Tourism supports jobs, small businesses, and community amenities across Surrey, and many of the decisions that shape it are made at the municipal level. Ahead of the October 17 election, Discover Surrey invited all candidates for Mayor and Council to respond to a short set of questions on housing, infrastructure, community planning, Indigenous partnerships, emergency planning, and tourism funding.
We received responses from three mayoral slates and three council candidates. They are published below exactly as submitted, with mayoral candidates first, then council candidates, each in alphabetical order. Mayoral responses were submitted on behalf of their slates, and council responses were submitted by the individual candidates. Responses vary in format, depending on how each candidate or slate chose to answer.
We hope this helps our members, partners, and community make informed decisions when voting.
Discover Surrey is a non-partisan organization and does not endorse any candidate or slate. Candidates who did not respond are listed at the end of the page.
Background: The questions were drawn from the Tourism Industry Association of BC’s 2026 All Candidates Tourism Information Package.
Responses were received from three mayoral slates and three council candidates.
Slate responses
Council candidates (individual responses)
IMAGINE SURREY.
Response submitted on behalf of the slate.
Mayoral Candidate: Mike Starchuck.
Council Candidates: Yousef Aldabainah-Barakat, Chandan Chahal, Perminder Chohan, Narima Dela Cruz, Ashiyana Hanif, William Li, Margaret Mubanda, Kevin Wilkie
BUILD SAFE, ACCESSIBLE & WELCOMING COMMUNITIES
How will you improve the safety, cleanliness and accessibility of public spaces used by
residents and visitors?
Visitors notice what residents notice: mattresses dumped on boulevards, tagged bus shelters, bus loops
with no washroom. In 32 years in the Surrey Fire Service, I learned you don't leave a mess for the next
shift.
We'll make free waste drop-off available year-round for every Surrey household, so nobody has to
choose between a tipping fee and the ditch at the end of the road. A new Clean Streets Rapid Response
Force, with City-owned sweepers, will meet a 48-hour standard for graffiti, illegal dumping, debris, and
abandoned vehicles, with transit hubs, schools, parks, and business districts first. Dumpers will pay the
full cost of the cleanup.
We'll build public washrooms in our town centres and, with TransLink, at our transit hubs. And we'll add
50 km of sidewalk in four years on roads that have none today, so a wheelchair or a stroller isn't pushed
onto the shoulder.
How will you address public safety concerns while ensuring vulnerable residents receive
appropriate housing, health and social supports?
Moving people from one block to the next isn't a safety plan. Surrey needs police people can see, and
housing with care attached for the people living on our streets.
The police transition has been decided. We'll finish it and publish the date it will be done. We'll hire
more officers and put them where people can see them, in our town centres and at our transit hubs.
We'll restore funding to the Surrey Crime Prevention Society, whose volunteers put extra eyes on the
street, and stand up a joint command to go after the extortion networks targeting local businesses.
For people living outside, we'll approve supportive and complex-care housing on transit routes, with
health services on site, built with BC Housing and Fraser Health. When City staff recommend a project,
we'll say yes. Council's vote on the Semiahmoo Town Centre homes cost Surrey $421 million in lost
investment for housing.
CREATE THE CONDITIONS FOR TOURISM INVESTMENT
What will you do to support a tourism investment-readiness plan that identifies suitable
land, infrastructure capacity and development opportunities?
An investor deciding where to build a hotel asks two questions: is the land ready, and will City Hall say
yes before the money goes somewhere else?
We'll build that plan with Discover Surrey, the Surrey Hotel and Motel Association, and operators. We
will publish an inventory of sites for hotels, attractions, and venues, with the zoning, servicing, and
transit access of each one mapped. Projects we are working on, include: the Waterfront District on the
Fraser, which we've committed to developing with First Nations; a cricket and rugby stadium on City land
in Fleetwood near the new SkyTrain line; the Cloverdale Fairgrounds as a year-round home for
agriculture, the rodeo, and events; and an arena on land that costs less and works better.
Our bid for the World Police and Fire Games, and then the Commonwealth Games, gives investors a date
to build toward. Hotel and attraction projects will get the same 180-day clock on rezonings and
development permits as housing. And a one-window Film and Event Desk means an organizer calls one
number at City Hall.
ENSURE TOURISM WORKERS CAN LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY
How will you increase attainable rental and workforce housing in the community?
The cook who closes the kitchen at midnight and the housekeeper on the early shift need a home they
can afford near a bus or SkyTrain line. Every month an application sits at City Hall, the rent goes up for
the family that was going to live there.
So we'll put approvals on a clock. The City will decide within 180 days on big projects and 60 days on
small ones, like secondary suites, or the fee comes back. We'll publish an inventory of City land for
housing in year one and offer it to non-profits, co-ops, and Indigenous housing providers, with covenants
that keep the homes affordable for decades. Developments with below-market units will get incentives,
and an empty homes tax will put every dollar it raises into affordable housing.
Our target is at least 1,000 affordable homes a year. Every quarter, the City will publish three numbers:
homes approved, homes built, and homes people can afford.
How will you balance the need for permanent housing with the need for legitimate
visitor accommodation?
A visitor and a renter shouldn't be competing for the same apartment. Surrey needs more of both, each
built for its purpose.
The province already limits short-term rentals to a host's own home plus one suite, and Surrey requires a
business licence on top of that. We'll enforce those rules fairly, so whole units bought as investments
stay in the rental market. A homeowner renting a room or a suite in the house they live in is part of the
answer, and the rules for them should stay simple.
The bigger fix is building visitor accommodation on purpose. Our tourism investment inventory will
include land zoned for hotels near SkyTrain and our event venues, and hotel projects will move on the
same 180-day clock as housing. When a big event comes to Surrey, its visitors should be able to stay in
Surrey.
INCLUDE TOURISM IN COMMUNITY PLANNING
How will you recognize tourism as an economic sector in the official community plan and
municipal strategic plan?
Tourism brings money and jobs into Surrey from people who don't live here, and the plans that run the
City should treat it that way. We'll name tourism as an economic sector in the official community plan
and in council's strategic plan, with land set aside for it and targets the City reports on every year.
Each of Surrey's six communities gives visitors something different: the rodeo and the historic main
street in Cloverdale, Vaisakhi in Newton, Crescent Beach in South Surrey, the festivals at Holland Park in
City Centre. Planning should protect those places and help them grow.
