Surrey Election: 6 hot topics and where each mayoral candidate stands

Trying to decide who to vote for in Surrey? Here is a summary of where the six parties fielding a mayoral candidate stand on six key issues.

Surrey City Hall: There are eight candidates — six of whom represent political parties — running for mayor of Surrey in the Oct. 15 election. jpg

Surrey, B.C.’s second-largest city, will elect its next mayor and council on Oct. 15. Glenda Luymes offers a summary of where the six parties fielding a mayoral candidate stand on six key issues. Candidates’ responses have been edited for clarity and length.

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1. Housing

While Surrey provides more of the region’s family housing than some of its neighbouring municipalities, housing remains out of reach for many. How do you plan to address the housing crisis?

Amrit Birring (People’s Council Surrey): Reverse the four factors responsible for the housing crisis to help solve the problem: Foreign buyers, speculation, unprecedented immigration numbers and low interest rates. In addition, release more land for housing.

Sukh Dhaliwal (United Surrey): The 333 plan: Approvals on renovations in three days, single-family homes in three weeks and multi-unit buildings in three months. We believe the city has a role to play on the supply side, ensuring housing of all types gets to market.

Gordie Hogg (Surrey First): Surrey does pretty well at producing market housing, but it’s behind the national average for building rental, accessible, affordable and seniors’ housing. Work with developers to find creative solutions to the housing crisis, including incentives. City-owned lands should not be sold, but rather leveraged and leased to contribute more housing, much like the UBC lands.

Brenda Locke (Surrey Connect): Red-tape reduction program to get building permits approved. Foster a better relationship with the provincial and federal governments to access funding. We need to get our fair share.

Doug McCallum (Safe Surrey Coalition): Partner with the provincial government to build affordable and attainable missing middle housing on publicly owned land, with a focus on increasing the supply of rent-to-own housing, long-term leases, duplexes, triplexes and purpose-built rentals.

Jinny Sims (Surrey Forward): In first two years in office, double the number of housing permits approved. Increase the supply of below-market rental housing to 25 per cent. Find creative ways to speed up the permit process. Work with B.C. Housing.’

Kuldip Pelia (Independent): More city housing should be built. Developers should be asked to build rental buildings, along with condominiums. More co-op housing projects should be created.

John Wolanski (Independent): Senior levels of government should be funding affordable housing. Local governments should only contribute city-owned lands and zoning amendments to these initiatives. The private sector will provide the market-value housing at a price point to make it profitable.

2. Development

The Surrey Langley SkyTrain project provides an opportunity for more development and densification along key transportation corridors. What kind of development do you support?

Amrit Birring (People’s Council Surrey): As Surrey adds up to 1,200 new residents each month, the only option is to build townhomes and condos as fast as we can at the expense of single-family homes. Do we like it? No! Do we have a choice? No! If Surrey’s population was stable, we would have a different approach.

Sukh Dhaliwal (United Surrey): Create a comprehensive ethics and accountability plan to ensure the city is fully transparent when it comes to development. Restore confidence to eliminate the current friends and insiders culture.

Gordie Hogg (Surrey First): Build on the vision of past Surrey First mayors Dianne Watts and Linda Hepner to create a vibrant city centre, while adding density along rapid transit. But development must be more than additional condos and include a mix of market, rental, accessible and seniors’ housing, as well below-market and affordable housing.

Brenda Locke (Surrey Connect): High density near SkyTrain stations with lower density moving away from transit hubs. Keep the dialogue going to determine what communities need and how to address concerns over the development SkyTrain will bring.

Doug McCallum (Safe Surrey Coalition): Density around transit hubs that will allow for 15-minute walkable communities where residents can get all their basic essentials within walking distance of their homes. We will encourage development that achieves net-zero communities.

Jinny Sims (Surrey Forward): Build density along the SkyTrain routes, but not just housing. Create walkable communities with shops, restaurants, recreation and child care, not a dormitory block. Also create destination tourist hubs with arts and sport facilities linked by transit. The six city centres are like the six spokes on a wheel.

Kuldip Pelia (Independent): Developments of high-rises, low-rises and office towers will continue. But the city should make sure that roads are widened to accommodate increased traffic. The city should also make sure that schools have sufficient capacity to absorb new students. Parks near new developments so kids can play.

3. Public Safety

What is your position on the transition from RCMP to a municipal police force? How would you address street-level crime?

Amrit Birring (People’s Council Surrey): Lower the cost of living and increase employment to combat crime. Motivate youth to pursue post-secondary education to get better paying jobs. Engage youth in professional careers, sports and cultural activities. Also, deploy some additional police officers and study the impact.

Sukh Dhaliwal (United Surrey): Expand police officer training capacity by providing the land for a police training campus in Surrey. Ensure every youth-focused program funded by the city contains a significant gang awareness component. A five-year commitment to hire new firefighters and build a long overdue fire hall in the City Centre neighbourhood.

Gordie Hogg (Surrey First): Hold a referendum on the police transition after making the facts public, including budgets and timelines. Hire 75 new police officers every year for the next four years to play catch up. More support for mental health. Foot patrols to give people a real sense of security and to build relationships.

Brenda Locke (Surrey Connect): Stop the police transition. Return to the RCMP, but provide a bridging program for Surrey Police Service officers who have already been hired. Provide more resources to police and fire. Enhance crime prevention programs, including better facilities for youth.

Doug McCallum (Safe Surrey Coalition): Safe Surrey Coalition led the creation of Surrey Police Service.

