Former NDP MLA running for mayor under new Imagine Surrey civic party, with first four city councillor candidates announced
“As a former frontline worker myself, I’ve sought to build a team that represents the experience of what hardworking people in this city live every day. I found them, and we have others just like them coming,” said Starchuk in a statement.
“Each candidate comes with skills that complement one another, providing the only alternative that delivers change people want, without the chaos they’ve unfortunately become used to.”
Starchuk was a longtime firefighter, serving 32 years with Surrey Fire Services and retiring in 2014 as the City’s chief fire prevention officer.
He first entered office in 2014, when he was elected as a city councillor under the Surrey First party. He lost his seat in City Council in the 2018 election.
He was elected as an MLA in 2020, but lost the seat in the 2024 provincial general election to Elenore Sturko.
Wilkie previously ran for the Green Party of Canada in the 2025 federal election in the riding of Cloverdale-Langley City, while Dela Cruz previously ran in the civic elections of 2014 (One Surrey), 2018 (Surrey First), and 2022 (independent) for a city councillor seat.
Imagine Surrey’s candidates state there is currently too much infighting in City Council, and that the municipal government’s response to the transnational extortion crisis has been “late and mishandled.” At this early stage of the race, the party is promising new and improved sidewalks, more rapid transit, and a new riverfront development and stadium for international cricket.
Currently, Mayor Brenda Locke’s Surrey Connect party holds a majority of five seats in the chamber, followed by the Surrey First and Safe Surrey Coalition parties, which each have two seats.
Sitting city councillor Linda Annis of Surrey First is running for mayor, with her party announcing all eight of their candidates for City Council earlier this winter.
It is unclear whether former longtime mayor Doug McCallum of the Safe Surrey Coalition will also seek re-election. He narrowly lost to Locke in 2022 by just 973 seats.
In recent weeks, Safe Surrey Coalition has significantly increased the number of news releases issued with McCallum as spokesperson, offering commentary and criticism on a range of city policies and issues, including statements this week on extortion-related crime in the community and the party’s push for the Surrey Police Service to operate its own police helicopter.
The civic election is scheduled for Oct. 17, 2026.
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