Safe Surrey Coalition is calling on Premier David Eby and Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon to intervene
FOLLOWING Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke and her councillors’ decision to reverse and cancel the PLAs (Preliminary Layout Approvals) of missing middle housing application approvals, including the widely supported 482-unit townhouse project by Fergus Creek Homes, the Safe Surrey Coalition (SCC) on Wednesday called on Premier David Eby for provincial intervention.
The B.C. Supreme Court ruled against the City of Surrey for halting the 482-unit townhouse project and ordered that the motion to rescind the third reading for the project be remitted back to Council for reconsideration.
[Ruling: www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/sc/24/02/2024BCSC0207cor1.htm]
The SSC said that this project, approved under then-mayor Doug McCallum’s leadership, was a significant move towards addressing the “missing middle” housing deficit in Surrey.
McCallum slammed Locke and her councillors, stating: “Mayor Locke’s decision to cancel the PLA for this project and other projects is a clear example of politics over people, costing Surrey taxpayers millions and delaying critical housing for middle-class families. It’s a step back for our community and a blow to our reputation as a place for future housing investment.”
McCallum noted that the cancellation of the PLA for this 482-townhouse project has led to costly legal battles costing Surrey taxpayers millions of dollars and causing significant delays in increasing housing supply in the City of Surrey.
McCallum added: “This isn’t just about one project; it’s about the future of housing in Surrey. We’ve seen a pattern of reckless behavior from Brenda Locke that prioritizes personal politics over the needs of Surrey residents.”
The SSC said it is deeply concerned with the mayor’s disregard for taxpayer resources and her anti-housing policies, compounded by double-digit tax increases to fund her legal disputes.
In light of these challenges, the SSC is urging the Premier and Housing Minister Ravi Khalon to step in and ensure that once a housing project receives approval, it cannot be overturned by subsequent political whims.
McCallum asserted: “The Province recently passed Bill 44 to increase housing supply across the province, and here is a housing project that has all the zoning approvals in place, went through years of public consultations and can break ground tomorrow, but unfortunately is stuck in limbo just because Mayor Brenda Locke doesn’t like the project. Premier Eby and Minister Kahlon should step in and take action on this to deliver missing middle housing.”
He added: “The Safe Surrey Coalition calls on Brenda Locke to stop wasting taxpayer dollars on costly legal battles that enrich her lobbyist and lawyer friends and instead focus back on sustainable, affordable housing solutions that benefit all Surrey residents.”
