Linda Annis’s Surrey First vows to cancel 10,000-seat arena and build conference and performing arts venues

Surrey First mayoral candidate and sitting city councillor Linda Annis is proposing a conference centre for 1,000 delegates and a 2,000-seat performing arts centre in Surrey City Centre, as alternatives to Mayor Brenda Locke and the Surrey Connect party’s planned 10,000-seat indoor arena. The projects are part of Surrey First’s proposed $1.8-billion package of major community facilities. The platform also promises more police officers, free recreation access for children and seniors, and no increase to residential or business property taxes in 2027.

Annis pledged to cancel the arena at the launch of her mayoral campaign in September 2025. In a statement in mid-September 2026, Surrey First reiterated that she would not proceed with Locke’s arena project, saying it puts taxpayers’ money at risk and that improving neighbourhood recreation facilities should be a priority.

In June 2026, after a bidding process, the City of Surrey announced an agreement with the owners of the WHL’s Vancouver Giants to build a 10,000-seat arena at 10355 King George Blvd. The 5.1-acre site was formerly a Safeway grocery store, immediately east of SkyTrain’s Surrey Central Station. The City would acquire it through a $116.6-million land swap with local developer Wesgroup Properties, which had struggled for years to get its proposed high-density, mixed-use redevelopment moving.

The municipal government says the arena would host concerts, conventions, community gatherings and other sports and entertainment events, in addition to Giants home games. The larger complex is planned to include a luxury hotel with about 175 guest rooms and some conference space, 100,000 sq. ft. of office and retail and restaurant uses, and residential uses. The City has set aside $200 million in its 2026-2030 capital plan to cover most of the arena’s estimated $360-million construction cost, although acquiring the land would not require a cash payment. Preliminary construction and site preparation for the arena began at the former Safeway site in early September 2026, when the Giants and City officials held a groundbreaking ceremony.

Surrey First argues that conferences and meetings would generate more sustained spending at local businesses than individual hockey games or concerts. Annis said a concert or hockey game lasts three hours, while a conference lasts three days, and each delegate is worth more than $1,000 to the local economy through spending at hotels, restaurants, taxis and retailers. She said major conference and performing arts facilities would be pursued through public-private partnerships that set and limit taxpayers’ financial obligations upfront. The alternatives would use long-term leases of City-owned land instead of permanent sales or land swaps. Annis said the City would never sell its land and would use it to help build major civic facilities and grow the economy.

Another major part of the platform is a redevelopment of the Cloverdale Fairgrounds, including a 150,000-sq.-ft. convention and exhibition centre and a multisport facility with a 50-metre competition pool. Surrey First would move the Cloverdale Curling Rink to the Cloverdale Ice Complex and the Vintage Truck Museum to the Surrey Museum. It also proposes commercial and hospitality space along the fairgrounds’ 176 Street edge and would encourage Elements Casino to add a hotel, banquet facilities and meeting space.

For the emerging Cloverdale Town Centre, Surrey First wants a coordinated theme, citing Fort Langley and Chilliwack’s District 1881 as examples. The goal is to attract more regional visitors to the town centre and fairgrounds. Locke’s Surrey Connect party, by contrast, envisions a convention and exhibition centre of up to 200,000 sq. ft. at the fairgrounds, in addition to the Surrey City Centre arena. Its plan also includes a major hotel and some commercial and residential development to establish a year-round entertainment hub.

Imagine Surrey mayoral candidate Mike Starchuk wants to revive the fairgrounds as a year-round destination for agriculture, rodeo and community events, with the involvement of Semiahmoo First Nation and Kwantlen First Nation. Safe Surrey Coalition mayoral candidate Doug McCallum proposes rebuilding the fairgrounds’ horse barns and racecourse. They were demolished after the City decided in summer 2025 to terminate the site’s lease for Fraser Downs horse racing. McCallum wants to restore the fairgrounds’ horse-racing tradition and introduce new checks and balances to prevent redevelopment for uses beyond event facilities.

