Tuesday, September 8, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SURREY, BC — Imagine Surrey and mayoral candidate Mike Starchuk today set out the choice facing Surrey voters on October 17: the three old parties that have run City Hall for decades, or a firefighter and a new team ready to do the job. Only Mike Starchuk and the Imagine Surrey team will put out the fire at City Hall.
Two mayors and the better part of a decade spent fighting over who polices Surrey, including $1.3 million spent suing the province. Another half million dollars spent on political attack ads. A mishandled police transition. A police chief fired in the middle of an extortion emergency, with no explanation to the public. A $360 million arena deal done in the dark, on land the City overpaid for. Property taxes up 27% in four budgets. Business owners paid protection money while City Hall fought with itself.
Surrey First, Safe Surrey, and Surrey Connect are three names on our City Hall. Brenda Locke and Doug McCallum ran together on the same slate in 2018. Linda Annis has ineffectively sat on that council through all of it. Now all three are asking voters to hand them the same City Hall, on the same record, for the next four years. If any of them win, Surrey loses. We need change.
The New Westminster & District Labour Council, which represents more than 20,000 workers living in Surrey, endorsed Mike Starchuk and five Imagine Surrey council candidates. That’s because only Imagine Surrey brings the change that works for Surrey, not insiders.
“I spent 32 years with Surrey Fire Service running toward fires, and I retired as the City’s Chief Fire Prevention Officer. Firefighters don’t start fires. They put them out,” said Mike Starchuk. “I’m running because City Hall isn’t working for the people who live here. I would have kept the RCMP. That’s decided, so finish the transition and publish the date. Fix the police board. Keep taxes at or below inflation with the math published, not a freeze. Build the arena in the right place at the right price. Every one of those commitments will be in writing, with dates and a public report card every quarter, so you can hold us to every word.”
Mike Starchuk is joined by a full slate of eight council candidates working toward a Surrey that is proud of itself, gets big things done, and done being the punchline.
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About Imagine Surrey
Imagine Surrey is a civic party running a full slate of candidates in the October 17, 2026 municipal election. Led by mayoral candidate Mike Starchuk – a former firefighter and Chief Fire Prevention Officer, former City Councillor, and former MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale – Imagine Surrey is committed to making Surrey the City of Champions by delivering: safe streets, fast commutes, smart investments, lower costs, and strong services.
Council candidates: Yousef Aldabainah, Chandan Chahal, Perminder Chohan, Narima Dela Cruz, Ashiyana Hanif, William Li, Dr. Margaret Mubanda, and Kevin Wilkie.
Contact
Trevor Loke, Campaign Manager
604-838-5178
[email protected] / [email protected]