Surrey turns 150 in 2029. That year belongs in the strategic plan as a tourism moment, planned with the
sector from the start.
How will tourism operators and Destination Management Organizations be included in
planning and policy decisions?
The people who fill Surrey's hotel rooms know things City Hall doesn't. We'll set up a standing tourism
table with Discover Surrey, the Surrey Hotel and Motel Association, Indigenous tourism businesses, and
operators, meeting with the mayor and senior staff on a fixed schedule. Its advice will be attached to the
reports council votes on, so councillors see it before they decide.
When a land-use or major-event decision affects tourism, the staff report will say how. Tourism will have
a seat on the transportation advisory committee we're creating, because a visitor's first look at Surrey is
usually a road, a bus loop, or a SkyTrain station. And our Film and Event Desk gives organizers one
contact at City Hall instead of a maze.
INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE & VISITOR ACCESS
How will you improve connections between downtowns, accommodation, transportation
hubs, attractions and recreation areas?
For visitors driving up from Washington State, Surrey is the front door: the Peace Arch and Pacific
Highway border crossings are both here. Once they arrive, getting between our town centres, hotels,
beaches, and venues shouldn't require a car.
We'll press TransLink, the province, and Ottawa for rapid transit from Surrey Central through Newton to
South Surrey. The new SkyTrain stations on Fraser Highway will connect to the places people want to go,
including the stadium we'll build in Fleetwood, and the Waterfront District will be planned so visitors can
walk from Scott Road Station to the river. We'll synchronize the City's traffic lights, let taxis use bus lanes
where it's safe, and cut taxi licensing costs so a ride is easier to find at the end of a concert or a game.
How will tourism demand be included in the municipality's long-term infrastructure and
asset-management planning?
In the fire service, you plan for the busiest day, not the average one. Surrey's busiest days are often
visitor days: Vaisakhi in Newton, the Cloverdale Rodeo, the summer festivals at Holland Park.
We'll build visitor and event demand into the City's long-term capital plan and its asset-management
plan. That means sizing roads, transit connections, parking, washrooms, water, and sewer for the peaks,
using Discover Surrey's visitor data and the destination research the City already funds from its share of
the hotel tax. The new venues in our plan, from the Fleetwood stadium to the Waterfront District, will
come with the infrastructure to carry them before the first ticket is sold.
PARTNER WITH INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
How will Indigenous governments and tourism businesses be included in tourism
planning and economic-development discussions?
Surrey sits on the lands of the Semiahmoo, Katzie, and Kwantlen peoples. We must work in partnership
with them.
As a councillor and as an MLA, I worked with our local First Nations directly, and I’m ready to bring the
relationship to the next level. Imagine Surrey will set up a government-to-government table, chaired by
the mayor and each Nation's leadership, with a public work plan, and tourism and economic
development will be standing items on it. Nations will be in the room early on the projects that shape
Surrey's visitor economy, including the Waterfront District and the future of the Cloverdale Fairgrounds.
Indigenous tourism businesses will have a seat at the City's tourism table.
Our proposal for a Nation-led rental community on City land, modelled on the Squamish Nation's
Sen̓áḵw, shows how we'll work. City Hall brings land and a timeline. The Nations decide whether, where,
and how.
PLAN FOR EMERGENCIES YEAR-ROUND
How will tourism operators and destination organizations be included in emergency
planning and exercises?
I spent 32 years in the Surrey Fire Service, and my last job was deciding whether a building was safe
before anyone moved in. Emergencies don't check whether someone lives here or is visiting for the
weekend.
Hotels, major venues, and Discover Surrey will be written into the City's emergency plan with named
contacts and clear roles, and they'll take part in the City's emergency exercises every year. Hotels are
often where evacuees end up when fires and floods hit other parts of BC, so that role should be agreed in advance with the province, not arranged at 2:00 am. Organizers of our biggest events, like Vaisakhi and the Cloverdale Rodeo, will be at the table when the City plans for those days.
And when something does happen, visitors need the same alerts residents get, in the languages Surrey
speaks.
PROTECT TOURISM FUNDING & STRENGTHEN LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS
How will you protect MRDT revenues and ensure they continue to be used for their
intended tourism purposes?
The hotel tax is paid by visitors, and it belongs to tourism. Surrey charges 3%. After 0.2% goes to the
provincial Tourism Events Program, 1.8% goes to Discover Surrey, 0.6% to the Surrey Hotel and Motel
Association, and 0.4% stays with the City for sports tourism, events, and destination research.
An Imagine Surrey council will keep every one of those dollars in tourism, including the City's own share.
MRDT won't be used to fill holes in the general budget. The share collected through online booking
platforms will stay in tourism for the rest of this term, as the current bylaw sets out.
The current term runs to May 31, 2030, and the renewal letters are due by April 1, 2029. We'll start that
work with Discover Surrey and the hotels well ahead of the deadline, so nobody is scrambling in the final
months.
How will you support transparent decision-making, clear performance measures and
regular reporting on how tourism revenues are invested?
Show the work. Every year, Discover Surrey and City staff will present the MRDT plan and results in
person at an open council meeting, with time for questions, including a line-by-line account of how the
City spends its own 0.4%.
We'll report results people can check: overnight stays, hotel occupancy, visitor spending, and the return
on each event the tax helps fund, published the same way every year so the trend is easy to read. If a
program isn't bringing visitors, we'll say so and move the money to one that does.
It's how we'll run City Hall generally. Our housing plan publishes three numbers every quarter. Tourism
money deserves the same daylight.
How will you consult tourism partners before proposing changes to the use, administration or governance of MRDT funds?
The hotels that collect the tax should see any change before council votes on it, with time to push back.
Any proposal to change how MRDT is used, administered, or governed will go first to Discover Surrey, the
Surrey Hotel and Motel Association, and accommodation providers through the tourism table. They'll get
it in writing, they'll have at least 60 days to respond, and their response will be attached to the report
council votes on.
Hotels collect this tax from their guests every night. They've earned a say in how it's spent.
SAFE SURREY COALITION.
Response submitted on behalf of the slate.
Mayoral Candidate: Doug McCallum.
Council Candidates: Doug Elford, Mandeep Nagra, Laurie Guerra, Allison Patton, Meera Gill, Suhana Gill, Beau Simpson and Cheney Cloke.