Across Surrey, Annis’s party proposes a 20-year recreation construction plan targeting one new project every 16 months, starting with the Newton Indoor Sports Centre at Newton Athletic Park. It would provide free access to municipal pools, rinks, gyms and community centres for Surrey children and seniors. The party estimates 160,000 children and 120,000 seniors would benefit. A swimming initiative would aim to teach 60,000 children over four years, supporting the goal of every Surrey child learning to swim by age 10.

Other commitments include seeking greater public access to school gyms and playing fields, adding park benches and covered picnic tables for seniors and elders, improving lighting and washrooms, and launching a Surrey Festival of the Arts in 2027.

On public safety, Surrey First promises to complete the transition from Surrey RCMP to Surrey Police Services and add 300 police officers over four years. A new police training centre would support faster recruitment and training. The party also proposes giving police round-the-clock access to live feeds from 600 City-operated traffic cameras and adding 600 police security cameras. Staffing plans include hiring 40 firefighters and 25 bylaw officers annually, as well as building an emergency services training centre for firefighters.

Annis, who has served on City Council for eight years, says the platform responds to concerns about safety, rising costs and infrastructure failing to keep up with population growth. She said she had watched two mayors disappoint residents and taxpayers during her time as a councillor.

To support its financial commitments, Annis promises a review within 90 days of being elected to identify savings and improve municipal operations. The platform describes it as an examination of a $2-billion budget. Alongside a 2027 property tax freeze, Surrey First vows to stop using additional fees and levies to obscure the overall increase facing taxpayers.

Following the City of Vancouver’s 2021 creation of an independent Auditor General, Surrey First would create one for Surrey’s municipal government to scrutinize spending and assess whether programs deliver value for money. An annual public report would track progress on planned and ongoing capital projects.

The party’s economic strategy focuses on attracting employers so more residents can work closer to home. Annis argues that expanding the business tax base would ease pressure on residential taxpayers. The platform identifies six growth areas: manufacturing; technology and emerging industries; agriculture and food processing; business and professional services; transportation and logistics; and construction materials and support services. Annis said Surrey must demonstrate in practical ways that it is ready to do business, starting with sectors where it has natural advantages.

For businesses and residents dealing with Surrey City Hall, Surrey First proposes an “Amazon-style” online system to track permits, applications, inspections and other requests. It sets a five-day approval target for routine licences and calls for measurable customer service standards. A one-year pilot would extend City Hall service counter hours to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on three days each week. Other proposed changes include a 311 information line and a public question period at every council meeting.

Annis would give councillors written assignments outlining their responsibilities for particular municipal services, regardless of party affiliation. She said all councillors would be offered the chance to help, adding that she wanted to put politics aside and work for the city if elected.

Transportation commitments include identifying the 50 intersections most urgently needing improvements and doubling the pace of sidewalk construction. The party also wants infrastructure needs considered from the outset of development planning. Surrey First would urge TransLink to improve bus service by reallocating buses freed up when SkyTrain’s Millennium Line Broadway extension opens to Arbutus in 2027 and the Expo Line Surrey-Langley extension opens in 2029. The party also wants investment in street-level light rail transit in Surrey after the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension is built. It proposes seeking access to provincial, municipal and BC Hydro rights-of-way for truck parking, citing a shortage of more than 2,000 spaces.

Along with Annis’s mayoral campaign, Surrey First is running eight City Council candidates: Janet Brown, Clint Stewart, Debra Antifaev, Mike Bose, Bilal Cheema, Gagan Nahal, Jasroop Gosal and Shina Vermani. Surrey’s civic election general voting day is Saturday, Oct. 17, with voting locations open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. A week later, on Saturday, Oct. 24, B.C. voters will cast ballots in the provincial general election to choose the MLA for their riding, helping determine which party forms the next provincial government.