[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":293},["ShallowReactive",2],{"news-list":3,"article-\u002Fnews\u002Fsurrey-business-red-tape-survey-swrbot-october-2026":163,"article-people-\u002Fnews\u002Fsurrey-business-red-tape-survey-swrbot-october-2026":292},[4,22,35,46,58,69,82,94,105,116,128,141,153],{"path":5,"title":6,"description":7,"date":8,"publishedAt":9,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":12,"image":17,"imageAlt":18,"imageCredit":19,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fsurrey-board-of-education-byelection-garry-thind-mla","Surrey Board of Education faces possible $840,000 byelection after trustee wins provincial seat","Garry Thind was elected both a Surrey school trustee on October 17 and an MLA on October 24. Once sworn in as MLA, he will be disqualified as a trustee, and a court may decide whether to hold a $840,000 byelection or seat the next candidate.","2026-10-31","2026-10-31T08:00:00-07:00","voche.me editors","Election news",[13,14,15,16],"Surrey Board of Education","school trustee","byelection","Surrey First Education","https:\u002F\u002Fsurreynowleader.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002Fsites\u002F8\u002F2026\u002F10\u002FGarryThind_A.jpg?w=848","Garry Thind, re-elected Surrey school trustee and MLA-elect in Surrey-Guildford","Surrey Now-Leader",null,false,{"path":23,"title":24,"description":25,"date":8,"publishedAt":26,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":27,"image":32,"imageAlt":33,"imageCredit":34,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fsurrey-business-red-tape-survey-swrbot-october-2026","Surrey businesses report losing 300-plus hours a year to government paperwork","The Surrey and White Rock Board of Trade's 2026 Red Tape Survey finds 68 percent of respondents say compliance has a moderate or major impact on their business.","2026-10-31T17:30:00-07:00",[28,29,30,31],"Surrey","business","regulation","Board of Trade","https:\u002F\u002Fsurreynowleader.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002Fsites\u002F8\u002F2026\u002F10\u002F221028-SNW-M-14192454_web1_181030-SNW-M-Cutting-red-tape.jpg?w=1024","Cutting red tape sign at a Surrey event","Tom Zytaruk \u002F Surrey Now-Leader",{"path":36,"title":37,"description":38,"date":8,"publishedAt":39,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":40,"image":44,"imageAlt":45,"imageCredit":19,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fsurrey-fireworks-bylaw-halloween-diwali-october-2026","Surrey deploys bylaw officers for fireworks on Halloween and Diwali","The City of Surrey is enforcing its fireworks ban tonight and on November 8, with fines of up to $50,000 for illegal possession or use.","2026-10-31T17:15:00-07:00",[28,41,42,43],"bylaw","safety","fireworks","https:\u002F\u002Fsurreynowleader.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002Fsites\u002F8\u002F2026\u002F10\u002F760671467_3658636687608494_6881182518352511995_n_8d9da5.jpg?w=1024","Fireworks",{"path":47,"title":48,"description":49,"date":8,"publishedAt":50,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":51,"image":56,"imageAlt":57,"imageCredit":19,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fsurrey-police-board-names-matsumoto-chief-mccallum-demands-new-board","Surrey Police Board names Todd Matsumoto chief constable; McCallum calls for board's removal","The Surrey Police Board appointed Todd Matsumoto permanent chief constable on October 30, hours before the new council takes office, prompting mayor-elect Doug McCallum to demand the Province replace every board member.","2026-10-31T07:30:00-07:00",[52,53,54,55],"Surrey Police Service","Safe Surrey Coalition","police","inauguration","https:\u002F\u002Fsurreynowleader.