Thank you for putting tourism on the ballot, and for the TIABC package. Surrey’s 1.87 million overnight trips in 2025, up 8.1 percent in a year, tell the story: this city is already a destination, and the job of the next council is to build the things that let it grow. Below are the Safe Surrey Coalition’s answers to your questions, on behalf of Doug McCallum and our council candidates Doug Elford, Mandeep Nagra, Laurie Guerra, Allison Patton, Meera Gill, Suhana Gill, Beau Simpson and Cheney Cloke.
BUILD SAFE, ACCESSIBLE & WELCOMING COMMUNITIES
How will you improve the safety, cleanliness and accessibility of public spaces used by residents and visitors?
Visitors do not come back to a city that feels unsafe, and neither do residents. A Safe Surrey Coalition council will fund the Surrey Police Service to put more officers on the street and put a police helicopter and drone fleet over Surrey within 90 days, so a call from a park, a SkyTrain station or a hotel parking lot gets a response in minutes. We will restore the City funding that the Surrey Crime Prevention Society and Crime Stoppers lost, because those volunteers are the eyes and ears at the festivals and public spaces your members depend on. On cleanliness, we will bring zero tolerance to illegal dumping, with a $10,000 fine for individuals and a 10-year ban for any company caught doing it. And we will support accessibility audits of City facilities, parks, trails and events, with the fixes written into the capital plan rather than left on a shelf.
How will you address public safety concerns while ensuring vulnerable residents receive appropriate housing, health and social supports?
Both at once, because one without the other does not work. Treatment, mental health care and supportive housing are provincial responsibilities, and Surrey has been shortchanged on all three: this city has one hospital for the same population Vancouver serves with six. We will demand that Victoria fund treatment beds and mental health capacity here, starting with a full-service Surrey General Hospital on City-owned land in Newton, with every City permit issued within 60 days. Supportive housing belongs in buildings with real supervision and wraparound services, sited with the community consulted. Open drug use in parks, downtowns and transit stations is not a housing policy, and we will not treat it as one: where the Province delivers the supports, the City will enforce its bylaws and the police will enforce the law, so public spaces stay public.
CREATE THE CONDITIONS FOR TOURISM INVESTMENT
What will you do to support a tourism investment-readiness plan that identifies suitable land, infrastructure capacity and development opportunities?
We will build it with you. In our first year, the City, Discover Surrey and the Surrey Hotel and Motel Association will produce a tourism investment-readiness inventory: City-owned and privately held sites suited to hotels, attractions and event venues, starting with City Centre and the station areas on the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain line through Fleetwood, Clayton and Cloverdale, with servicing capacity and zoning status published so an investor can get a straight answer before spending a dollar. Investors compare cities, so predictability is the product. Our council will guarantee residential building permits within 60 days or the fees are waived, set published service standards for commercial permits, inspections and business licences, and waive business licence fees for a new business’s first two years. Mandeep Nagra cut red tape as Chair of the Development Advisory Committee and helped approve Campbell Heights and its 20,000 jobs; that is the approach we will bring to hotels and attractions.
ENSURE TOURISM WORKERS CAN LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY
How will you increase attainable rental and workforce housing in the community?
By building it faster and cheaper. Every month a rental building sits at the permit desk is carrying cost that ends up in the rent, so our 60-day guarantee applies to purpose-built rental. In the Surrey Centre Opportunity Zone, next to SkyTrain, we will eliminate City fees for attainable housing. Doug Elford’s workforce housing motion, passed by council in June, asks the City to plan housing for the essential workers who keep Surrey running; the people who staff our hotels, restaurants and attractions belong in that conversation, and we will make sure Discover Surrey is at the table when the program is designed. The evidence that supply works is local: CMHC reports Metro Vancouver’s purpose-built rental vacancy rate rose from 1.6 percent in 2024 to 3.7 percent in 2025 as new buildings opened, and rent growth slowed to a 20-year low.
How will you balance the need for permanent housing with the need for legitimate visitor accommodation?
Surrey already has the right rule: a short-term rental must be the operator’s principal residence, licensed by the City, with the Province’s registry and enforcement unit behind it. We will enforce it, so whole homes are not taken out of the long-term rental market, while licensed hosts and, above all, hotels carry the visitor economy. The six-month strike at the Sheraton in 2025 showed how thin Surrey’s hotel capacity is: one property goes down and a conference leaves town. The answer to that is more hotel rooms, which is why hotel sites are the first item in the investment-readiness inventory above and why hotel applications will get the same predictable timelines we are promising everyone else.
INCLUDE TOURISM IN COMMUNITY PLANNING
How will you recognize tourism as an economic sector in the official community plan and municipal strategic plan?
Tourism will have its own chapter in the next Official Community Plan update and its own objectives and measures in the City’s economic strategy, written with Discover Surrey rather than about it. The measures will be the ones your members already track: overnight trips, room nights, sport and event bookings, visitor spending and jobs, reported to council once a year alongside the MRDT report.
How will tourism operators and Destination Management Organizations be included in planning and policy decisions?
Before, not after. Discover Surrey and the Surrey Hotel and Motel Association will be consulted before council introduces any fee, bylaw or regulation that touches accommodation, events or attractions, and Discover Surrey will have a seat on the City’s economic development and events planning. Doug McCallum’s door was open to business as mayor and it will be again: a standing quarterly meeting between the Mayor’s office and the tourism sector, with an agenda you help set.
INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE & VISITOR ACCESS
How will you improve connections between downtowns, accommodation, transportation hubs, attractions and recreation areas?
Doug McCallum delivered SkyTrain to Fleetwood, Clayton and Cloverdale, and the next line goes down King George Boulevard to Newton, past Bear Creek Park and the hotels and venues of City Centre. Stations are front doors, and we will plan them that way: wayfinding signage, safe and well-lit walking routes from the platform to the venue, parking and washrooms at destination parks, a short and reliable connection from the Fraser Highway stations to the Cloverdale Fairgrounds, and advocacy with TransLink for better bus service to Crescent Beach and the waterfront. Doug built the 84 Avenue connector; connections are what he does.
How will tourism demand be included in the municipality’s long-term infrastructure and asset-management planning?
