Meet the MLA candidates for Surrey South

With a provincial election approaching, the Surrey Now-Leader asked candidates for the Surrey South MLA seat to complete a questionnaire for voters. The five candidates are CentreBC Leader Elenore Sturko; Conservative candidate and White Rock Mayor Megan Knight; BC NDP candidate Parik Tahlan; BC Greens candidate Bill McConnell; and Denis Hurtubise, listed as unaffiliated on the Elections BC website but shown as endorsed by OneBC.

In the 2024 provincial election, former Conservative MLA Brent Chapman received 58.8 per cent of the votes cast by Surrey South constituents. NDP candidate Haroon Ghaffar received 41.2 per cent of the 22,192 votes cast. Chapman left the Conservative Party of BC for OneBC before this year’s snap election was called, but chose not to run. Sturko was first elected as a BC United MLA in the riding in a 2022 byelection, replacing Stephanie Cadieux, who became Canada’s first Chief Accessibility Officer. Sturko later crossed the floor to the Conservatives and won the 2024 election in Surrey-Cloverdale. After former Conservative leader John Rustad removed her from caucus in September 2025, she became an independent MLA in Surrey-Cloverdale.

Responses follow in alphabetical order.

**Denis Hurtubise, unaffiliated/OneBC**

Peace Arch News did not receive a response from Hurtubise.

**Megan Knight, Conservative Party of BC**

Knight is White Rock’s mayor and a former city councillor. She is a BC Notary Public, serves on the Sources Foundation board and received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medallion.

Her three priorities are an income-tax cut so people keep more money; restoring the seniors’ property tax deferment program; and restoring public safety through increased policing measures and enforcement.

Asked what she would aim to accomplish in her first 100 days, Knight said she would work to fulfil the BC Conservatives’ 100-day health-care plan. That includes launching an independent expert commission to identify proven ways to reduce wait times, keep emergency rooms open, and recruit and retain more doctors and nurses.

Knight said she brings eight years of municipal public service as a councillor and mayor, along with 25 years of professional experience as a BC Notary Public. She said her experience in community leadership, problem-solving and working with different levels of government has prepared her to represent Surrey South in the Legislative Assembly in Victoria.

Voters can find her on Twitter at MeganKnightBC, Instagram at meganknightofficial and Facebook as Megan Knight. Her campaign office is at 15550 32nd Avenue Surrey BC V3Z 0G3. Her email is surreysouthteam@outlook.com.

**Bill McConnell, BC Greens**

McConnell is a journeyman electrician who grew up in Delta and has lived in White Rock or Surrey for the past 24 years.

His three priorities are LNG, which he says makes people sick through fracking while yielding little benefit; more funding and better administration for health care; and appropriate housing, which he says is necessary for a good life.

For his first 100 days, McConnell said he would learn how the legislature works and its procedures, including when to speak and when to listen. He would establish good communication with constituents, hear their concerns and learn where to direct their complaints. In caucus, he said, he would listen carefully and speak only when he had something useful to say, making it more likely that others would listen. He would also keep the Green Party’s basic policies in mind when deciding how to vote.

Asked why he should be elected, McConnell gave the same response printed for Knight: he said he brings eight years of municipal public service as a councillor and mayor, as well as 25 years of professional experience as a BC Notary Public. He said his background in community leadership, problem-solving and work with different levels of government has prepared him to represent Surrey South in the Legislative Assembly in Victoria.

Voters can contact him at Bmcconnell074@gmail.com or visit Bcgreens.ca.

**Elenore Sturko, CentreBC Party**

Sturko said she is CentreBC’s leader, has represented Surrey South as an MLA since 2022, is a former RCMP officer, and is a proud wife and mother of three.

Her three priorities are lowering income taxes and making life more affordable; ensuring a family doctor for everyone who wants one; and building more homes faster by setting approval deadlines.

Sturko said she would get to work on affordability and services. Her plans include introducing legislation to lower income taxes for working families and a Balanced Budget and Spending Control Act so every promise is paid for. She said her team would begin automatically registering everyone without a family doctor and set provincial deadlines for housing approvals. She also pledged to halve the number of senior health executive positions and put the savings into patient care. For Surrey South, she said she would keep pressing for the health care, schools and transit the fast-growing community needs.

Sturko said British Columbians are tired of choosing between extremes. She described CentreBC’s offer as a practical, fully costed plan for lower taxes, a doctor for everyone and faster homebuilding. She said she has served the community as an MLA and police officer and would continue delivering visible results.

Voters can reach her at www.centrebc.ca, on the platform page at www.centrebc.ca/platform, by phone at 672-230-6524, by email at contact@centrebc.ca or on X at @elenoresturko.

**Parik Tahlan, BC NDP**

Tahlan is a Surrey South security and risk-management professional with more than 20 years of leadership experience. He holds an MBA and a Master of Laws.

His three priorities are cutting fuel costs and grocery bills for Surrey families; keeping ICBC rates frozen through 2030; and expanding access to doctors, clinics and timely care.

Tahlan said that in his first 100 days he would press for practical relief at the pump, grocery store and insurance office. The BC NDP has promised to suspend 10 cents per litre of fuel tax and give the B.C. Utilities Commission tools to curb price gouging at the pump. Its grocery plan would cap profits on basic foods and remove barriers to competition, with potential savings of up to $700 a year. Tahlan also said he would support keeping ICBC rates frozen through 2030, building more team-based primary-care clinics in Surrey, adding 1,000 health-worker training seats and fast-tracking qualified international medical graduates.

Tahlan said he has more than 20 years of experience managing risk, leading security teams for major companies and keeping people safe. He said he would listen, take responsibility and focus on lower household costs and accessible health care for Surrey South. He added that losing his mother to cancer when he was young makes that work personal.

Voters can find him at pariktahlan.bcndp.ca, by email at parik.tahlan@bcndp.ca, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61595040486765 and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/parik.tahlan/.