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002Fsites\u002F8\u002F2026\u002F10\u002FSPS20new20chief20constable20matsumoto.jpg?w=1024","Todd Matsumoto, the newly appointed chief constable of Surrey Police Service",{"path":59,"title":60,"description":61,"date":62,"publishedAt":63,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":64,"image":20,"imageAlt":68,"imageCredit":20,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fsurrey-bus-attack-terrorist-sentenced-15-years","Surrey man sentenced to 15 years and 8 months for ISIS-inspired bus attack","Abdul Aziz Kawam, 31, was sentenced October 29, 2026 in BC Supreme Court to 15 years and 20 months on terrorism-related charges for a 2023 knife attack on two people in Surrey that he carried out in the name of ISIS.","2026-10-30","2026-10-30T08:30:00-07:00",[52,65,66,67],"Public Safety","Terrorism","Surrey Transit","Illustration of a city bus stop shelter on a suburban street",{"path":70,"title":71,"description":72,"date":62,"publishedAt":73,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":74,"image":79,"imageAlt":80,"imageCredit":81,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fsurrey-new-council-inaugural-meeting-november-2","Doug McCallum to lead inaugural Surrey council meeting Monday at 7 pm","The new Surrey City Council takes office Monday, November 2, 2026, with Mayor-elect Doug McCallum and eight councillors sworn in at a 7 pm ceremony at Surrey City Hall.","2026-10-30T07:53:00-07:00",[75,76,77,53,78],"Surrey City Council","Mayor","Inauguration","Surrey Connect","https:\u002F\u002Fsurreynowleader.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002Fsites\u002F8\u002F2026\u002F10\u002FMcCallum204_ad0488.jpg?w=1024","Doug McCallum smiling after winning the mayor's seat in the 2026 Surrey civic election","Tricia Leslie \u002F Peace Arch News",{"path":83,"title":84,"description":85,"date":62,"publishedAt":86,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":87,"image":91,"imageAlt":92,"imageCredit":93,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fsurrey-skytrain-safety-report-incidents-rising","SkyTrain safety incidents doubled since before the pandemic, report says","Technical Safety BC and TransLink issued a joint call to action on SkyTrain safety in October 2026, pointing to a report showing the incident rate on the Expo and Millennium lines doubled between 2016 to 2019 and 2023 to 2025.","2026-10-30T09:15:00-07:00",[88,89,65,90],"SkyTrain","TransLink","Getting Around Surrey","https:\u002F\u002Fsurreycitizen.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2026\u002F10\u002Funnamed.jpg","A SkyTrain station platform with transit infrastructure visible","Surrey Citizen",{"path":95,"title":96,"description":97,"date":62,"publishedAt":98,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":99,"image":102,"imageAlt":103,"imageCredit":104,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fsurrey-teen-police-shooting-inquest-november-9","Coroner's inquest into Surrey police shooting of 15-year-old starts November 9","The B.C. Coroners Service will hold an inquest into the 2025 fatal police shooting of a 15-year-old in Surrey's Clayton Heights neighbourhood, starting November 9, 2026. The inquest is a public fact-finding process and will not assign fault.","2026-10-30T10:00:00-07:00",[52,100,65,101],"Coroner's Inquest","Mental Health Response","https:\u002F\u002Fi.cbc.ca\u002Fais\u002F1.7459432,1793299595524\u002Ffull\u002Fmax\u002F0\u002Fdefault.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C1800%2C1012%29%3BResize%3D620","Photo of Chase de Balinhard, a 15-year-old Surrey teen who was fatally shot by police in 2025","GoFundMe.ca \u002F CBC",{"path":106,"title":107,"description":108,"date":109,"publishedAt":110,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":111,"image":113,"imageAlt":114,"imageCredit":115,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Flocke-reflects-surrey-election-october-29","Outgoing Mayor Brenda Locke says BC provincial election cost her the race","In an interview with the Vancouver Sun, Locke says momentum shifted in the final two to three weeks of the campaign after Premier Eby called a snap provincial vote.","2026-10-29","2026-10-29T07:50:00-07:00",[76,78,53,112],"election results","https:\u002F\u002Fsmartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\u002Fvancouversun\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2026\u002F10\u002Fpng1027-brenda-locke_305983393.jpg","Outgoing Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke in Surrey on October 27, 2026","Arlen Redekop \u002F PNG \u002F Vancouver Sun",{"path":117,"title":118,"description":119,"date":120,"publishedAt":121,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":122,"image":125,"imageAlt":126,"imageCredit":127,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fmetro-vancouver-rejects-mccallum-cancel-budget-vote-october-27","Metro Vancouver board will vote on 2027 budget Friday, rejecting McCallum's