Sport tourism is where Surrey wins, and Discover Surrey secured more than 75 sport tourism events in 2025 to prove it. Doug McCallum’s council built Bear Creek Stadium and delivered the two new Cloverdale ice sheets; a Safe Surrey Coalition council will build new pools for Clayton Heights, Cloverdale and City Centre and the Newton community centre with a pool, sized to host regional swim meets and tournaments, not just lessons. On the City Centre arena, our position is the same in this letter as it is on the doorstep: an arena can be a tourism asset if the Province and private partners build it, and the City’s capital dollars go to the neighbourhood facilities that fill hotel rooms every weekend of the year. Tourism demand, using Discover Surrey’s own visitor data, will be an input to the City’s 10-year capital plan and its asset-management planning, so facilities are built for the visitors we are already attracting.
PARTNER WITH INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
How will Indigenous governments and tourism businesses be included in tourism planning and economic-development discussions?
Surrey sits on the shared territories of the Semiahmoo, Katzie and Kwantlen Nations, and any tourism plan for this city that does not start with them is incomplete. We will invite all three Nations into the investment-readiness work and the OCP tourism chapter from the first meeting, government to government, and we will support Indigenous-led tourism, whether that is cultural experiences, events, signage or interpretation at Crescent Beach, the Nicomekl and Serpentine rivers and the Fraser, on the Nations’ terms and with the City as a partner rather than a spokesperson.
PLAN FOR EMERGENCIES YEAR-ROUND
How will tourism operators and destination organizations be included in emergency planning and exercises?
Discover Surrey and the Surrey Hotel and Motel Association will be written into the City’s emergency program as partners, invited to the planning tables and the exercises, with a visitor communication plan for heat, smoke, flooding and transit disruption that tells someone who does not know Surrey where to go and who to trust. Hotels are also part of the response, as they have been for wildfire evacuees across the province, and the City should have those arrangements agreed before the emergency, not during it.
PROTECT TOURISM FUNDING & STRENGTHEN LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS
How will you protect MRDT revenues and ensure they continue to be used for their intended tourism purposes?
The 3 percent MRDT is paid by visitors to grow the visitor economy, and under a Safe Surrey Coalition council that is the only thing it will be spent on. The current split, 1.8 percent to Discover Surrey, 0.6 percent to the Surrey Hotel and Motel Association, 0.4 percent to the City and 0.2 percent to the Province, stays, the City’s 0.4 percent stays inside the tourism program, and the roughly $3.7 million MRDT reserve is not a piggy bank for anything else at City Hall. No MRDT dollar goes to general revenue or to a capital project that is not a tourism project.
How will you support transparent decision-making, clear performance measures and regular reporting on how tourism revenues are invested?
The annual MRDT performance and financial report that went to council on September 21 is the right model, and we will keep it public, on time, and add a short scorecard of the measures that matter: overnight trips, room nights generated by sport and event bookings, return on marketing spend and the reserve balance. Discover Surrey’s tactical plan will continue to be presented to council in open session, and the scorecard will be posted where a hotel owner can find it without filing a freedom of information request.
How will you consult tourism partners before proposing changes to the use, administration or governance of MRDT funds?
No change to the use, administration or governance of MRDT funds will go to a council vote until Discover Surrey and the Surrey Hotel and Motel Association have been consulted in writing and their response is attached to the council report, in public. If your members oppose a change, council will hear that before it votes, not after.
Discover Surrey has built something real with modest dollars: eight signature experiences, 75 sport events in a year, and visitor numbers growing faster than the region. Our commitment is a City Hall that says yes to the hotel, the venue and the event, that gets the permit out the door in 60 days, and that keeps the streets safe enough that people want to come back. Members of our team would be glad to join you at the Annual General Meeting on October 6.
SURREY NOW.
Response submitted on behalf of the slate.
Mayoral Candidate: Troy Van Vliet
Council Candidates: Gail Beszedes, Ollivor Dickson, Rahul Gill, Jesse Johl, Brad Kielmann, Enrique Ponce De Leon, Werner Spangehl, James Yu,
Thank you for inviting Surrey NOW to share our views. Tourism supports local jobs and businesses, and visitors benefit from many of the same things Surrey residents need: safe public spaces, housing for workers, reliable transportation and well planned infrastructure.
SAFE, ACCESSIBLE & WELCOMING COMMUNITIES
We would expand neighbourhood safety audits around commercial areas, parks, transit stops and recreation facilities. Each audit would identify practical improvements such as lighting, crossings, accessibility, maintenance and bylaw response, with responsibilities and timelines made public. We would also strengthen coordination among police, bylaw services and victim support.
Public spaces should be safe and well maintained. Residents experiencing homelessness also need appropriate help. We would work with provincial health and housing agencies and community organizations on shelter, outreach and treatment, while addressing unsafe conditions in public spaces.
CONDITIONS FOR TOURISM INVESTMENT
We would welcome a tourism investment readiness plan developed with Discover Surrey and local operators. It should identify suitable sites and opportunities, then test them against servicing, transportation, land use, permitting and financial realities. Our broader growth plan calls for clearer approval timelines and a public assessment of infrastructure readiness before major plans advance.
HOUSING FOR TOURISM WORKERS & VISITOR ACCOMMODATION
Surrey needs more attainable rental housing, including homes near jobs and transit. We would use City land and partnerships where they deliver a lasting affordability benefit, improve the predictability of approvals, and measure completed homes rather than approvals alone.
Permanent housing and legitimate visitor accommodation both matter. We would review local rules and their effects with residents, accommodation operators and housing providers, while respecting provincial requirements. We would avoid treating every type of visitor accommodation as having the same impact on housing supply.
TOURISM IN COMMUNITY PLANNING
Tourism should be considered alongside other employment sectors when the City implements Surrey 2050, prepares area plans and sets economic development priorities. We would invite Discover Surrey and tourism operators into relevant planning discussions early enough for their knowledge of visitor demand, accommodation and event needs to shape decisions.
INFRASTRUCTURE & VISITOR ACCESS
We support better neighbourhood transit and connectivity. We would work with TransLink and other partners to improve links among town centres, hotels, transportation hubs, attractions and recreation areas, including safe walking and cycling connections. Tourism demand should be one of the inputs to long term capital and asset planning, alongside resident use, maintenance needs, capacity and cost.
INDIGENOUS PARTNERSHIPS
Indigenous governments and tourism businesses should be invited to participate from the beginning of relevant tourism and economic development discussions. We would listen to their priorities and explore opportunities they wish to lead or pursue in partnership, rather than presume what those opportunities should be.
YEAR-ROUND EMERGENCY PLANNING
Hotels, attractions, event venues and Discover Surrey can help communicate with visitors during an emergency. We would include them in appropriate planning and exercises so that roles, contacts and reliable visitor information are established before an incident occurs.