Jinny Sims (Surrey Forward): Turn down the temperature on the policing transition. Freeze the process for 90 days to collect all the data and evidence and make it public. Hold a forensic audit and get community input before making a decision. Seven-pronged approach to tackling gangs. Create a safety charter. Look at the needs of various communities.

Kuldip Pelia (Independent): Police patrols in sensitive areas. Faster response time to calls. Monthly police statistics to be made public.

4. Community Facilities

How will you ensure community facilities, including sports, recreation and arts centres, keep up with Surrey’s rapid growth?

Amrit Birring (People’s Council Surrey): Any new developments should include sports and recreation centres. Too many hospitalizations occur because of poor choices, including diet and lack of exercise. We will incentivize people to start local sports groups.

Sukh Dhaliwal (United Surrey): A historic investment in parks, fields and recreation centres is planned. It is critical that recreational infrastructure keeps pace with growth so young people can make positive choices.

Gordie Hogg (Surrey First): A 10-year building plan to catch up with growth. Make pools, rinks and community centres free to kids and seniors. A performing arts centre is needed to draw people to Surrey’s downtown area. We don’t need a white elephant, 60,000-seat stadium, we need neighbourhood amenities.

Brenda Locke (Surrey Connect): If RCMP remains, there will be more funds to provide community facilities. Surrey is far behind on everything and underserved for the growth of its population.

Doug McCallum (Safe Surrey Coalition): Build new community centres with pools, such as the new Newton Community Centre, and build a new pool in North Surrey at the Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre. Build a 60,000-seat stadium.

Jinny Sims (Surrey Forward): Build the community facilities needed in each of the six city centres, including arts and sports facilities, child-care and stand-alone seniors centres. We can’t be going to Vancouver for nightlife and Abbotsford for a show. Get provincial and federal funding. The resource are there, but we’re not accessing them.

Kuldip Pelia (Independent): Recreation facilities would be subsidized for all citizens depending on their income. All 60-plus seniors would get a free pass to all community centres. New community centres, arenas, pools, basketball courts, soccer fields would be created wherever needed. All downtown city areas cleaned regularly. More libraries.

5. Transportation

What are your priorities for new road and transit infrastructure? How will you link city centres?

Amrit Birring (People’s Council Surrey): A system of trains is needed to make a ring around Surrey. We plan to connect the Scott Road SkyTrain station with Scottsdale Centre, Newton Centre, the 152nd/72nd area and Guildford Mall via an efficient train system. Rapid buses will also be introduced, including from Surrey to UBC.

Sukh Dhaliwal (United Surrey): While in favour of expanded SkyTrain, we need to focus on immediate needs as well, including improved bus capacity. We’ll release our transit plan before the end of the campaign.

Gordie Hogg (Surrey First): It’s time for transit parity with Vancouver: Surrey should get the same amount of money as Vancouver for transit. Work with provincial and federal governments to get funding, with an emphasis on transit to Newton and north-south transit down King George Boulevard from City Centre. If we want our citizens to use transit, we have to make it accessible.

Brenda Locke (Surrey Connect): More transit options to meet demand. Big projects are slow to come. We need transit tomorrow. Increase buses, including rapid bus in north and south Surrey. Work with transportation experts.

Doug McCallum (Safe Surrey Coalition): The new SkyTrain project will connect Surrey’s city centres: Fleetwood, Clayton and Cloverdale. Build a SkyTrain extension down King George Boulevard to Newton. A new 84th road connector will allow residents to go from King George Boulevard to 140th Street, while another new road connector through 72nd Avenue to 176th Street will improve traffic. Bike lanes.

Jinny Sims (Surrey Forward): Fight for funding for SkyTrain to Newton. More immediately, increase bus routes and add rapid buses. Get TransLink to increase bus hours. Work with mobility experts to link Surrey’s six centres. Add separate bike routes.

Kuldip Pelia (Independent): Would ask TransLink to complete Surrey Langley SkyTrain line in four years. Ask provincial government to build SkyTrain extensions from King George Station to White Rock, and Scott Road Station to Newton Exchange. Bus service from City Centre to UBC, airport, Abbotsford, Maple Ridge and White Rock. Increased bus service and night bus service.

John Wolanski (Independent): More buses, more frequency of service and more hours of service in the Campbell Heights business catchment.

6. Taxes

What is your commitment on property tax increases and other taxes set by the city?

Amrit Birring (People’s Council Surrey): We support lower property taxes and business taxes to stimulate growth. We will cut wasteful spending and make city hall more efficient so we don’t put the burden of additional taxes on Surrey residents.

Sukh Dhaliwal (United Surrey): A one-year property tax freeze will help put more money in people’s pockets, with savings to be passed along to renters. Also, an incremental rollback of the land parcel tax to pre-2018 levels.

Gordie Hogg (Surrey First): Budgets will be clear and transparent with opportunity for public comment. All commitments will be fully costed and made public. Install an independent auditor general like other major cities to make sure things are above board, but also giving taxpayers value for money.

Brenda Locke (Surrey Connect): Keep taxes as close to the line as we can. Take stock of city finances and debt as Canada possibly heads into a recession. The last thing we want to see is more burden on taxpayers. Every plan will be fully costed and made public.

Doug McCallum (Safe Surrey Coalition): Maintain property taxes at 2.9 per cent over the next four years.

Jinny Sims (Surrey Forward): Hold the line on residential and business taxes, understanding that citizens are facing a tough time due to inflation. Increase transparency.

gluymes@postmedia.com

twitter.com/glendaluymes

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