Doug McCallum sworn in as Surrey mayor alongside Safe Surrey-dominated council, Mandeep Nagra becomes city’s 1st Punjabi deputy mayor

In a historic inaugural ceremony on Monday evening, Doug McCallum officially took office as Mayor of Surrey alongside a dominant Safe Surrey Coalition council, while returning councillor Mandeep Singh Nagra was sworn in as the city’s first Punjabi deputy Mayor.

The event ushered in a nine-member governing body composed of five women and four men. The council is heavily dominated by the Safe Surrey Coalition, which holds eight seats alongside returning Mayor Doug McCallum.

Incumbent councillor Harry Bains, the top vote-winner in the Oct. 17 election running with Surrey Connect, was sworn in alongside seven rival Safe Surrey councillors Doug Elford, Meera Gill, Mandeep Singh Nagra, Suhana Gill, Allison Patton, Laurie Guerra, and Cheney Cloke.

McCallum took his oath of office first, followed by Mandeep Singh Nagra, who made history with his appointment as the first Punjabi deputy Mayor of Surrey. The remaining councillors then took their oaths as a group before a cheering crowd.

This marks McCallum’s return to the mayor’s chair after previously serving from 2018 to 2022—when he was defeated by Brenda Locke—as well as three consecutive terms from 1996 to 2005.

The newly sworn-in council features a mix of returning members and fresh faces. Returning from the 2022–2026 term are Bains, Elford, and Nagra, while Patton and Guerra return to council after four-year absences. Newcomers taking office for their first terms include Meera Gill, Suhana Gill, and Cheney Cloke. A 20-year-old Suhana Gill is the youngest ever city councillor of Surrey.

In the inaugural address Doug McCallum delivered a clear message to global investors and local residents alike, declaring that British Columbia’s rapidly growing city is officially open for business.

Setting an assertive tone for his administration, McCallum laid out a vision centered on rapid permit approvals, major infrastructure projects, property tax freezes, and enhanced municipal services.

"It's open for business. So let me speak directly to every employer, every homebuilder, and every company in Canada and around the world that wants to grow, create good-paying jobs, and be a partner in building this city: Come to Surrey," McCallum stated. "Surrey is about to become the largest city in British Columbia. We have the land, we have the workforce, we have a million people on the way—and every single one of them needs a job, a home, a doctor, and a place to take their kids on Saturday."

"When you bring a major project to this city, when it creates good-paying jobs for Surrey residents, the question at this City Hall is not whether we want it. We want it," he said. "The question is not yes or no. The answer is yes. The only question we're going to ask you is this: what is the fastest path to get shovels in the ground and residents on the job?"

"Under this administration, permits will be answered in 60 days. If City Hall misses that deadline, your fees are waived. That is how you get the local economy going—not with another study, but with action," he said.

McCallum promised that major municipal construction and infrastructure investments would directly benefit local tradespeople and residents.

"Here is my promise to the working people of this city. Every major public project will be built by Surrey workers and will employ Surrey residents," he declared. "The new Women's and Children's Hospital we are going to build in Newton will put thousands of people to work building it, and thousands more to work inside. The SkyTrain down King George Boulevard to Newton will be built by the trades who live along that route. The pools and community centres we rebuild in Newton, City Centre, Fleetwood, and Cloverdale will be built by the neighbors whose kids will be swimming in them."

"Companies do not come to a city to sit still. They come to build things and hire people. And when they build things in Surrey, the good-paying jobs and the paycheques stay in Surrey," he said.

McCallum envisioned Surrey transforming into a premier hub for high-tech, health sciences, and higher education. "Under my leadership, we are going to unleash the local economy. Surrey is going to become an economic powerhouse—not just in British Columbia, but in Canada," he asserted. "We are going to lead in manufacturing, life sciences, and innovation, with the kind of good-paying jobs that let our young people build a career and raise a family in the city they grew up in."

To support this vision, McCallum recommitted to expanding post-secondary access within the city. "A city of this size and scale needs a university. So I will work with UBC to get their campus built and open right here, so that our young people can get a world-class education without leaving home, and so that the employers who come here find the talent they need waiting for them."

"While we grow the economy, we are going to leave your money where it belongs—in your pocket," McCallum said. "Property taxes will be frozen at zero percent for four years. Not one percent, not two—zero. Because when a family is choosing between groceries, gas, and the hydro bill, the city should not be the one adding a third bill to that pile."

He also announced an independent investigation into prior city land transactions. "One of my first actions will be to order an independent forensic audit of the city's land deals, with the findings made completely public. The people of this city paid for those deals, and they are going to find out what they paid for."

Outlining a fast-paced agenda for his council's initial sitting, McCallum detailed several key resolutions. "You elected me to get things done, so here is what this council is going to get done: A new Women's and Children's Hospital in Newton with an emergency room and specialized units, so no mother and no family in this city is ever again told to drive to Vancouver for care. The city approvals for it will be fast-tracked, and I will be in Victoria and Ottawa with the plans in my hand."

"We will deliver SkyTrain down King George Boulevard to Newton. They said Surrey would never get SkyTrain; it is being built right now through Fleetwood and Cloverdale because I went and got $4 billion for it. Newton is next. We will also provide our police service with the tools to keep your family safe—more officers on the street, and a helicopter and a drone in the air within 100 days."

"At our very first meeting, this council will pass the motion to freeze property taxes at zero percent for four years. We will pass the motion to move forward with the building of the new Women's and Children's Hospital in Newton. And we will pass the motion to move forward with the SkyTrain extension down King George Boulevard."

"At that same meeting, we will bring in zero-tolerance penalties for illegal dumping to protect clean neighborhoods. We will commission a review of government efficiency reporting within 100 days so you know where every dollar of your money goes. And within six months, the promises made to the residents of Port Kells, Crescent Beach, Rosemary Heights, Fraser Heights, and Cloverdale will begin rolling out. A promise made is a promise kept in this chamber," he said.