TOURISM FUNDING & ACCOUNTABILITY
We support keeping Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT) revenues directed to purposes permitted under the provincial program. We would seek clear public reporting on tourism funded activities, spending and results, using measures developed with Discover Surrey and industry partners. Before proposing any change to the use, administration or governance of those funds, we would consult the affected tourism partners and review the applicable provincial rules and existing agreements.
Council candidates (individual responses)
Ian de Hoog, New Surrey +
BUILD SAFE, ACCESSIBLE & WELCOMING COMMUNITIES
How will you improve the safety, cleanliness and accessibility of public spaces used by residents and visitors?
Safe, clean and accessible public spaces benefit both residents and visitors. I would support a practical approach that focuses on well-maintained streets, sidewalks, parks, public washrooms, lighting and wayfinding, with particular attention to areas that experience high levels of pedestrian and visitor activity.
I also believe accessibility needs to be considered from the beginning of planning and infrastructure projects, rather than treated as an afterthought. Regular maintenance and clear standards for public spaces are just as important as new construction.
How will you address public safety concerns while ensuring vulnerable residents receive appropriate housing, health and social supports?
Public safety and compassion are not competing goals. Residents should be able to feel safe in their neighbourhoods and public spaces, while people experiencing homelessness, mental-health challenges or addiction should have access to appropriate housing, health and social supports.
Municipal government cannot solve all of these issues alone. I would work with the provincial government, health authorities, non-profit organizations, police and community groups to advocate for the appropriate supports and make sure municipal decisions complement those services.
CREATE THE CONDITIONS FOR TOURISM INVESTMENT
What will you do to support a tourism investment-readiness plan that identifies suitable land, infrastructure capacity and development opportunities?
I would support developing a clear tourism investment-readiness plan as part of Surrey's broader economic-development and land-use planning.
That means identifying where tourism-related development makes sense, understanding infrastructure capacity, and providing prospective investors with clear information about opportunities and municipal requirements. Surrey should be proactive in identifying opportunities rather than simply reacting to individual development proposals.
At the same time, investment needs to be compatible with surrounding neighbourhoods and supported by appropriate infrastructure.
ENSURE TOURISM WORKERS CAN LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY
How will you increase attainable rental and workforce housing in the community?
Housing affordability is important not only for residents but also for employers who need to attract and retain workers.
I would support a broader housing strategy that encourages a range of housing types and more attainable rental options, particularly near employment centres and major transportation corridors. We should also look for opportunities to reduce unnecessary barriers and delays while ensuring that new development is supported by infrastructure and services.
How will you balance the need for permanent housing with the need for legitimate visitor accommodation?
There is a legitimate role for visitor accommodation in a growing city and tourism economy, but it should not come at the expense of long-term housing supply.
I would support clear, evidence-based rules distinguishing legitimate visitor accommodation from housing being removed from the long-term rental market. Those rules should be transparent, enforceable and periodically reviewed against actual housing and tourism data.
INCLUDE TOURISM IN COMMUNITY PLANNING
How will you recognize tourism as an economic sector in the official community plan and municipal strategic plan?
Tourism should be explicitly recognized as part of Surrey's economic-development strategy and considered when we plan land use, transportation, infrastructure, public spaces and cultural and recreational amenities.
Surrey has significant natural, cultural, recreational and arts assets. Better connecting and promoting those assets can benefit both visitors and residents.
How will tourism operators and Destination Management Organizations be included in planning and policy decisions?
The people who operate tourism businesses should have meaningful opportunities to contribute before major decisions affecting their sector are made.
I would support regular consultation with tourism operators and organizations such as Destination Management Organizations, rather than relying solely on ad hoc consultation during individual projects. This should include sharing information, identifying emerging issues and reporting back on how industry input influenced decisions.
INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND VISITOR ACCESS
How will you improve connections between downtowns, accommodation, transportation hubs, attractions and recreation areas?
Transportation connections should be considered as a network rather than as isolated projects.
I would prioritize completing gaps in pedestrian and cycling networks, improving connections to transit, and making it easier to move between Surrey's town centres, accommodation, attractions, parks and recreational facilities. This also benefits residents travelling to work, school and local businesses.
Good wayfinding and clear information about transportation options can further improve the visitor experience.
How will tourism demand be included in the municipality's long-term infrastructure and asset-management planning?
Long-term infrastructure planning should account for both resident and visitor demand. Tourism can place additional demands on roads, transit connections, parks, public spaces, recreation facilities and other municipal assets.
I would support using available data to identify where visitor activity creates additional infrastructure requirements and incorporating those demands into asset-management and capital planning. Decisions should be based on expected use, lifecycle costs and measurable community benefits.
PARTNER WITH INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
How will Indigenous governments and tourism businesses be included in tourism planning and economic-development discussions?
Indigenous governments and Indigenous tourism businesses should be engaged early and meaningfully in tourism and economic-development planning.
That means moving beyond consultation after decisions have already been made and creating opportunities for Indigenous partners to identify priorities, opportunities and concerns themselves. Surrey should build respectful, ongoing relationships with local Indigenous governments and organizations and look for opportunities to support Indigenous-led tourism and economic development.
PLAN FOR EMERGENCIES YEAR-ROUND
How will tourism operators and destination organizations be included in emergency planning and exercises?
Tourism operators should be treated as important partners in emergency preparedness, particularly because visitors may be unfamiliar with Surrey and may not know where to obtain information or assistance during an emergency.
I would support including tourism operators, accommodation providers and destination organizations in relevant emergency planning, communications and exercises. Clear communication protocols and shared responsibilities should be established before an emergency occurs, not during one.
PROTECT TOURISM FUNDING & STRENGTHEN LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS
How will you protect MRDT revenues and ensure they continue to be used for their intended tourism purposes?
I support protecting MRDT revenues for their intended tourism purposes and ensuring that tourism stakeholders have confidence that these funds are being used strategically.
Municipal government should work collaboratively with the organizations responsible for tourism marketing and destination development and avoid treating tourism revenues as a general-purpose municipal funding source.
How will you support transparent decision-making, clear performance measures and regular reporting on how tourism revenues are invested?
Transparency should be central to the administration of tourism revenues.
I would support clear objectives, measurable performance indicators and regular public reporting that explains where tourism revenues are going and what outcomes they are producing. Residents and tourism stakeholders should be able to see not simply how much was spent, but what was accomplished.
