New Surrey-Serpentine River riding could be election bellwether

Surrey, one of B.C.'s fastest-growing cities, is gaining a new electoral district this election—Surrey-Serpentine River—which could play a pivotal role in determining the next provincial government.

The B.C. NDP and the B.C. Conservatives are fielding prominent candidates for the new riding.

Linda Hepner is representing the B.C. Conservatives. With two decades of experience working for Surrey’s municipal government, she served three terms as a city councillor before becoming mayor from 2014 to 2018.

"What I bring to the table is experience in government," she told CBC News from her campaign office. "I think my deep government understanding is what will be needed in a new [Conservative] government."

Although Hepner resides in Surrey South, just outside the new riding, she emphasized her long-standing ties to the region.

Her primary opponent is the NDP's Baltej Singh Dhillon, a retired RCMP inspector who lives within the riding. Dhillon is known as the first Mountie to wear a turban, setting a precedent for religious accommodation in the RCMP in 1991.

"I had to fight racism, fight discrimination and prejudice both inside and outside. It was a hard-fought fight," Dhillon told CBC News.

He highlighted the relevance of those experiences today, noting offensive remarks made by some B.C. Conservative candidates toward Muslim, 2SLGBTQ+, and Indigenous communities.

"As I come into this world to lend some expertise to the work that's already underway on public safety, [the B.C. NDP] is a party I can stand with—my values align, so do my principles," Dhillon said.

Dhillon’s home in Surrey was also the site of NDP Leader David Eby's platform announcement and the launch of the party's campaign bus on Sept. 20.

Also running in the new district is independent candidate Jim McMurtry, a former teacher. However, the B.C. Green Party has not fielded a candidate in the riding.

A New Riding with Mixed Roots

Surrey-Serpentine River merges parts of three former ridings: Surrey-Cloverdale, Surrey-Fleetwood, and Surrey-Panorama.

The riding includes areas where the NDP performed well in 2020 and other parts with a history of favoring centre-right parties.

Demographics compiled by Andy Yan, director of Simon Fraser University’s City Program, show that 48% of the residents are of South Asian descent, nearly three-quarters are homeowners, and the median age is 37—compared to the provincial median of 42.

Residents told CBC News that key issues in the riding include health care, affordability, and public safety, especially given the province’s decision to require Surrey to keep its municipal police force.

"Health care, housing... I know for my kids, they need to be able to afford a house one day," said Sachin Kumar, a local resident whose adult daughters still live with him and his wife.

"I think I made up my mind already that we need change," Kumar added, indicating his support for the Conservative Party.

Another resident, Shachi Yappa, voiced concerns about the rising cost of groceries and housing, calling for more subsidies to assist working families. However, she remains undecided, saying neither party has yet presented a clear solution to the affordability crisis.

Education and Infrastructure Debates

Hepner criticized the NDP’s handling of education in Surrey, pointing to the growing number of temporary school portables.

"You cannot double portables and not say you're failing. You're failing," she argued. "I think Surrey has been a second-class citizen for far too long."

Dhillon acknowledged Surrey's struggles but placed the blame on the former B.C. Liberal government, which sold off land intended for a second hospital and failed to build enough schools for the city’s expanding population.

He credited the NDP with working to address those gaps, citing new school construction, a hospital tower in Cloverdale, and a new medical school.

"We're trying to work from that neglect forward. If anything, the B.C. NDP has corrected that course and are doing all the things that the [B.C. Liberals] made promises around," Dhillon said.

A Critical Battleground

Surrey now has 10 electoral districts, all of which are expected to be closely contested. With the NDP and Conservatives neck-and-neck ahead of the Oct. 19 election, candidates are ramping up efforts to connect with voters through door-to-door campaigning.

Both parties are working hard to win over undecided voters in what could be a decisive riding for the future of provincial governance.