Surrey’s mayoral candidates took the stage last night in front of one of the most consequential audiences of this campaign: the city’s business community.
The all-candidates forum ran from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. on October 7 at the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel at 15269 104 Avenue. It was co-hosted by the Surrey and White Rock Board of Trade and the South Asian Business Association, a pairing that put South Asian business concerns squarely at the centre of the evening. A council candidates forum was held at the same venue the night before, on October 6.
As of this morning, no published recap of the mayoral forum exists. No news outlet has reported what was said, and the organizers have not released a summary. Apna News has reached out to the Surrey and White Rock Board of Trade for details and will update this story when they respond.
What is clear is what was at stake. With the South Asian Business Association co-hosting, the questions that matter to Surrey’s South Asian business owners were front and centre: public safety in commercial areas, the cost of doing business in Surrey, and how quickly the city moves on permits and development. Newton, Fleetwood and Whalley are home to some of the densest concentrations of South Asian-owned small businesses in the Lower Mainland, and this was the audience’s chance to hear directly from the people asking for their vote.
The forum landed at a pivotal moment. Advance voting continues on October 10, 14 and 15, and general voting day is Saturday, October 17, when Surrey voters will elect one mayor, eight councillors and six school trustees.
For voters still making up their minds, the forum was a rare chance to compare the mayoral hopefuls side by side on the issues that affect their livelihoods. We will publish a full account of what the candidates said once the organizers respond or a verified record becomes available.
Sources: SWR Board of Trade event listing; Fraser Valley News Network, June 12, 2026.
