Surrey voters choose mayor and council on October 17 in tight race
Four mayoral candidates are pitching competing visions for rapid transit, particularly on King George Boulevard. Voting is Saturday.
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Surrey voters will choose a new mayor on Saturday, October 17, with candidates offering competing visions for rapid transit to connect the city centre, Newton and South Surrey.
Linda Annis, Surrey First mayoral candidate and sitting city councillor, favours light rail transit (LRT). Doug McCallum, Safe Surrey Coalition candidate and former longtime mayor, proposes SkyTrain extensions. Honveer Singh Randhawa, running for the Conservative Party of Canada, also backs SkyTrain expansion. Mike Starchuk, Imagine Surrey candidate and former city councillor and BC NDP MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale, supports expanding bus rapid transit (BRT) while preparing for future SkyTrain.
The focal point of disagreement is rapid transit on King George Boulevard, which would connect Surrey Central Station to Semiahmoo Town Centre in South Surrey and serve White Rock. TransLink has proposed a BRT line: 19 kilometres with 12 stations, dedicated bus-only lanes for significant stretches, traffic signal priority for buses, and an expected end-to-end travel time of about 40 minutes during peak hours. The project would cost approximately $700 million and replace the existing R1 King George Boulevard RapidBus. BC NDP leader David Eby announced a $250 million commitment toward the BRT cost on October 15, though the pledge assumes additional federal government funding. TransLink has noted construction and implementation would take three to five years after funding is fully secured.
The competing transit options sit against a broader backdrop: a 16-kilometre Expo Line extension to Langley Centre, with 8 stations and a $6 billion cost, is slated for completion in late 2029. It will travel along Fraser Highway from King George SkyTrain Station through City Centre, Fleetwood and Cloverdale/Clayton.
No funding has been committed to two other proposed transit corridors: the Metrotown-North Shore BRT line or the Langley-Haney Place BRT line. Incumbent Mayor Brenda Locke's position on the rapid transit options has not been provided in the available material.
Does Brenda Locke intend to run for re-election, and what is her stance on rapid transit?
What timeline does each candidate propose for construction if elected?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
When is the Surrey mayoral election?
Saturday, October 17, 2026.
How many candidates are running for Surrey mayor?
Four candidates are running: Linda Annis (Surrey First), Doug McCallum (Safe Surrey Coalition), Honveer Singh Randhawa (Conservative Party of Canada), and Mike Starchuk (Imagine Surrey).
What is TransLink's proposed King George Boulevard rapid transit plan?
A bus rapid transit line spanning 19 kilometres with 12 stations, dedicated bus-only lanes, and traffic signal priority for buses. The project would cost approximately $700 million and take three to five years to implement after funding is fully secured.
How much has the BC NDP committed toward the King George Boulevard BRT project?
On October 15, 2026, BC NDP leader David Eby announced a $250 million commitment, though the pledge assumes additional federal government funding.
