Surrey's new council plans first vote on all 15 election commitments November 9
Doug McCallum was sworn in as mayor November 2 for a fifth term, and the new council will vote on every commitment from the October election at its first regular meeting on November 9.
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Doug McCallum was sworn in as mayor of Surrey on Monday, November 2, 2026, for a fifth term. The new council will vote on all 15 of his election commitments at its first regular meeting on November 9, the City of Surrey said in a press release posted after the ceremony.
The inauguration
The ceremony took place at Surrey City Hall. Eight councillors were sworn in alongside McCallum: Cheney Cloke, Doug Elford, Meera Gill, Suhana Gill, Laurie Guerra, Mandeep Singh Nagra, and Allison Patton from the Safe Surrey Coalition, and Harry Bains from Surrey Connect. Nagra was appointed deputy mayor.
Safe Surrey Coalition holds 7 of the 8 council seats. McCallum, now 82, previously served as mayor from 1996 to 2005 and from 2018 to 2022. He defeated incumbent Brenda Locke in the October 2026 election.
Daily Hive quoted McCallum at the ceremony: "I did not come back to add to the list. I came back to finish the job."
The 15 commitments, all going to a vote November 9
The City of Surrey's press release lists all 15 commitments that the new council will vote on at the November 9 meeting:
- A new women's and children's hospital in Newton on City-owned land, with an emergency room, surgery, ICU, maternity care and a children's ICU.
- A four-year property tax freeze at zero percent.
- Zero tolerance on crime and extortion, with more officers deployed.
- A SkyTrain extension down King George Boulevard from Surrey City Centre to Newton.
- Positioning Surrey as a global city to attract investment and tourism.
- A police helicopter and drone fleet, within 90 days.
- New pools in Clayton Heights, City Centre, Newton and Cloverdale.
- Heritage designation for Crescent Beach and Ocean Park, the area from 140 Street west to the ocean, with single-family zoning and restrictions on tree removal.
- Free fees for seniors, free swim lessons for ages 3 to 16, and a four-year recreation fee freeze.
- A Farm Local Plan to protect farmland and increase local food production.
- An independent forensic audit of city land dealings.
- Withdrawal from the Metro Vancouver Regional District, with core services maintained.
- A 60-day residential building permit guarantee. If the City misses the deadline, the fees are waived.
- Free business licences for new businesses for two years.
- Purchase of Rosemary Heights Retreat Centre Lands to prevent residential development and create a permanent park.
The City's press release also says the November 9 meeting will include a motion to create a Commission on Government Efficiency with a 100-day reporting requirement, and a zero-tolerance policy for illegal dumping with enhanced penalties.
What needs provincial support
Surrey Citizen reported that both the new hospital and the SkyTrain extension require provincial approval and funding. Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson committed to both during his campaign, according to Surrey Citizen, but gave no specific funding details. Without the Province acting, the council motions establish the City's position but cannot move construction forward.
McCallum also said he wants to work with UBC to build a full campus at Surrey City Centre. Daily Hive reported that UBC has already purchased more than 5 acres near King George Station: a 3-acre site at 9770 King George Boulevard and a 2-acre site at 9666 King George Boulevard. A major campus was announced in 2021 but had not been built as of November 2026. No timeline or cost was given at the ceremony.
Similarly, the Metro Vancouver withdrawal commitment puts the City on record as wanting to leave the regional district, but it is a formal resolution by the provincial government that decides whether a municipality can exit. The commitment on the November 9 agenda is a signal of intent, and the council vote will be the first step in a process that requires a provincial decision.
Commitments and the tracker
Several of the 15 commitments match promises already on the Surrey promise tracker. McCallum's tracker page lists the property tax freeze, the police helicopter and drone fleet, the SkyTrain extension to Newton, the new hospital in Newton, the Metro Vancouver withdrawal, the forensic audit of land deals, and the 60-day permit guarantee. The November 9 vote is when these move from campaign promises to formal council motions. The tracker page will be updated as council acts on each one.
Surrey Citizen noted that McCallum said taxes went up 30 percent under Locke and "nothing got built." That figure is McCallum's own claim; the site has not independently verified it. Surrey Citizen also noted that Surrey already has one of Metro Vancouver's lowest property tax rates.
The new council's composition
The Surrey Now-Leader reported three councillors as new to council: Meera Gill, Suhana Gill and Cheney Cloke. Harry Bains, Doug Elford and Mandeep Singh Nagra return as councillors. Allison Patton and Laurie Guerra return after earlier stints on council.
Harry Bains is the only councillor from Surrey Connect, the party that ran under outgoing mayor Brenda Locke. The Safe Surrey Coalition's majority means its platform commitments have enough votes to pass as council motions on November 9 if all members vote with the coalition.