cancellation call","Surrey's mayor-elect Doug McCallum asked Metro Vancouver to cancel its October 30 meeting. The regional body confirmed the 2027 budget vote will proceed.","2026-10-27","2026-10-27T07:52:00-07:00",[76,53,123,124],"City of Surrey","Metro Vancouver","https:\u002F\u002Fsmartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\u002Fvancouversun\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2026\u002F09\u002F0922-surrey-election-newton-1.jpg","Doug McCallum at a Surrey election event","Jason Payne \u002F Vancouver Sun",{"path":129,"title":130,"description":131,"date":132,"publishedAt":133,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":134,"image":138,"imageAlt":139,"imageCredit":140,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fmccallum-cloverdale-harness-racing-plan-october-21","Doug McCallum sets out steps to bring harness racing back to Cloverdale by fall 2027","Surrey's mayor-elect says the City will rebuild the Cloverdale Fairgrounds barns and racing oval and sign a new racing lease, the Surrey Now-Leader reports. He says the Province must also commit.","2026-10-22","2026-10-22T22:37:00-07:00",[76,53,135,136,137],"Cloverdale Fairgrounds","harness racing","promise tracker","https:\u002F\u002Fsurreynowleader.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002Fsites\u002F8\u002F2026\u002F10\u002FFraserDowns.jpg?w=1024","A harness racing driver in a two wheeled cart behind a brown horse on a snow covered track, with the grandstand behind","Malin Jordan, Cloverdale Reporter",{"path":142,"title":143,"description":144,"date":132,"publishedAt":145,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":146,"image":150,"imageAlt":151,"imageCredit":152,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fsurrey-official-election-results-october-21","Surrey declares official 2026 election results, same 15 people elected","Surrey's Chief Election Officer declared the official results on October 21, 2026, naming Doug McCallum mayor with the same eight councillors and six trustees as election night.","2026-10-22T22:34:00-07:00",[76,147,148,149,53,16],"Councillor","School Trustee","official results","\u002Fimages\u002Fbc-surrey-2026\u002Fcity-hall-1600.webp","Surrey City Hall, a glass and stone building under a wide wooden roof, across an empty paved plaza under a blue sky","Northwest, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons",{"path":154,"title":155,"description":156,"date":132,"publishedAt":157,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":158,"image":160,"imageAlt":161,"imageCredit":162,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fsurrey-ward-system-referendum-elford-october-22","Surrey ward system may need a public vote first, Councillor Doug Elford says","Mayor-elect Doug McCallum promised to bring back ward elections in Surrey. Councillor Doug Elford told the Surrey Now-Leader the change will probably need a referendum and could take eight years.","2026-10-22T22:35:00-07:00",[76,147,53,159,137],"ward system","https:\u002F\u002Fsurreynowleader.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002Fsites\u002F8\u002F2026\u002F10\u002FAnnaCityHall.jpg?w=1024","The words City Hall in black letters on a wood panel wall beside a glass front at Surrey City Hall","Surrey Now-Leader file photo",{"id":164,"title":24,"aiMetadata":165,"author":10,"body":179,"candidates":238,"category":11,"date":8,"description":25,"extension":239,"faq":240,"image":32,"imageAlt":33,"imageCheckedAt":265,"imageCredit":34,"imageScene":20,"linkedin":266,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"meta":272,"metaDescription":273,"navigation":274,"path":23,"pinned":21,"primarySourceUrl":275,"publishedAt":26,"seo":276,"seoTitle":20,"sourceId":277,"sourceIsPaywalled":21,"sources":278,"stem":287,"storyType":288,"tags":289,"topicKey":290,"updated":20,"__hash__":291},"news\u002Fnews\u002Fsurrey-business-red-tape-survey-swrbot-october-2026.md",{"summary":166,"keyTopics":167,"semanticKeywords":173},"The Surrey and White Rock Board of Trade's ninth annual Red Tape Survey finds nearly half of local businesses lose more than 300 hours a year to compliance, with building permits, development charges and engineering services cited most often as municipal burdens.",[168,169,170,171,172],"red tape","business compliance","building permits","Surrey development","SWRBOT",[174,175,176,177,178],"Surrey