FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, October 15, 2026

SURREY, BC — Movement, Metro Vancouver’s transit riders’ organization, has recognized Mike Starchuk as a transit hero. He is the only candidate for mayor of Surrey who signed Movement’s Transit Hero Pledge. Every Imagine Surrey council candidate signed it too, making Imagine Surrey the only Surrey team on the list from top to bottom.

Brenda Locke, Linda Annis, and Doug McCallum are not on the list. The deadline to sign was October 8. Mike Starchuk’s “Fast Forward Plan” is highlighted in Imagine Surrey’s platform.

The pledge asks candidates to commit to bus priority so buses are faster and more reliable, better sidewalks and bus stops, more homes along transit routes, new revenue tools to fund transit expansion, and transit that is safe and inclusive, with proper lighting and public washrooms. Movement’s own research counts 184,000 trips a day on Surrey buses and another 51,000 boardings at Surrey’s four SkyTrain stations.

Those commitments are already in the Contract for a Better Surrey: a $70 monthly transit pass for Surrey residents, bought in bulk by the City; 50 kilometres of new sidewalk on roads that have none today; more public washrooms; synchronized traffic lights; and expanded rapid transit for the city that will soon be the largest in BC.

“Surrey built its economy on people riding the bus to work, and for years City Hall has treated them as an afterthought. I take the bus to campaign events, and I know the difference a shelter, a bench, and a bus that shows up on time makes to someone’s day,” said Mike Starchuk, Imagine Surrey candidate for mayor. “The other three candidates for mayor had two months to sign a pledge to make buses faster. They didn’t. On Saturday, put out the fire at City Hall and elect a team that will.”

“I signed because riders in my neighbourhood are standing in the rain at a stop with no shelter, waiting for a bus that is stuck in traffic,” said Narima Dela Cruz, Imagine Surrey council candidate. “All eight of us signed. Nobody on our team needed to be talked into it.”

The full list of candidates who signed the pledge is at movementyvr.ca/transit-pledge-2026.

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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]