Doug McCallum elected Surrey mayor for a third stint

Surrey residents have elected Doug McCallum mayor again. McCallum lost to Brenda Locke by fewer than 1,000 votes in 2022, but defeated her this year to return to an office he held from 2018 to 2022 and for nine years in the 1990s and early 2000s. As of 9:45 p.m. Saturday, McCallum had more than 27,000 votes to Locke’s 18,400.

At a raucous celebration, supporters chanted McCallum’s name as he took the microphone. “Why don’t we say, ‘Surrey! Surrey! Surrey!’” the mayor-elect said, changing the chant from “Doug! Doug! Doug!” He thanked his family, supporters, volunteers and Safe Surrey Coalition candidates. McCallum said the team had delivered more than 1,000 speeches to Surrey residents and had developed “the best team, the best platform, and the best track record of any city council in the history of Surrey.” He also pledged to appoint Coun. Mandeep Nagra deputy mayor after taking office, drawing loud cheers.

Locke addressed supporters in a subdued setting and appeared to concede, though she did not name McCallum. She thanked residents who had put their faith in her, said she would always love the city and remain committed to its success, and urged people to keep working together, saying Surrey was stronger than any single election.

A few minutes later, Locke told CTV News Vancouver’s Michele Brunoro that the campaign’s tone had been “very, very ugly” and probably among the worst she had seen. She said the verbal and written attacks were aggressive.

After his victory speech, McCallum told CTV News Vancouver’s Shannon Paterson that his party had “listened to the people.” Voters identified affordability, safety and infrastructure as their three priorities, he said, and his team built a platform around them. He said he and the new council would address those priorities as soon as they were sworn in. The council appeared set to consist mostly of Safe Surrey Coalition members. McCallum said the team would approve everything it promised through a motion at the first council meeting.

As in 2022, policing and public safety were central campaign issues. McCallum and the Safe Surrey Coalition promised “zero tolerance” for extortion and other crimes and “more boots on the ground.” They also pledged no tax increases over their four-year term, and a helicopter and drone fleet for the Surrey Police Service within 90 days.

Creating a municipal police force was McCallum’s signature promise in his 2018 campaign and arguably cost him re-election in 2022. That year, Locke promised to halt the transition and keep the RCMP as Surrey’s police of jurisdiction. She ultimately could not stop the change, despite challenging it in court.

Asked by Brunoro whether her council’s record of tax increases—about 20 per cent over four years—contributed to her defeat, Locke described the hikes as a by-product of the police transition. “I hate to say, ‘I told you so,’ but I did,” she said. “I told you municipal policing was going to cost a lot, and it certainly did.” She added that she hopes McCallum will “let Surrey do what it can do best.” Locke said Surrey is positioned to become an economic powerhouse in the province and the country.