FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, September 14, 2026

SURREY, BC — Imagine Surrey and mayoral candidate Mike Starchuk say yes to a 10,000-seat arena Surrey can be proud of, and no to the deal behind it. An Imagine Surrey council will build the arena on cheaper land in a better spot, with Fleetwood getting the first look, and put the savings into starting the build of three new community centres.

The deal Mayor Brenda Locke announced on June 30 puts a $360 million arena on land the City acquired from Wesgroup Properties in a $116.6 million swap of public assets: two industrial sites in Campbell Heights and a shopping centre in Cedar Hills, traded away for five acres downtown. The City’s five-year capital plan sets aside $200 million for a $360 million building, and no private dollar has been announced for the arena itself. The anchor tenant, the Vancouver Giants, draws fewer than 4,000 fans a game in a 5,200-seat building in Langley. The deal was announced as an agreement in principle. Ten weeks later there is still no business plan and we don’t know the final price tag for Surrey’s taxpayers.

McCallum says he would audit the land deal. Annis says the price is not believable. Neither has said what they would build instead, or where. Mike Starchuk is offering a serious answer.

Imagine Surrey’s answer is simple: Yes to the arena, on a site the City already owns or can buy at assessed value, with Fleetwood getting the first look. The difference between overpaying for land and paying what it is actually worth will go into three new community centres for Surrey.

“I want the Giants in Surrey. I want the concerts, the big nights, and the kids who grow up with a home team,” said Mike Starchuk. “What I don’t want is to pay millions of dollars over the assessed value for the land, hand the bill to taxpayers with no private dollar on the table, and call it a win. Tearing down a Safeway is not a plan to make an arena work. The arena is a good idea done badly. Yes to an arena Surrey can be proud of. No to this deal. With our plan, you will get the arena and savings that start to build three new community centres that we desperately need.”

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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-Barakat, 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]