Surrey council approves 748 affordable rental homes and three childcare centres
At its first land use meeting on November 13, the new council advanced 44 development applications including two affordable rental towers in City Centre and childcare in several new buildings.
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Surrey City Council approved 748 affordable rental homes and three new childcare facilities at its first Regular Council Land Use meeting on November 13, 2026. The council advanced 44 development applications in a single session, covering more than 1,800 homes in total.
What council approved
The City of Surrey's press release from November 13 lists the approvals in full. Two high-rise towers in City Centre will carry the 748 affordable rental units. A further 575 rental homes were approved in the same session but without an affordable designation. The remaining approvals covered 1,475 apartment units, 327 townhouse units, and 57 residential lots. Three childcare facilities were included across several of the new buildings. Council also approved about 43,700 square metres of commercial and industrial floor area, including a six-storey hotel and restaurant.
Mayor Doug McCallum said in the press release: "The biggest cost in any Surrey family's life is a roof over their head, and the second is child care. On Monday night, this Council moved forward 748 affordable rental homes, 575 more rental homes and three child-care centres, in our very first Land Use meeting."
He added: "You cannot make a city affordable by making it harder to build in. You make it affordable by saying yes to homes, yes to child care and yes to the businesses that create good-paying jobs, and then getting out of the way."
The 16 priorities driving this
The land use meeting followed the council's adoption of 16 priorities on November 9. The Link Newspaper published all 16 on November 13. Among the housing-related ones: a four-year property tax freeze for 2027 to 2030, a new hospital on City-owned land in Newton fast-tracked through rezoning, a SkyTrain extension along King George Boulevard to Newton, a commitment to new pools in Clayton Heights, City Centre, Newton and Cloverdale, and a 60-day residential building permit guarantee.
The 60-day permit guarantee also directs staff to waive permit fees if City Hall misses the deadline, according to the Link Newspaper. City staff have been directed to bring cost estimates and implementation plans to a future council meeting.
Daily Hive reported that Harry Bains, Surrey Connect's sole councillor, requested separate votes on each of the 16 priorities. Bains supported the Newton SkyTrain extension and hospital priorities. He opposed the property tax freeze, the police helicopter and drone fleet, the Crescent Beach and Ocean Park zoning, the Rosemary Heights land purchase, and the reintegration of the Surrey City Development Corporation. All 16 passed with the Safe Surrey Coalition's majority.
What the housing means for City Centre
The two affordable rental towers in City Centre are part of a broader push to densify the area around the future SkyTrain stops on the Surrey-Langley extension. City Centre is the name Surrey uses for the area around King George Station and 104 Avenue. The towers will add rental supply in a district the City has been targeting for growth through its official community plan.
The press release does not name the developers, the addresses, the number of floors, the rent levels that qualify units as affordable, or the income bands they will serve. Those details appear in the individual development reports, which are posted as part of the meeting agenda on the City's agendas and minutes page.
Childcare in new buildings
The three childcare facilities approved November 13 are inside new residential buildings, a model Surrey has been using to add childcare alongside new housing. The City does not specify in the press release which of the 44 applications include the facilities, how many licensed spaces they will add, or when they will open.
Council also approved the reintegration of the Surrey City Development Corporation into City operations as one of its 16 priorities. The SCDC was a City-owned corporation that managed development projects. Its reintegration, opposed by Councillor Bains at the November 9 meeting, means those functions return under direct City control. How that change affects City Centre development projects is not yet set out in any public report.
What comes next
A Special Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 16, at 9:00 AM in Council Chambers, according to the City of Surrey's council meetings page. The agenda has not been published on the site. Regular council meetings follow a Monday schedule through the year.
City staff have been directed to report back on costs and timelines for the 16 priorities. The Daily Hive reported that those reports will come to future council meetings.
Surrey residents can follow the promise tracker at /bc/surrey-2026/tracker to see how the housing and childcare commitments are recorded and updated as council acts on them.
How to follow the approvals
Meeting agendas and minutes are posted at surrey.ca under City Government. Residents who want to speak at a land use meeting or a public hearing can register as a delegation at that same address. Land use meetings are held on Monday afternoons and public hearings on Monday evenings, both at Council Chambers, 13450 104 Avenue.
Questions this story answers
How many affordable rental homes did Surrey council approve on November 13?
Surrey City Council approved 748 affordable rental units on November 13, 2026, at its first Regular Council Land Use meeting. The units will be in two high-rise towers in City Centre. The council approved more than 1,800 homes in total that night across 44 development applications, as the City of Surrey's own press release reports.
What else did Surrey council approve at its November 13 land use meeting?
Along with the 748 affordable rental units, council approved 1,475 apartment units, 327 townhouse units, 57 residential lots, three new childcare facilities, and about 43,700 square metres of commercial and industrial floor area including a six-storey hotel and restaurant, according to the City of Surrey's press release from November 13.
Who voted against any of the approvals at the November 13 land use meeting?
The City of Surrey's press release from November 13 does not name any opposed votes on the land use applications. At the November 9 priorities meeting, Councillor Harry Bains of Surrey Connect was the only councillor outside Mayor McCallum's Safe Surrey Coalition and requested separate votes on each of the 16 priorities, according to Daily Hive. The land use applications are separate proceedings.
What are Surrey council's 16 priorities for the 2026-2030 term?
Surrey City Council adopted 16 priorities on November 9, 2026. They include a four-year property tax freeze (2027-2030), a new hospital on City-owned land in Newton, a SkyTrain extension to Newton along King George Boulevard, a police helicopter and drone fleet within 90 days, new pools in four areas, free recreation for seniors, free swim lessons for children aged 3 to 16, a 60-day building permit guarantee, free business licences for new businesses in their first two years, and a forensic audit of the previous council's land dealings. The Link Newspaper published all 16 on November 13.
What is the 60-day building permit guarantee Surrey council adopted?
One of the 16 council priorities adopted on November 9 commits the City to approving residential building permits within 60 days. The Link Newspaper reported that the motion also directs staff to waive permit fees if City Hall misses that deadline. City staff will bring forward cost estimates and an implementation plan at a future council meeting.
When is the next Surrey City Council meeting after November 13?
The City of Surrey's council meetings page lists a Special Council meeting on Monday, November 16, 2026, at 9:00 AM in Council Chambers. The meeting is open to the public. Regular council meeting agendas are posted at surrey.ca.
What is the difference between affordable rental and market rental in the November 13 approvals?
The City of Surrey's press release from November 13 identifies 748 of the more than 1,300 rental homes approved that night as affordable rental units, located in two high-rise towers in City Centre. The remaining 575 are described as rental homes without an affordable designation. The release does not define the income levels or rent levels that qualify a unit as affordable.
How can a Surrey resident speak at a land use meeting or public hearing?
Surrey City Council holds Regular Council Land Use meetings and public hearings on Mondays at Council Chambers, 13450 104 Avenue. Residents can register as a delegation to address council before a vote. Meeting schedules, agendas and registration information are at surrey.ca under City Government. A public hearing is held when a rezoning or official community plan change is proposed, and residents can submit written comments or speak in person.
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