How will you consult tourism partners before proposing changes to the use, administration or governance of MRDT funds?
I would expect meaningful consultation with tourism operators, Destination Management Organizations and other affected partners before significant changes are proposed.
My approach to municipal decision-making is straightforward: listen first, understand the issue, consider the evidence and then act. Changes to tourism funding should follow that same principle, with sufficient time for stakeholders to understand proposals, provide input and have that input considered before Council makes a decision.
"Sorry for late and short answer,.. accept my apology
To grow tourism, Surrey must boost sport tournaments, expand cultural culinary trails, target non-peak seasons, and invest in new hotels and infrastructure. Increase tourism funding grants, tourism event marketing grants."
Thank you for reaching out and for sharing the 2026 All Candidates Tourism Information Package. I also appreciate the invitation to Discover Surrey’s Annual General Meeting.
As an independent candidate for Surrey City Council, I believe tourism should be viewed not only as a visitor issue, but as an important part of Surrey’s local economy. A city that is safe, clean, accessible, well connected and welcoming is better for residents, local businesses and visitors alike.
My approach is practical: listen to residents and businesses, examine the facts, measure results, and ensure public resources are being used responsibly.
Please find my responses below.
BUILD SAFE, ACCESSIBLE & WELCOMING COMMUNITIES
How will you improve the safety, cleanliness and accessibility of public spaces used by residents and visitors?
Public safety is one of my key priorities. I support better lighting, cleaner and properly maintained public spaces, accessible facilities, improved signage and stronger attention to areas where residents, businesses and visitors have raised recurring safety concerns.
I have also proposed expanding the responsible use of surveillance cameras at major intersections, alleys and identified high-risk public areas, with appropriate privacy safeguards. Technology should complement—not replace—effective policing, bylaw enforcement and community-based prevention.
Accessibility should also be considered when we design and upgrade parks, recreation facilities, sidewalks, public spaces and visitor destinations. The TIABC package correctly points out that residents and visitors benefit from many of the same investments in safe, accessible and well-maintained public spaces.
How will you address public safety concerns while ensuring vulnerable residents receive appropriate housing, health and social support?
I do not believe public safety and compassion should be treated as competing priorities. Residents and businesses deserve safe public spaces, while people experiencing homelessness, addiction, mental-health challenges or other vulnerabilities need appropriate support.
The City should enforce laws and bylaws fairly while working with the Province, health authorities, housing providers and community organizations on housing, treatment, outreach and social support. Municipal government cannot solve every health or social issue on its own, so I would also advocate strongly for senior governments to provide the services and resources within their jurisdiction.
CREATE THE CONDITIONS FOR TOURISM INVESTMENT
What will you do to support a tourism investment-readiness plan that identifies suitable land, infrastructure capacity and development opportunities?
I support developing a tourism investment-readiness approach for Surrey.
Surrey should clearly identify appropriate opportunities for hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment, cultural venues, sports tourism and other visitor-serving businesses while considering infrastructure capacity and neighbourhood impacts.
I also support reviewing approval processes to identify unnecessary delays and duplication. Businesses and investors should have clear requirements, reasonable timelines and predictable processes. TIABC identifies zoning, development fees, servicing requirements and approval timelines as areas where municipalities directly influence tourism investment.
ENSURE TOURISM WORKERS CAN LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY
How will you increase attainable rental and workforce housing in the community?
Housing affordability affects workers across Surrey, including those employed in hospitality, restaurants, recreation and tourism.
I support increasing diverse housing options in appropriate locations, particularly around transit, employment areas and town centres, while ensuring growth is matched with roads, utilities, schools, recreation, public safety and other infrastructure.
I also believe City processes should be reviewed so that unnecessary municipal delays do not add avoidable time and cost to housing construction.
How will you balance the need for permanent housing with the need for legitimate visitor accommodation?
We need both.
Surrey needs permanent housing for residents and workers, but a growing city also needs legitimate hotels and visitor accommodations to support tourism, sporting events, conventions, family travel and business activity.
I would favour evidence-based policies that protect the long-term housing supply while maintaining legitimate visitor accommodation. Housing and visitor accommodation should be planned together rather than treated as completely separate issues, which is also a key point raised in the TIABC package.
INCLUDE TOURISM IN COMMUNITY PLANNING
How will you recognize tourism as an economic sector in the Official Community Plan and municipal strategic plan?
I support explicitly considering tourism as part of Surrey’s broader economic-development planning.
Surrey 2050, the City’s current Official Community Plan adopted in June 2026, guides growth and development over the coming decades and includes policy areas covering housing, transportation, the economy, community infrastructure and emergency preparedness.
Tourism should be considered when decisions are made about those interconnected areas, particularly economic development, transportation, recreation, culture, major events and infrastructure.
How will tourism operators and Destination Management Organizations be included in planning and policy decisions?
I believe in consultation before decisions—not consultation after decisions have effectively already been made.
Discover Surrey, accommodation operators, restaurants, attractions, event organizers, cultural organizations and other tourism stakeholders should have meaningful opportunities to provide input when City policies directly affect their sector.
That does not mean every request will automatically be approved. It means decision-makers should have the facts, understand the operational impact and hear from affected stakeholders before making major decisions. TIABC similarly recommends early tourism-sector involvement in municipal planning.
INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE & VISITOR ACCESS
How will you improve connections between downtowns, accommodation, transportation hubs, attractions and recreation areas?
Transportation and traffic are already major issues for Surrey residents, and they also affect visitors and businesses.
I support better traffic-signal coordination, strategic road improvements, practical transit connections, safe walking and cycling infrastructure where appropriate, better wayfinding and signage, and adequate access and parking around major destinations.
I have also advocated considering more nighttime construction for appropriate road projects where it can reduce daytime traffic disruption and shorten impacts on residents and businesses.
The objective should be a transportation network that connects our town centres, hotels, attractions, recreation facilities and transportation hubs while serving the everyday needs of residents.
How will tourism demand be included in the municipality's long-term infrastructure and asset-management planning?
Tourism and major-event demand should be one factor in long-term infrastructure planning.
If Surrey wants to attract sporting events, festivals, conferences and visitors, we need to understand the resulting demands on roads, transit, parking, recreation facilities, public spaces, utilities and emergency services.
These investments should be evaluated for their broader community value because infrastructure used by visitors also serves residents and local businesses.
