By Malin Jordan
Mike Starchuk and his Imagine Surrey council candidates announced their policy platform Oct. 5 for the 2026 municipal election. Imagine Surrey’s plans include “Contract for a Better Surrey,” a signed and costed platform with 79 commitments across five pillars: safe streets, fast commutes, smart investments, lower costs, and strong services.
Starchuk, flanked by his eight council candidate hopefuls, made the announcement during a press conference at his campaign office on Central Avenue in Whalley after the Unifor Local 3000 president endorsed Starchuk and Imagine Surrey for the upcoming city election.
The mayoral hopeful and his slate all signed the contract and Starchuk promised, if elected, that he’ll put up a public dashboard, updated every quarter and rated green, amber, or red based on where each commitment is at.
“City Hall is on fire. Not the building. The culture,” Starchuk said in a release sent out after the press conference. “In a fire, you don’t stand in the driveway arguing about who lit it. You put it out. This platform is our contract with you. If we are behind, you will read it from us first.”
PLATFORM
Here is a breakdown of some of Imagine Surrey’s platform promises from the 50-page “Contract for a Better Surrey” document available on imaginesurrey.ca.
Starchuk and his slate promise to deliver a $70 monthly transit pass for Surrey residents, 1,000 affordable homes a year, and “a bold commitment” to reduce homelessness.
Imagine Surrey said they’ll transform the City of Surrey into a “certified, living-wage employer.”
Starchuk said “on day one” he promises to get every member of council to sign a protocol promising “hands off” the police chief, with 30-day and 90-day time periods set for a public transition.
He said he’ll start an anti-extortion command led by Surrey Police Service, who will work with the RCMP and CSIS. He said every reported victim will be contacted, set up with a safety plan, and given a liaison within 48 hours.
Imagine Surrey said they’ll build two new fire halls and commit to SkyTrain to South Surrey through Newton.
Starchuk said he’d kill the current city-centre arena, and build a different one on “cheaper land in a better spot.” He said he’d also implement a lobbyist registry and make a searchable City contracts webpage.
He added Imagine Surrey promises City property taxes will rise no more than B.C. inflation for four years, planned at 2.5%, “with no layoffs of frontline staff, no closures, and no reduced hours.”
For more info on Imagine Surrey, visit imaginesurrey.ca.