business red tape","SWRBOT survey 2026","Surrey building permits","business compliance Surrey","Surrey White Rock Board of Trade",{"type":180,"value":181,"toc":230},"minimark",[182,186,189,194,197,200,204,207,210,213,217,220,224,227],[183,184,185],"p",{},"Nearly half of businesses in Surrey and White Rock lose more than 300 hours each year to government compliance, according to the Surrey and White Rock Board of Trade's ninth annual Red Tape Survey, released in October 2026.",[183,187,188],{},"The Surrey Now-Leader reported October 30 on the survey's findings. The 35-page report, available at swrbot.com, was based on a survey conducted from mid-July to early October 2026.",[190,191,193],"h2",{"id":192},"how-much-time-it-takes","How much time it takes",[183,195,196],{},"The report found that 46 percent of respondents spend six or more hours per week on compliance activities. Of those, 16 percent spend more than 20 hours per week. Another 29 percent spend one to five hours weekly, and 22 percent spend less than an hour.",[183,198,199],{},"The most time-consuming tasks, according to respondents: understanding requirements (60 percent), completing applications and forms (58 percent), gathering documents (56 percent), and waiting for approvals (51 percent).",[190,201,203],{"id":202},"the-overall-impact","The overall impact",[183,205,206],{},"A combined 68 percent of respondents said regulatory compliance had a moderate or major impact on their business or household, according to the report's own figures. Two-thirds, 67 percent, said municipal processes had affected their ability to operate, invest or grow. Only 20 percent said they had not been affected.",[183,208,209],{},"In Surrey specifically, building permits were rated the highest municipal burden, with 50 percent of respondents giving them a high red tape rating. Development and amenity cost charges followed at 48 percent, development applications and engineering services each at 46 percent, and development approval timelines at 43 percent.",[183,211,212],{},"The board of trade's policy advisor, Aman Parmar, said the survey results show that 41 percent of respondents did not know whether they needed to report the same information to multiple agencies, the Surrey Now-Leader reported. The report describes this as \"highlighting the need for better coordination and clearer processes.\"",[190,214,216],{"id":215},"what-the-report-recommends","What the report recommends",[183,218,219],{},"The board of trade makes four recommendations: establish clear service standards and predictable approval timelines; improve guidance and engage industry before changing requirements; reduce duplication and coordinate requirements across departments and levels of government; and simplify digital services and make processes easier to use.",[190,221,223],{"id":222},"what-this-means-for-surrey-businesses","What this means for Surrey businesses",[183,225,226],{},"The new Surrey City Council, led by Mayor-elect Doug McCallum, takes office on November 2, 2026. The board of trade says it is sharing its findings with all levels of government.",[183,228,229],{},"Business owners in Surrey can read the full 35-page report at swrbot.com or contact the Surrey and White Rock Board of Trade. The council's first meeting is on November 2 at Surrey City Hall.",{"title":231,"searchDepth":232,"depth":232,"links":233},"",2,[234,235,236,237],{"id":192,"depth":232,"text":193},{"id":202,"depth":232,"text":203},{"id":215,"depth":232,"text":216},{"id":222,"depth":232,"text":223},[],"md",[241,244,247,250,253,256,259,262],{"question":242,"answer":243},"What did the Surrey and White Rock Board of Trade find in its 2026 survey?","The Surrey and White Rock Board of Trade's ninth annual Red Tape Survey found that 68 percent of respondents said government compliance had a moderate or major impact on their business or household. The survey was conducted from mid-July to early October 2026 and the 35-page report was published in October 2026. The figures come from the report itself.",{"question":245,"answer":246},"How much time do Surrey businesses spend on compliance each week?","According to the SWRBOT 2026 Red Tape Survey report, 46 percent of respondents said they spend six or more hours per week on compliance activities. Of those, 16 percent spend more than 20 hours per week. Another 22 percent