing a four-year property tax freeze from 2027 to 2030 with plans for expanded policing and new community and recreational facilities, and working with the provincial government to achieve an additional major hospital in Surrey and an extension of SkyTrain’s Expo Line along King George Boulevard from Surrey City Centre to Newton.

During a public meeting on the evening of Nov. 9, 2026, the Safe Surrey Coalition-led City Council approved every priority and directed City of Surrey staff to begin advancing them immediately, with the first step being to provide detailed costs and implementation plans.

The mayor’s Safe Surrey Coalition supported all priorities, which served to advance the party’s civic election campaign promises, while city councillor Harry Bains — the only Surrey Connect representative and the sole city councillor outside McCallum’s party — requested separate votes on each priority.

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Bains opposed five items: the four-year property tax freeze, the new police helicopter and drone fleet, special character preservation zoning for the Crescent Beach and Ocean Park neighbourhoods, purchasing the Rosemary Heights Retreat Centre lands, and bringing the municipally-owned real estate development company of Surrey City Development Corporation (SCDC) into direct City operations. He also opposed the final overall direction to advance the entire package, explaining that he supported some initiatives, including the Newton SkyTrain extension and the additional hospital, but disagreed with others.

The property tax freeze through 2030 drew questions about how the City would maintain services and keep building infrastructure as its population grows.

Bains said he could support holding property taxes steady if a budget demonstrated that it could be achieved without service cuts, additional borrowing, selling municipal land or assets, cancelling funded projects, or shifting costs onto residents through higher fees, utility charges, or other levies.

“I could support a zero per cent tax increase. I think that’s the goal. I think that’s an amazing thing we can achieve it,” said Bains, before listing his conditions for consideration.

He also argued that City Council should consider the tax increase alongside the full budget, rather than deciding it before reviewing spending needs.

City Council also unanimously backed accelerating the rezoning of the City-owned land at 6965 King George Blvd. (south of the intersection with 70B Avenue) in Newton Town Centre for the provincial government’s construction of a major new hospital.

Bains asked whether the priority was specifically for a general hospital or a children’s and women’s hospital. McCallum said that question would be settled with the provincial government. During last month’s provincial election campaign, Premier-elect Lorne Doerkson and his incoming Conservative provincial administration have already promised to build a children’s and women’s hospital in Surrey.

“That will be determined in discussion with the provincial government,” said McCallum.

Bains also urged City Council to consider a larger site than the roughly 7.5-acre Newton property under discussion, arguing that the space would be insufficient for a major hospital. In contrast, the new Cloverdale hospital currently under construction sits on 25 acres, with the site enabling space for future expansions. If fulfilled, the Newton hospital would be Surrey’s third hospital.

Another unanimous vote supported advancing SkyTrain’s Expo Line extension along King George Boulevard from Surrey City Centre to Newton Town Centre.

Bains supported the Newton SkyTrain extension, but asked that TransLink’s existing plans for the King George Boulevard Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line between Newton and South Surrey remain under consideration. Doerkson’s Conservatives have already strongly endorsed a Newton SkyTrain extension.

New community and recreation facility commitments include advancing new pools in Clayton Heights, City Centre, Newton, and Cloverdale. During that discussion, Bains sought reassurance that the planned $311-million Newton Community Centre project would continue. As currently planned, it will provide an Olympic-sized swimming pool, gymnasiums, fitness facilities, multipurpose rooms, childcare spaces, and a library.

“We will be continuing that project,” said McCallum in his reply.

City Council backed purchasing the Rosemary Heights Retreat Centre lands in South Surrey for permanent parkland protection. Bains opposed the acquisition, arguing that it could cost tens of millions of dollars and that the money could instead help neighbourhoods with fewer parks. He also questioned how the purchase would fit with the property tax freeze.

City Council also approved priorities to waive recreation fees for seniors, offer free swimming lessons to children aged three to 16, and hold recreation fees steady for four years.

Land use and development formed another substantial part of the agenda.

City Council endorsed new zoning rules intended to protect neighbourhood character in Crescent Beach and Ocean Park, covering the area from 140 Street west to the ocean.

Bains questioned how such new rules would affect homeowners’ ability to alter their properties and argued that creating special protections for selected neighbourhoods could prompt similar demands elsewhere in Surrey.

Mayor McCallum’s development pivot also includes a guarantee to issue residential building permits within 60 days.

Bains questioned whether that would improve on the City’s published processing figures, which he said showed roughly four weeks. City staff explained that the published measure covers the period from receiving a complete application to providing a comprehensive review, rather than issuing the permit. Applicants may still need to address problems identified during that review before a permit can be issued. The 60-day priority passed unanimously following that clarification.

City Council also endorsed waiving business licence fees for new businesses during their first two years and pursuing a stronger international profile for Surrey to attract investment, business activity, and visitors.

A separate agricultural priority calls for a local farming plan to safeguard farmland and expand food production.

Another measure approved by City Council is an independent forensic audit of land deals over the past four years by the administration of former Mayor Brenda Locke and Surrey Connect. The review is to include land transactions related to the project to build a mixed-use complex with a 10,000-seat arena in Surrey City Centre, as well as the parkland site near the intersection of 152 Street and 76 Avenue, and the training facility in Tynehead.

The final priority calls for reintegrating SCDC into municipal operations. Bains opposed that change, arguing that the 2007-launched, City-owned, for-profit real estate company already answers to the municipal government and that absorbing it into City Hall could weaken its flexibility and commercial focus. In 2023, Locke’s administration restarted SCDC, which had previously been dissolved in 2020 by McCallum and Safe Surrey Coalition’s previous term in office.

City Council also supported pursuing withdrawing the City of Surrey from Metro Vancouver Regional District, while retaining core regional services such as drinking water supplies, sewage treatment, and solid waste removal. It is unclear how such an arrangement would work. However, last month, Premier-elect Doerkson’s incoming Conservative provincial government vowed to downsize the regional district to focus only on its core regional services.

On public safety, City Council approved a zero-tolerance pledge on crime and extortion, alongside a commitment to put more police officers on the street.

It separately approved a goal of providing the Surrey Police Service with a helicopter and a fleet of drones within 90 days.

Bains opposed the aircraft proposal, saying he had not seen a request from the police board for a helicopter and believed operational equipment decisions should originate with police leadership. He said he would support such equipment if it were requested, and noted that the City had previously funded police drones.

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