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What’s next for Surrey now that McCallum is mayor again?
McCallum’s coalition holds seven of eight council seats, but major promises depend on funding.
On Saturday night, Doug McCallum won his fifth term as Surrey’s mayor. Not only did he win, but his Safe Surrey Coalition swept up seven of the eight councillor seats — meaning that McCallum will likely have almost no opposition when trying to pass things in city hall.
So, what happens next?
While Surrey residents made it clear they preferred McCallum’s platform over the other six mayoral candidates running, it’s worth returning to the party’s platform and seeing how likely some of their promises actually are.
The coalition vowed to bring a SkyTrain to Newton and build a new general hospital along King George Boulevavd. However, both of these projects would be the final decision of the province. While city hall could advocate for it, there is no guarantee the province will allocate the funds for it — the province is also facing an unprecedented deficit.
But other commitments are within McCallum’s jurisdiction to implement, like his promise to freeze property taxes for the next four years and waive business license fees for the first two years of every new business.
Property taxes go to several authorities like the provincial government, Metro Vancouver Regional District, TransLink and police services. The city uses their cut of the taxes to fund services like the fire department, road safety, parks and recreational centres, libraries, garbage pick-up and more.
According to the city’s website, Surrey already has one of the lowest property rates in Metro Vancouver. With inflation increasing the cost of labour and goods, it’s unclear how McCallum plans to fund all the city’s current operations without cutting anything.
Many of McCallum’s other commitments also hinge on the question of funding. The party has promised an expansion of policing services and securing a helicopter and drone fleet within 90 days for the SPS.
Going forward, McCallum has also committed to having all residential building permits approved within 60 days. If city hall misses this deadline, all permit fees will be waived. Surrey currently has a glut of unsold condos and some have questioned whether more housing is even the answer to lowering prices.
When it comes to recreation services, McCallum wants to build new pools in Clayton Heights, City Centre and add a pool into the Newton Community Centre being built. Again, it’s unknown how city hall would fund such large capital projects with a freeze on property taxes.
The party also wants to conduct a forensic audit of city hall’s land deals and “root out waste.” Locke faced backlash during her June announcement of a new $360 million arena — many questioned how much tax payers would be funding. Locke had previously said there was no way to cancel the project, even if a new party was elected.
Another pressing issue in city hall has been Surrey’s fraught relationship with Metro Vancouver Regional District. The regional district oversees core services in the Lower Mainland like delivering clean drinking water, treating waste and monitoring air quality, among other things.
But, the district has also faced criticism for the rising cost of the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant, with the top administrator exiting the organisation in early September.
While McCallum wants Surrey to withdraw from the regional district — remaining connected for utilities like water, sewer and waste — it’s unknown if he has the jurisdiction to do so. Or if McCallum does remove Surrey, if the district will allow the city to leave while still benefiting from their services.
McCallum will be sworn in on Nov. 2 and the first council meeting of the newly elected officials will be on Nov. 9.
Copyright 2026, Surrey Citizen. All rights reserved.
Aisha Chaudhry, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Surrey Citizen.
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Four stabbed, hospitalized in targeted gang attack in Vancouver nightclub: police
Four stabbed in targeted Vancouver attack
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby
Police say four people have been stabbed in an attack at a Vancouver nightclub over the weekend.
It happened Saturday inside a club on city's Granville Entertainment District at around 3 a.m.
Police say arriving officers found the four hurt and all were taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Witnesses say there was an altercation and three men who were patrons of the club were stabbed along with a male employee who tried to intervene.
Investigators say they believe it was a targeted attack that has links to the gang conflict in the Lower Mainland.
A suspect remains at large and is described as a black man about five feet 10 inches tall with dreadlocks and wearing a black puffy jacket.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Members of Quebec's official Opposition Liberals sworn in at the legislature
Quebec Liberals sworn in at legislature
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov
The Canadian Press
Quebec Liberal Leader Charles Millard urged his caucus to serve with clarity and humility today as they were sworn in at the provincial legislature.
Millard said his party's work isn't done after a strong Oct. 5 election result.
The party more than doubled its seat count, going from 18 to 40 and will serve as the official Opposition to the minority Parti Québécois government.
Former premier Jean Charest was on hand to watch as his son Antoine was sworn in as the new representative for the Verdun riding.
All of the Liberals opted to swear the oath to the Quebec people and not to the King, after the oath to the monarch was made optional in 2022.
One member, Affine Lwalalika, was not sworn in since a judicial recount is underway in her riding.
Milliard told his elected members to be proud, but also urged them to approach the role with “a healthy dose of clarity and humility.”
“If our work of rebuilding were complete, we would be the ones forming the government today,” he said, adding, “There are still many regions to win back.”
“The result on Oct. 5 is certainly an important milestone, but it is by no means the culmination of all our efforts.”
He said it's unclear how long the minority PQ government led by Paul St-Pierre Plamondon will last, and called for both discipline and teamwork.
“When it comes to resolving crises, the government will find in us a reliable and open partner, but when it comes to creating crises … it will find in us a tough and unyielding opponent,” he said.
Milliard also stated that the Quebec Fleur-de-lis is “just as striking alongside the Maple Leaf," in a plea for federalism that drew thunderous applause.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2026.
By Caroline Plante | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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