“Time to Put Surrey First,” Says Former Mayor
Surrey, BC – February 12, 2025: Former Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum has called for the City of Surrey to leave the Metro Vancouver board, arguing that the regional governance model is failing Surrey taxpayers and preventing the city from shaping its own future.
“For too long, Surrey has been treated like a second-class city by Metro Vancouver,” McCallum stated. “We are the largest city by land size and the second-largest by population, soon to surpass Vancouver as the biggest city in B.C. Yet, major regional decisions are dictated by Vancouver-centric interests that don’t align with Surrey’s needs.”
McCallum has been a long-time critic of Metro Vancouver’s governance, having opposed the Metro 2050 Plan when he was mayor. He claims the plan locks Surrey into a system where unelected officials in Vancouver make key decisions about the city’s future.
Metro Vancouver’s Governance is Failing Surrey
McCallum highlighted several areas where he believes Metro Vancouver’s governance has been detrimental to Surrey:
• Unfair Taxation: Surrey taxpayers contribute millions to Metro Vancouver but receive little in return. “We are funding Vancouver’s expensive projects while Surrey’s real needs—road expansion, transit, and new community facilities—are ignored,” McCallum said.
• Rising Utility Costs: Water and sewer rates continue to increase under Metro Vancouver’s management. “The bureaucracy is pushing massive spending projects, leaving Surrey families with higher utility bills,” he added.
• Lack of Local Control Over Growth: Metro Vancouver’s planning policies limit Surrey’s ability to develop housing and economic initiatives. “Surrey knows what’s best for Surrey—not an unelected board in Vancouver,” McCallum asserted.
• Transit Neglect: Despite having some of the worst transit gaps in the region, McCallum says Surrey is ignored by TransLink, which prioritizes Vancouver projects. “Instead of a proper SkyTrain expansion in Surrey, we get scraps while billions go to Vancouver’s Broadway Subway and UBC Line,” he said.
McCallum argued that Surrey should have its own independent regional district, similar to Abbotsford and Chilliwack, to control its infrastructure, water rates, and tax spending. “If these cities can thrive outside Metro Vancouver, then Surrey can too,” he said.
He is urging Surrey City Council to evaluate an exit strategy from Metro Vancouver, calling it a necessary step for Surrey’s future.
“It’s time for Surrey to put Surrey first,” McCallum declared. “Our taxpayers deserve better, our families deserve better, and our future depends on taking control of our own destiny.”