Statement from the Mayor: Surrey School District Capital Plan

In a unanimous vote, Surrey City Council turned back the Surrey School District’s 10-year Capital Plan because it did not account for the new provincial legislation of Bills 44, 46 and 47. The school district’s plan was prepared in early fall, well ahead of the new provincial housing regulations, which is why Council has asked them to go back and reassess their plan.

The ramifications of the new housing regulations will likely result in a significant increase in the number of students in Surrey. Council, unanimously, disagrees with the School Board’s projection of students in its 10-year Capital Plan. To date, it is fair to say that with the roughly 400 portables at Surrey schools, the student projections have been consistently underestimated. To suggest Council’s action is anything other than advocating for the bests interests of students is grossly inaccurate and offensive.

Surrey is doing our part in building new housing, but the province has to ensure there is adequate infrastructure to accommodate the growth. Whether it is new healthcare facilities, transit or schools, critical services have to be in place if we are going to build all the new housing that the province wants us to.

While it is unprecedented for Council to ask the Surrey School Board to reassess their plan, it is also unprecedented for the province to impose new housing regulations on municipalities without any consideration of local planning or zoning. The province needs to understand building new homes in isolation may solve one problem, but it creates a whole new host of others.