Mayor Brenda Locke calls for more control, exemptions with proposed Surrey Charter

Vancouver is the only municipality in B.C. with its own charter but Surrey is expected to become B.C.'s largest city by 2030

Published Sep 06, 2024  •  3 minute read

Surrey mayor Brenda Locke. Photo by Jason Payne /PNG

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke is calling for a Surrey Charter that would grant B.C.’s fastest-growing municipality with more powers and possibly exempt it from new provincial housing legislation.

On Monday, Surrey council will vote on the concept for a proposed charter similar to Vancouver’s, which is a provincial statute governing how the city operates.

If approved, Locke said the result will be to give the city more autonomy and flexibility to respond to the needs of the community.

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Currently, local governments are bound by the Local Government Act and the Community Charter, except for the City of Vancouver, which has its own charter. Whistler also has special legislation that exempts it from some provisions.

But the current legislative framework cannot adequately address challenges faced by Surrey, which is expected to become B.C.’s largest city by 2030, said Locke.

“As we stand on the brink of becoming the largest city in British Columbia, it is imperative that we empower ourselves with a Surrey Charter,” Locke said in a news release on Friday. “This proposed Surrey Charter is not just about granting power; it’s about ensuring that our community has the tools it needs to thrive amid rapid growth.”

A staff report goes before council on Monday outlining some of the new powers, responsibilities, and exemptions — one of which would allow Surrey to bypass new provincial housing legislation intended to increase housing density.

The provincial law, passed in November, requires municipalities with more than 5,000 residents to allow four to six units on single-family residential lots,  lots near transit hubs, and has been criticized by mayors and councillors as a heavy-handed approach that impedes local government autonomy.

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The proposed charter would give Surrey council discretion to maintain single-family residential zones, hold public hearings for residential zoning that has been prohibited by the province, and exempt transit hubs from the province’s density requirements.

The provincial legislation “is not tailored to the unique needs of the city and removes the autonomy the city previously possessed to shape housing development…,” said the report, noting that increasing housing density requires more provincially funded infrastructure, such as hospitals and schools.

A one-size-fits-all approach does not reflect the city’s needs, it said. “Rather, council is best placed to assess what is suitable for its community.” 

A charter would also give Surrey authority to expand revenue sources, such as from an empty homes tax similar to Vancouver’s, a municipal transfer tax, and utility taxes. It would also allow the city to increase maximum fines for bylaw offences and give the city more protection against lawsuits.

In 2008, Surrey requested more powers through a proposed Surrey Act. The legislation was not enacted by the province.

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