Surrey mayoralty candidate Bruce Hayne says this election has become a question of leadership and which candidates have the ability to lead the city through the next four years with honesty, transparency, and integrity.
“There is no doubt that every election matters, but for several reasons this election has come to stand for who the people of Surrey want representing their community and, more than that, the kind of city we want,” says Hayne. “After seven years as a City Councillor I’ve come to believe that this election will determine the trajectory of our city – and when the polls close on October 20th I am hopeful the voters have agreed with me and my incredible Integrity Now team of council candidates that our city needs to be built on a solid foundation of honesty and transparency where every single citizen is equally represented and every voice is heard. When I founded this party, I called it Integrity Now because I really feel we need a reset at the council table, one based on truthfulness and respect for the people of this extraordinary city.”
Surrey, we’ve listened to you, and here is our platform based on what we’ve heard. We are committed to restoring a government that brings forward bold new ideas for Surrey. For Integrity Now, it’s working with the community, partners and stakeholders to ensure that the community is truly reflected in every initiative, from new ideas in sports, education, and entertainment to thoughtful approaches to complex issues such as transportation and policing.
YOUTH
✓ Make Surrey the education hub for the region. As the youngest city in BC (one-third of
our population is under the age of 19), we believe we need to incent further investment from major universities and technical colleges to expand or relocate to our city. For example, we would love to see a BCIT campus in Surrey.
✓ Construct a multi-use indoor facility in Newton Town Centre in order to provide a year-
round hub for youth. Newtown has long been under-serviced for community amenities, and this needs to change. We intend on moving on this initiative immediately if elected.
✓ Develop a new multi-sheet ice rink in Newton Town Centre.
✓ Develop Youth Connection programs throughout the city, connecting mentors, seniors
and youth.
✓ Work with the RCMP and Surrey School District 36 to ensure there is a full-time school
liaison officer in every high school in Surrey.
✓ Work in partnership with the Surrey School District to support and enhance after-school
programs to allow children and youth to stay active and safe on school property in the critical after-school hours.
ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS AND CULTURE
✓ In cooperation with senior levels of government and the private sector, redevelop the
Cloverdale Fairgrounds to include a spectator sports facility, indoor multi-use events facility, and Centre of Sports Excellence.
✓ Develop a Performing Arts Centre in the downtown core of the city. A Performing Arts
Centre is a much-needed asset for residents of all ages and abilities, a venue that fosters and showcases world-class talent and creates positive economic impact throughout the city, as well as a facility that embraces and provides a showcase for local talent and brings together people of all ages and ethnicities.
✓ Secure private sector partnerships for the construction of a much-needed Events and Conference Centre for our city. This would be a core component and anchor of a new Entertainment District and would draw business, events, and investment into our city.
TRANSPORTATION *As Previously Released
“I’m becoming increasingly concerned over overly simplistic rhetoric by some of those engaged in this debate, and I’m equally concerned over what appears to be a fully committed position on LRT, despite the fact that none of the residents in Surrey were properly consulted on technology. It’s puzzling that any elected official would advocate for technology which is so clearly not in line with the wishes of the constituents,” says mayoralty candidate Bruce Hayne. “In fact ,Translink’s own study in 2012 said that Skytrain and bus use was far superior to LRT and there has been no comparison study since. The business cases provided for LRT are woefully inadequate.”
“There is no doubt Surrey needs infrastructure investment with respect to mass transit, but I question the process and the logic of moving forward with such an unpopular approach and technology. An Integrity Now council will push pause on the LRT approach in order to do a full and transparent analysis as to what is the best technology for the people of this city. We need to give LRT a sober second thought before it is too late and really look at how we can get Skytrain in to serve Surrey. Skytrain works everywhere we put it.”
✓ Press pause on LRT Phase 1, as we have not seen the business case for it, and take a
leadership role with Translink and the Province to ensure proper technology choices in Surrey.
✓ Take a regional leadership role on transit as mayor and council of the fastest growing city
in Metro Vancouver.
✓ Ensure that the 1.6 Billion dollars committed for transit is used in Surrey quickly and
efficiently.
✓ Develop a clear and comprehensive plan on transit for Surrey.
✓ Advocate for Translink community shuttles in Surrey Town Centres.
✓ Ensure enhanced bus service throughout Surrey.
✓ Take a regional leadership role in ensuring Skytrain on the Fraser Highway Corridor.
INVESTMENT AND JOBS
✓ Continue to have one of the lowest corporate tax rates in the region.
✓ Secure private sector partnerships for the construction of a much-needed Events and
Conference Centre for our city.
✓ Reinvigorate Surrey’s Innovation Boulevard partnerships with SFU, Fraser Health and the
private sector.
✓ Reduce red tape for business and improve turn-around times for permits such as
business licences, tenant improvements and other inspections, with the mandate to improve efficiencies and systems at the city to be cost effective and business friendly.
SENIORS
✓ Develop a regularly scheduled city-run Seniors Shuttle to take seniors to and from
events and recreation facilities.
