SURREY Mayor Linda Hepner announced on Friday that Surrey First has selected four-term city councillor Tom Gill as its mayoral candidate in the October 20 municipal election.
“Tom’s experience and commitment to our city makes him a tremendous choice to be Surrey’s next mayor,” said Hepner, who announced in April that she was not running for re-election.
“Tom knows Surrey so well, and he understands what needs to be done in the busy years ahead to make sure we remain a great place to live, work and raise a family. Tom will make a terrific mayor and be a strong, decisive and level-headed voice for our community at the regional, provincial and federal levels.”
Hepner said Gill’s collaborative approach is key to Surrey First’s success, where councillors work together and put individual politics aside in order to put Surrey’s interests first.
“I want to thank Linda Hepner and [former mayor] Dianne Watts for being such incredible mentors and role models. I definitely learned from the best.” said Gill. “I also want to thank my council colleagues for their confidence and support, and like them, I’m excited about getting on with the campaign.
“Our city has a great story to tell and I’m looking forward to leading our Surrey First team so that we can continue building an even better Surrey in the years ahead.”
Gill said he’s also excited about having new candidates join the Surrey First team.
“This election is a chance to refresh and renew our Surrey First team,” added Gill. “We take nothing for granted, and that means reaching out into our community with some new faces, some new voices, and more ways to make Surrey a great city for all of us.”
First elected in 2005, Gill and his wife Pav, and their three young children, have lived in Surrey for nearly 30 years. An accountant (CPA), Gill currently chairs the city’s finance and transportation committees. He also sits on the police committee and was a founding director of the Surrey Homelessness and Housing Society.