Unveils Full Slate and Five Promises to Surrey.
Mike Starchuk’s new team is taking on McCallum, Locke, and ‘Light-Rail Linda’ Annis by pledging to crush extortion, invest in the best transit, and cut costs for families
SURREY BC — Imagine Surrey officially launched its 2026 municipal election campaign last night to a packed house of nearly 1000 supporters at the Royal King Palace and Convention Centre in Newton, unveiling its full slate of candidates to challenge the status quo under the same old players and parties at Surrey City Hall.
Mayoral candidate Mike Starchuk Surrey’s retired Chief Fire Prevention Officer, former City Councillor, and former MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale — introduced the party’s eight council candidates alongside a team of brave Surrey firefighters and delivered a keynote address that laid out Imagine Surrey’s five core commitments:
Safe Streets. Fast Commutes. Smart Investments. Lower Costs.
Strong Services.
FULL SLATE CONFIRMED
The event confirmed the full Imagine Surrey slate, including two final city council candidates announced for the first time: Perminder Chohan and Chandan Chahal. They join a team of proven community leaders in William Li, Kevin Wilkie, Narima Dela Cruz, Yousef Aldabainah, Ashiyana Hanif, and Dr. Margaret Mubanda. The slate spans each of Surrey’s official communities with diverse backgrounds (SEE BKGRDR for biographies).
“Our slate looks like Surrey,” said Starchuk. “We are not career politicians. We are frontline workers, professionals, and public servants who quietly fight for this city every single day — and we are no longer going to be quiet.”
TAKING THE FIGHT TO THE STATUS QUO
Starchuk drew sharp contrasts with his three major opponents, arguing that Surrey cannot afford to recycle the same leaders who created its current problems.
On Councillor Linda Annis: Starchuk criticized her support for costly light-rail transit she previously voted against, labeling her ‘Light Rail Linda’. He also took aim at her pressure on the police chief over DUI road-checks and her proposed “core review” — which he characterized as cuts to services, firing of frontline workers including firefighters, and bringing in
higher user fees. “In Linda’s Surrey, if you’re rich, you can take care of yourself,” Starchuk said. “And the rest of us are on our own.”
On former Mayor Doug McCallum: Starchuk pointed to a record of frozen hiring, service cuts, and selling city lands to developers at reduced rates during a period when Surrey’s population grew by more than 50,000 residents. “He did it before, and he’ll do it again,” Starchuk warned.
On Mayor Brenda Locke: Starchuk highlighted millions spent fighting the police transition she originally voted to launch, property tax increases to fund political vendettas, and a February budget cut to the Surrey Police Service at the height of the extortion crisis. “As the extortion crisis was exploding under her watch, Brenda cut the police budget,” Starchuk said. “Her vendettas are putting your families at risk.”
FIVE PROMISES TO SURREY
1. Safe Streets
Starchuk pledged regular public briefings modelled on the COVID-era updates led by Dr. Bonnie Henry, full resourcing of the Surrey Police Service including crime cameras, helicopters, and specialized officers, and immediate collaboration with Victoria and Ottawa. “Under my leadership, it is the extortionists who will live in fear — not you,” Starchuk declared. He also committed to completing the police transition and addressing a critical firefighter staffing gap: Surrey has 45% fewer firefighters than Vancouver despite a comparable population spread across three times the land mass.
2. Fast Commutes
Starchuk announced plans to convert the R6 RapidBus into a full Bus Rapid Transit route from Newton to Scott Road Station, and to create a new BRT route from Surrey Central to Semiahmoo via Guildford and 152nd Street. By the end of Imagine Surrey’s first term, the city would have three functioning BRT routes as the foundation for future SkyTrain expansion.
3. Smart Investments
Imagine Surrey will work with user groups to build an international cricket and rugby stadium to bring world-class events to the city. Starchuk also announced that Surrey will bid to host the 2032 International Firefighter Games and form a bid committee for the 2036 Commonwealth Games. “Branding Surrey as a City of Champions will attract major organizations who view our city as a place to invest in, rather than avoid,” Starchuk said.
4. Lower Costs
Starchuk pledged to reduce recreational fees for seniors by 50% and eliminate “Super Senior” surcharges entirely. He announced a free swim lesson for every child aged 5 and under and committed to bringing Surrey’s recreation fees, infrastructure, and program capacity in line with comparable cities. A new building-permit concierge system will impose published timelines on permit approvals, with fee reductions for builders when the city misses its own deadlines.
5. Strong Services
Imagine Surrey will hire frontline workers and open three new community centres to address capacity shortfalls. The party committed to examining outsourced work that could be brought in-house at lower cost, and to a fiscally responsible approach that “respects workers and taxpayers alike.”
A TEAM READY TO LEAD
“There are only two futures for this city,” Starchuk told the crowd. “One where the same old players keep fighting the same old fights and nothing changes — or one with a bright future where a team of frontline workers gets us unstuck so we can build the city we all deserve.”
Starchuk closed by pointing to his unique combination of experience as a firefighter, city councillor, and MLA: “I know that my experience makes me the most qualified to lead and manage this city. And most importantly, I know the job is all about responding to residents and getting things done.”
Surrey, it’s time for the change that will work for you. It’s time for Imagine Surrey.
Media Contact Scott Williams,
Imagine Surrey &
Mike for Mayor Campaign