✓ Work with BC Housing to provide seniors with affordable, accessible housing options.
✓ Partner with Fraser Health to expand programs to provide food and assistance to
seniors in need.
✓ Expand elder abuse awareness programs and develop new programs to provide
additional connections for our seniors.
✓ Ensure continued reduced pricing for seniors at city community centres.
✓ Expand in-language materials for seniors.
POLICING *As Previously Released
✓ Immediately create a transparent, appointed Surrey Police Board with citizen
representation, replacing the current Public Safety Committee which is comprised of only Mayor and Council .
✓ Develop a new working relationship with the Surrey RCMP including hiring 40 additional
police officers per year over the next four years for a total of 160 officers in this term.
✓ Enhance youth and community programs aimed at giving Surrey youth quality indoor and
outdoor programming options in every neighbourhood in Surrey. Integrity Now commits to building a youth recreation hub in Newton, a neighbourhood underserved with civic facilities, in particular indoor recreation facilities.
✓ Hire more Bylaw Enforcement officers in order to more rapidly address citizen
complaints relative to safety issues.
✓ Advocate for significant prison terms for possession of illegal handguns and gang activity.
✓ Work with the Federal Government to enhance border security at land crossings and
shipping ports to reduce illegal firearms and drugs from reaching our streets.
✓ Work with the RCMP and the Surrey School District to ensure there is a full-time school
liaison officer in every high school in Surrey.
✓ Work in with the Surrey School District to place security cameras in the vicinity of schools
to enhance student and public safety.
✓ Work in partnership with the Surrey School District to support and enhance after-school
programs to allow children and youth to stay active and safe on school property in the critical after-school hours.
✓ Enhance support for our Community Block Watch programs throughout the city.
✓ Support enhancing the RCMP Auxiliary Constable Program, which has been cut in recent
years.
✓ Work with City staff and the development community to encourage and speed up
demolition permits for vacant houses slated for redevelopment.
CITY HALL GOVERNENCE *As Previously Released
✓ Immediately undertake an in depth, core review of each department at City Hall,
beginning with the Planning Department, in order to ensure transparency, efficiency and fairness across all processes.
✓ Immediately create an independent Office of the Ombudsperson, whose role will be to
investigate and act upon unresolved complaints and issues independent of Mayor and Council or city management. This position will act upon and transparently report incidents of corruption.
✓ Immediately undertake a department-by-department budget analysis to find efficiencies
and ensure tax dollars are not being wasted.
✓ Institute meaningful public consultation on the city budget and taxation.
✓ Increase public hearings to three per month to allow more time for consultation and
public input.
✓ Ensure greater transparency across all city departments and processes.
✓ Create a Citizen’s Advisory Council made up of representatives from communities across
the city.
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT THAT SERVES SURREY
✓ Focus density growth in Town Centres and transit corridors.
✓ Ensure that infrastructure from senior levels of government keeps up with the pace of
growth in our city.
✓ Improve community amenities, such as recreation facilities and daycares, that come
with development.
✓ Ensure park and school sites are secure before new development occurs. Ensure
sufficient school facilities and park space as growth occurs across our city.
✓ Take a leading role in Metro Vancouver’s Regional Prosperity Initiative, working with
regional partners to attract business, conventions, sporting and other events.
✓ Increase economic investment zones and business centres aimed at creating live/work
zones in a city centre strategy. We commit to developing a fast-track program for commercial projects that include live/work units, and to increase zones aimed at bringing institutional and industrial development projects to our city, in turn attracting corporate investment and jobs for Surrey.
✓ Develop employee-per-acre targets for industrial land development, ensuring we are creating employment for Surrey residents through the development of our industrial lands.
✓ Encourage further office space development in city centre, helping offset the regional
office space shortage.
✓ Enhance the Economic Development Office within City Hall to attract jobs and
investment.
✓ Ensure we have sufficient rental housing built to help keep rent affordable as we
grow.
✓ Work with Metro Vancouver to add an additional Metro Vancouver Regional Park in
Surrey.
✓ Update the tree replacement bylaw, to better reflect the replacement value of large
mature trees.
✓ Working with the Surrey School District and Province of BC to ensure adequate school
planning and funding are in place prior to residential development.
✓ Work with other municipalities in the region for a comprehensive regional truck
parking plan. Integrity Now recognizes the need for a solution to this issue, and proposes several smaller truck park facilities in Surrey, strategically located close to major shipping routes. We will work with other levels of government to ensure these projects take priority.
Bruce Hayne and the Integrity Now team believe these ideas and commitments are practical solutions aimed at restoring hope and a vision to Surrey.
“Surrey is taking the majority of the incoming population growth for all of metro Vancouver,” says Hayne. “We can turn that growth into amazing community opportunities. We want to see Surrey meet its full potential. This election is a fight for the soul of Surrey and we thank everyone who is working hard for this city we all love.”
For more information visit: www.integrity-now.ca
https://www.facebook.com/integritynowsurrey/ @IntegrityNowSurrey