Surrey already works with Discover Surrey through its Sport Tourism Strategy, which seeks to generate economic benefits while creating opportunities for Surrey residents and businesses.
PARTNER WITH INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
How will Indigenous governments and tourism businesses be included in tourism planning and economic-development discussions?
Indigenous governments and Indigenous tourism businesses should be engaged early and respectfully when plans or economic-development opportunities affect their interests.
I support direct dialogue and opportunities for Indigenous-led tourism, cultural experiences, events and economic development. The City's role should be to listen, build respectful partnerships and support Indigenous-led opportunities—not speak on behalf of Indigenous communities.
That is consistent with the TIABC package, which emphasizes early engagement and that Indigenous tourism must remain Indigenous-led.
PLAN FOR EMERGENCIES YEAR-ROUND
How will tourism operators and destination organizations be included in emergency planning and exercises?
Tourism operators and destination organizations should be included in appropriate emergency-planning discussions and exercises, particularly because visitors may not know Surrey's geography, emergency procedures or evacuation routes.
Hotels, attractions, event organizers and destination organizations can also help communicate accurate information quickly during emergencies.
I would support clearer coordination among the City, first responders, senior governments and tourism partners for preparedness, emergency communication and economic recovery. These are specifically identified in the TIABC package as areas where tourism organizations can assist if they are involved before an emergency occurs.
PROTECT TOURISM FUNDING & STRENGTHEN LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS
How will you protect MRDT revenues and ensure they continue to be used for their intended tourism purposes?
I support protecting the integrity of MRDT revenues and ensuring they are used transparently for their authorized tourism purposes.
Surrey's MRDT is an established mechanism for funding tourism activities. City reporting shows that MRDT funds support Discover Surrey working with tourism partners on tourism-promotion initiatives.
Any proposed change in how these revenues are allocated should be transparent, evidence-based and involve meaningful consultation with affected tourism partners.
How will you support transparent decision-making, clear performance measures and regular reporting on how tourism revenues are invested?
Transparency and accountability are important principles for me across City spending.
I support clear objectives, measurable performance indicators and regular public reporting showing where tourism revenues were invested and what results were achieved.
Reporting should be understandable to taxpayers and tourism partners—not simply a collection of numbers. We should be able to see what an investment was intended to accomplish, what was spent and what measurable results followed.
TIABC likewise calls for transparent decision-making, performance measures and regular reporting for MRDT funding.
How will you consult tourism partners before proposing changes to the use, administration or governance of MRDT funds?
I would expect meaningful consultation with Discover Surrey, accommodation providers and other directly affected tourism stakeholders before supporting significant changes to MRDT administration or governance.
I would want to understand the evidence, financial implications, expected outcomes and stakeholder perspectives before making a decision.
My approach as an independent candidate is to examine issues on their merits, ask difficult questions where necessary, listen to the people directly affected and make decisions based on what provides practical, measurable value for Surrey.
Surrey is a diverse and rapidly growing city. I believe we have an opportunity to strengthen tourism through our multicultural communities, restaurants and food experiences, arts and culture, sporting events, recreation, parks and local businesses. Tourism should ultimately create benefits that Surrey residents can see as well—more economic activity, stronger local businesses, jobs, better amenities and a city we are proud to welcome people to.
Thank you again for giving candidates the opportunity to share their perspectives. I look forward to continuing the conversation with Discover Surrey, its members and Surrey’s tourism and business community.
Youssef Khattab, Independent
"Sorry for late and short answer,.. accept my apology
To grow tourism, Surrey must boost sport tournaments, expand cultural culinary trails, target non-peak seasons, and invest in new hotels and infrastructure. Increase tourism funding grants, tourism event marketing grants."
Vik Uppal, Independent
Thank you for reaching out and for sharing the 2026 All Candidates Tourism Information Package. I also appreciate the invitation to Discover Surrey’s Annual General Meeting.
As an independent candidate for Surrey City Council, I believe tourism should be viewed not only as a visitor issue, but as an important part of Surrey’s local economy. A city that is safe, clean, accessible, well connected and welcoming is better for residents, local businesses and visitors alike.
My approach is practical: listen to residents and businesses, examine the facts, measure results, and ensure public resources are being used responsibly.
Please find my responses below.
BUILD SAFE, ACCESSIBLE & WELCOMING COMMUNITIES
How will you improve the safety, cleanliness and accessibility of public spaces used by residents and visitors?
Public safety is one of my key priorities. I support better lighting, cleaner and properly maintained public spaces, accessible facilities, improved signage and stronger attention to areas where residents, businesses and visitors have raised recurring safety concerns.
I have also proposed expanding the responsible use of surveillance cameras at major intersections, alleys and identified high-risk public areas, with appropriate privacy safeguards. Technology should complement—not replace—effective policing, bylaw enforcement and community-based prevention.
Accessibility should also be considered when we design and upgrade parks, recreation facilities, sidewalks, public spaces and visitor destinations. The TIABC package correctly points out that residents and visitors benefit from many of the same investments in safe, accessible and well-maintained public spaces.
How will you address public safety concerns while ensuring vulnerable residents receive appropriate housing, health and social support?
I do not believe public safety and compassion should be treated as competing priorities. Residents and businesses deserve safe public spaces, while people experiencing homelessness, addiction, mental-health challenges or other vulnerabilities need appropriate support.
The City should enforce laws and bylaws fairly while working with the Province, health authorities, housing providers and community organizations on housing, treatment, outreach and social support. Municipal government cannot solve every health or social issue on its own, so I would also advocate strongly for senior governments to provide the services and resources within their jurisdiction.
CREATE THE CONDITIONS FOR TOURISM INVESTMENT
What will you do to support a tourism investment-readiness plan that identifies suitable land, infrastructure capacity and development opportunities?
I support developing a tourism investment-readiness approach for Surrey.
Surrey should clearly identify appropriate opportunities for hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment, cultural venues, sports tourism and other visitor-serving businesses while considering infrastructure capacity and neighbourhood impacts.
I also support reviewing approval processes to identify unnecessary delays and duplication. Businesses and investors should have clear requirements, reasonable timelines and predictable processes. TIABC identifies zoning, development fees, servicing requirements and approval timelines as areas where municipalities directly influence tourism investment.
ENSURE TOURISM WORKERS CAN LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY
How will you increase attainable rental and workforce housing in the community?