What you can do
The November 9 council meeting starts at 7 p.m. at Surrey City Hall and is open to the public. The City says it will be livestreamed at surrey.ca. That meeting is when the council is scheduled to vote on each of the 15 commitments; anyone who wants to watch the votes can attend in person or watch the stream. The Surrey results page shows who was elected in October, and the tracker will log how each commitment progresses through the term.
Questions this story answers
When was the new Surrey council sworn in?
The new council was sworn in on Monday, November 2, 2026, at Surrey City Hall. Doug McCallum was sworn in as mayor for a fifth term. Mandeep Singh Nagra was appointed deputy mayor. The eight councillors are Cheney Cloke, Doug Elford, Meera Gill, Suhana Gill, Laurie Guerra, Mandeep Singh Nagra, Allison Patton from the Safe Surrey Coalition and Harry Bains from Surrey Connect.
What are the 15 election commitments Surrey council will vote on November 9?
The City of Surrey's press release lists all 15: a four-year property tax freeze at zero percent; a new women's and children's hospital in Newton on City-owned land; zero tolerance on crime and extortion with more officers; a SkyTrain extension down King George Boulevard to Newton; positioning Surrey as a global city for investment and tourism; a police helicopter and drone fleet within 90 days; new pools in Clayton Heights, City Centre, Newton and Cloverdale; heritage designation for Crescent Beach and Ocean Park with single-family zoning and tree-cut restrictions; free senior fees, free swim lessons for ages 3 to 16, and a four-year recreation fee freeze; a Farm Local Plan protecting farmland; an independent forensic audit of city land dealings; withdrawal from Metro Vancouver Regional District core services maintained; a 60-day residential building permit guarantee with fee waivers if the City misses the deadline; free business licences for new businesses for two years; and purchase of Rosemary Heights Retreat Centre Lands to establish a permanent park.
What additional motions will council consider at the November 9 meeting?
Beyond the 15 commitments, the City's press release says the November 9 meeting will also consider a Commission on Government Efficiency with a 100-day reporting requirement, and a zero-tolerance policy for illegal dumping with enhanced penalties. Both were part of McCallum's platform.
What did McCallum promise about the UBC Surrey campus?
McCallum said he will work with the University of British Columbia to build a full campus at Surrey City Centre. As reported by Daily Hive, UBC has already purchased two parcels near King George Station totalling more than 5 acres: a 3-acre site at 9770 King George Boulevard and a 2-acre site at 9666 King George Boulevard. A major campus was announced in 2021 but had not yet been built as of November 2026.
What did McCallum say about property taxes under the previous mayor?
McCallum said during his inaugural speech that taxes went up 30 percent under Brenda Locke and 'nothing got built.' Surrey Citizen notes that Surrey already has one of Metro Vancouver's lowest property tax rates. The claim about the 30 percent increase is McCallum's own statement; the site has not independently verified the figure.
Who is Mandeep Singh Nagra, and why is the deputy mayor role significant?
Mandeep Singh Nagra is a returning Safe Surrey Coalition councillor now serving as deputy mayor. Several media outlets reported this as the first time a person of Punjabi heritage has held the deputy mayor role in Surrey, though this site has not independently verified that claim. Nagra's appointment was announced at the November 2 inauguration ceremony.
What needs to happen before major commitments like the hospital and SkyTrain extension can proceed?
Surrey Citizen reported that both the new hospital and the SkyTrain extension require provincial approval and funding. Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson committed to both during his campaign, according to Surrey Citizen, but gave no specific funding details. The commitments will be voted on by council November 9, but they cannot be built without the Province acting.
When is Surrey council's first regular meeting, and can the public attend?
The first regular meeting is November 9, 2026, at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers at Surrey City Hall. The City of Surrey says the meeting is open to the public and will be livestreamed at surrey.ca. The November 9 meeting is when the 15 election commitments and additional motions are scheduled for a vote.
How did Safe Surrey Coalition do in the October 2026 election?
Safe Surrey Coalition holds 7 of the 8 council seats: Cheney Cloke, Doug Elford, Meera Gill, Suhana Gill, Laurie Guerra, Mandeep Singh Nagra and Allison Patton. Harry Bains, the eighth councillor, ran under Surrey Connect, the party led by outgoing mayor Brenda Locke. McCallum defeated Locke in the mayoral race.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- City of Surrey: New council takes office and will pass motions on every election commitment at its first meetingsurrey.ca
- Daily Hive Vancouver: Full inaugural speech by Mayor Doug McCallum, November 3, 2026dailyhive.com
- Surrey Citizen: McCallum promises to 'unleash' Surrey's economy in inaugural speech, November 3, 2026surreycitizen.com
- Surrey Now-Leader: 5 women, 4 men sworn in as new Surrey council, November 3, 2026surreynowleader.com
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