FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
SURREY, BC — Harry Bains, the five-term MLA for Surrey-Newton who served as BC’s Minister of Labour from 2017 to 2024, today endorsed Mike Starchuk for mayor of Surrey.
Bains, a longtime Surrey resident who served more than 15 years as an elected officer of Steelworkers-IWA Canada Local 2171, has known Starchuk for more than 20 years: through Starchuk’s 32 years with Surrey Fire Services, his four years on Surrey City Council, and his four years as MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale, when the two served in the legislature together.
“I have known Mike for over 20 years, as a firefighter, city councillor, and MLA. I found him to be genuinely committed to improving workers’ health and safety, and he has been a strong voice for his constituents,” said Bains.
“Harry spent his career making sure working people get home safe at the end of a shift, first as a union officer and then as BC’s labour minister,” said Starchuk. “I spent 32 years in the fire service, and some of the most important work I did was helping injured firefighters and their families get what they were owed. Surrey’s workers deserve a City Hall that has their back.”
As a Local 1271 officer and workers’ compensation advocate, Starchuk helped injured firefighters and their families recover more than $14 million in wages and benefits. Imagine Surrey’s platform builds on that record with a Frontline Guarantee: no layoffs of frontline staff, no facility closures, and no reduced hours. It ends the outsourcing of frontline services, commits the City to bargain in good faith on pay, mental health support, safer conditions, and better equipment, and moves the City and its contractors to a living wage as contracts renew. Major City projects come with community benefit agreements for local hiring and apprenticeships.
Bains joins former Surrey-Whalley MLA and cabinet minister Bruce Ralston, Unifor Local 3000, the New Westminster and District Labour Council, former BC Green Party Leader Dr. Andrew Weaver, and former Surrey Leader reporter Kevin Diakiw in endorsing Mike Starchuk for mayor.
“I’m proud to have Harry’s support,” said Starchuk. “This October, put out the fire at City Hall and elect a team that respects the people who keep Surrey running.”
Imagine Surrey’s signed and costed platform, “Contract for a Better Surrey,” is at imaginesurrey.ca/vision. Advance voting runs October 7, 10, 14, and 15, and election day is Saturday, October 17. Polls are open 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.
Later today, Mike Starchuk will answer questions about the platform on the /SurreyBC subreddit. More than 100 questions have already been submitted by members of the community since last night’s platform release.
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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]