spend six to 10 hours and 7 percent spend 11 to 20 hours per week.",{"question":248,"answer":249},"Which city processes cause the most trouble for Surrey businesses?","The SWRBOT 2026 report says building permits were rated the highest municipal red tape area in Surrey, with 50 percent of respondents giving them a high rating. Development and amenity cost charges followed at 48 percent, development applications and engineering services each at 46 percent, and development approval timelines at 43 percent.",{"question":251,"answer":252},"What are the top compliance tasks businesses find hardest?","According to the survey report, the activities most often called costly or time-consuming were understanding requirements (60 percent), completing applications and forms (58 percent), gathering documents (56 percent), and waiting for approvals (51 percent).",{"question":254,"answer":255},"Did Surrey businesses say municipal processes delayed their operations?","The SWRBOT report found that two-thirds of respondents, 67 percent, said municipal processes or requirements had affected their ability to operate, invest or grow their business. Only 20 percent said they had not. Comments pointed to permits, business licences, inspections, development approvals, signage, zoning and property taxes.",{"question":257,"answer":258},"What does the board of trade recommend the City of Surrey do?","The Surrey and White Rock Board of Trade makes four recommendations in its 2026 report: establish clear service standards and predictable approval timelines; improve guidance and engage industry before changing requirements; reduce duplication and coordinate requirements across departments and governments; and simplify digital services and make processes easier to use.",{"question":260,"answer":261},"How were the survey respondents connected to Surrey?","The 2026 survey broadened participation beyond business owners. According to the report, 62 percent owned or operated a business in Surrey and 9 percent in White Rock. A further 40 percent worked in Surrey and 7 percent in White Rock. About 36 percent lived in Surrey and 5 percent in White Rock. Nearly 20 percent identified as a property owner, developer or investor. Respondents could select multiple categories.",{"question":263,"answer":264},"What can a Surrey business owner do with this report?","Business owners in Surrey can read the full 35-page report at swrbot.com and contact the Surrey and White Rock Board of Trade directly. The new Surrey City Council takes office on November 2, 2026, and the board is sharing its findings with all levels of government to push for process changes.","2026-10-31T17:13:00-07:00",{"short":267,"long":268,"hashtags":269},"68% of Surrey and White Rock businesses say government compliance has a moderate or major impact on them. Building permits are the top complaint. The SWRBOT 2026 Red Tape Survey has the details.","The Surrey and White Rock Board of Trade's 2026 Red Tape Survey finds 46% of respondents spend 6 or more hours per week on compliance alone. Building permits top the list of municipal burdens at 50% in Surrey. The 35-page report calls for clear service standards, predictable timelines and less duplication across government.",[28,270,271,172],"SurreyBC","SmallBusiness",{"sourceName":19},"Surrey's board of trade says 68% of local businesses face moderate or major compliance burdens. Building permits top the list of municipal complaints.",true,"https:\u002F\u002Fsurreynowleader.com\u002F2026\u002F10\u002F30\u002Fsurrey-white-rock-businesses-wrapped-up-in-government-red-tape",{"title":24,"description":25},"surrey-now-leader:https:\u002F\u002Fsurreynowleader.com\u002F2026\u002F10\u002F30\u002Fsurrey-white-rock-businesses-wrapped-up-in-government-red-tape\u002F",[279,281,284],{"label":280,"url":275},"Surrey Now-Leader: Surrey, White Rock businesses wrapped up in government red tape",{"label":282,"url":283},"SWRBOT 2026 Red Tape Survey Report (PDF)","https:\u002F\u002Fswrbot.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2026\u002F10\u002F2026-Red-Tape-Survey-Report.pdf",{"label":285,"url":286},"Surrey and White Rock Board of Trade","https:\u002F\u002Fswrbot.com","news\u002Fsurrey-business-red-tape-survey-swrbot-october-2026","reported",[28,29,30,31],"city-of-surrey\u002Fbusiness","bMvsM_0zsazR1g-NGtDnkHIlbwRb8gLIE3sfq0crLXU",[],1793492566654]