FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, APRIL 15, 2026, SURREY B.C. — Imagine Surrey is demanding answers after every party on Surrey Council — Surrey Connect, Surrey First, and Safe Surrey Coalition — voted unanimously to approve a massive cost increase for a public washroom contract with no debate, no questions, and no due diligence.
On Monday night, Council approved an additional $1,924,650 in spending on a contract with Maple Leaf Modular for outdoor public washroom facilities — an eightfold increase over the original contract value of $246,750, bringing the total to $2,171,400. Not a single councillor from any party questioned the increase or even commented.
“This really stinks. Three different parties, eight councillors, one mayor — and not one of them raised a hand to ask why the cost just went up by eight times,” said Mike Starchuk, Imagine Surrey’s candidate for Mayor. “Surrey Connect, Surrey First, and Safe Surrey Coalition all failed the people who pay the bills. This is why Surrey needs change — without this chaos.”
The Corporate Report told Council that “construction of the initial facility is currently underway at Laronde Park,” but the only work visible at the site appears to be city-side utility connections the city must complete before the contractor can begin. Despite this, the report recommended expanding the contract to cover up to eight additional installations. At roughly 160 square feet per unit, the approved spending works out to approximately $1,700 per square foot — more than double high-rise construction costs in Vancouver — and the “up to” language means taxpayers could end up with fewer washrooms for the same price.
“They awarded the lowest bid, rejected two other proposals, and then increased the value eightfold before the first washroom was even built. That’s a blank cheque for what looks to be eight or fewer glorified outhouses,” said Starchuk. “Brenda Locke’s Surrey Connect spent their mandate fighting losing battles. Linda Annis’s Surrey First has been sleepwalking for years. And Doug McCallum’s Safe Surrey Coalition voted yes without blinking. If none of them can question a $2-million washroom contract, why should anyone trust them with a $2.5-billion city budget? Surrey doesn’t need three parties that can’t ask a question. It needs one team with the courage to ask the hard questions and the plan to get it right. On October 17, let’s flush these old parties away.”
Imagine Surrey believes we need safe, accessible washrooms in Surrey parks, and we need to replace badly outdated outhouses that provide no running water, heating or lighting. Starchuk is calling on the City of Surrey to immediately release the full RFP evaluation, explain why the Corporate Report misrepresented construction at Laronde Park, and justify the per-unit cost before any further work proceeds. Surrey taxpayers deserve transparency.
About Imagine Surrey
Imagine Surrey is a non-partisan civic party running a full slate in the October 17, 2026 municipal election. Led by mayoral candidate Mike Starchuk, the party’s council candidates are William Li, Kevin Wilkie, Narima Dela Cruz, Yousef Aldabainah, Ashiyana Hanif, Dr. Margaret Mubanda, Perminder Chohan, and Chandan Chahal.
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Media Contact
Scott Williams
Imagine Surrey & Mike for Mayor Campaign
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