Housing affordability affects workers across Surrey, including those employed in hospitality, restaurants, recreation and tourism.
I support increasing diverse housing options in appropriate locations, particularly around transit, employment areas and town centres, while ensuring growth is matched with roads, utilities, schools, recreation, public safety and other infrastructure.
I also believe City processes should be reviewed so that unnecessary municipal delays do not add avoidable time and cost to housing construction.
How will you balance the need for permanent housing with the need for legitimate visitor accommodation?
We need both.
Surrey needs permanent housing for residents and workers, but a growing city also needs legitimate hotels and visitor accommodations to support tourism, sporting events, conventions, family travel and business activity.
I would favour evidence-based policies that protect the long-term housing supply while maintaining legitimate visitor accommodation. Housing and visitor accommodation should be planned together rather than treated as completely separate issues, which is also a key point raised in the TIABC package.
INCLUDE TOURISM IN COMMUNITY PLANNING
How will you recognize tourism as an economic sector in the Official Community Plan and municipal strategic plan?
I support explicitly considering tourism as part of Surrey’s broader economic-development planning.
Surrey 2050, the City’s current Official Community Plan adopted in June 2026, guides growth and development over the coming decades and includes policy areas covering housing, transportation, the economy, community infrastructure and emergency preparedness.
Tourism should be considered when decisions are made about those interconnected areas, particularly economic development, transportation, recreation, culture, major events and infrastructure.
How will tourism operators and Destination Management Organizations be included in planning and policy decisions?
I believe in consultation before decisions—not consultation after decisions have effectively already been made.
Discover Surrey, accommodation operators, restaurants, attractions, event organizers, cultural organizations and other tourism stakeholders should have meaningful opportunities to provide input when City policies directly affect their sector.
That does not mean every request will automatically be approved. It means decision-makers should have the facts, understand the operational impact and hear from affected stakeholders before making major decisions. TIABC similarly recommends early tourism-sector involvement in municipal planning.
INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE & VISITOR ACCESS
How will you improve connections between downtowns, accommodation, transportation hubs, attractions and recreation areas?
Transportation and traffic are already major issues for Surrey residents, and they also affect visitors and businesses.
I support better traffic-signal coordination, strategic road improvements, practical transit connections, safe walking and cycling infrastructure where appropriate, better wayfinding and signage, and adequate access and parking around major destinations.
I have also advocated considering more nighttime construction for appropriate road projects where it can reduce daytime traffic disruption and shorten impacts on residents and businesses.
The objective should be a transportation network that connects our town centres, hotels, attractions, recreation facilities and transportation hubs while serving the everyday needs of residents.
How will tourism demand be included in the municipality's long-term infrastructure and asset-management planning?
Tourism and major-event demand should be one factor in long-term infrastructure planning.
If Surrey wants to attract sporting events, festivals, conferences and visitors, we need to understand the resulting demands on roads, transit, parking, recreation facilities, public spaces, utilities and emergency services.
These investments should be evaluated for their broader community value because infrastructure used by visitors also serves residents and local businesses.
Surrey already works with Discover Surrey through its Sport Tourism Strategy, which seeks to generate economic benefits while creating opportunities for Surrey residents and businesses.
PARTNER WITH INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
How will Indigenous governments and tourism businesses be included in tourism planning and economic-development discussions?
Indigenous governments and Indigenous tourism businesses should be engaged early and respectfully when plans or economic-development opportunities affect their interests.
I support direct dialogue and opportunities for Indigenous-led tourism, cultural experiences, events and economic development. The City's role should be to listen, build respectful partnerships and support Indigenous-led opportunities—not speak on behalf of Indigenous communities.
That is consistent with the TIABC package, which emphasizes early engagement and that Indigenous tourism must remain Indigenous-led.
PLAN FOR EMERGENCIES YEAR-ROUND
How will tourism operators and destination organizations be included in emergency planning and exercises?
Tourism operators and destination organizations should be included in appropriate emergency-planning discussions and exercises, particularly because visitors may not know Surrey's geography, emergency procedures or evacuation routes.
Hotels, attractions, event organizers and destination organizations can also help communicate accurate information quickly during emergencies.
I would support clearer coordination among the City, first responders, senior governments and tourism partners for preparedness, emergency communication and economic recovery. These are specifically identified in the TIABC package as areas where tourism organizations can assist if they are involved before an emergency occurs.
PROTECT TOURISM FUNDING & STRENGTHEN LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS
How will you protect MRDT revenues and ensure they continue to be used for their intended tourism purposes?
I support protecting the integrity of MRDT revenues and ensuring they are used transparently for their authorized tourism purposes.
Surrey's MRDT is an established mechanism for funding tourism activities. City reporting shows that MRDT funds support Discover Surrey working with tourism partners on tourism-promotion initiatives.
Any proposed change in how these revenues are allocated should be transparent, evidence-based and involve meaningful consultation with affected tourism partners.
How will you support transparent decision-making, clear performance measures and regular reporting on how tourism revenues are invested?
Transparency and accountability are important principles for me across City spending.
I support clear objectives, measurable performance indicators and regular public reporting showing where tourism revenues were invested and what results were achieved.
Reporting should be understandable to taxpayers and tourism partners—not simply a collection of numbers. We should be able to see what an investment was intended to accomplish, what was spent and what measurable results followed.
TIABC likewise calls for transparent decision-making, performance measures and regular reporting for MRDT funding.
How will you consult tourism partners before proposing changes to the use, administration or governance of MRDT funds?
I would expect meaningful consultation with Discover Surrey, accommodation providers and other directly affected tourism stakeholders before supporting significant changes to MRDT administration or governance.
I would want to understand the evidence, financial implications, expected outcomes and stakeholder perspectives before making a decision.
My approach as an independent candidate is to examine issues on their merits, ask difficult questions where necessary, listen to the people directly affected and make decisions based on what provides practical, measurable value for Surrey.
Surrey is a diverse and rapidly growing city. I believe we have an opportunity to strengthen tourism through our multicultural communities, restaurants and food experiences, arts and culture, sporting events, recreation, parks and local businesses. Tourism should ultimately create benefits that Surrey residents can see as well—more economic activity, stronger local businesses, jobs, better amenities and a city we are proud to welcome people to.
Thank you again for giving candidates the opportunity to share their perspectives. I look forward to continuing the conversation with Discover Surrey, its members and Surrey’s tourism and business community.