SURREY, B.C. - When voters in Surrey North head to the polls on October 24, the name at the top of the ballot will be a familiar one: Mandeep Singh Dhaliwal, the Conservative Party of BC’s incumbent MLA, who is seeking a second term after winning the riding in 2024.
Dhaliwal’s path to provincial politics runs through small business and community service. Migrating to Canada in his 20s with his family, he completed a Bachelor of Arts degree and played kabaddi at the national level in India, winning a gold medal in an inter-college tournament. After settling in Surrey, he built Fixman Auto Glass Repair and Fixman Auto Glass Supplier into trusted names in the local industry.
That entrepreneurial background is the foundation of his political pitch: a successful business owner who understands what small businesses need to grow. As an MLA, he has advocated for policies that support startups and ease the pressures on small business owners.
Dhaliwal’s community profile extends well beyond his storefront. He is a member of the BC Sikh Motorcycle Club, and his charity rides have raised significant sums for causes back home and here: a 2016 motorcycle ride from B.C. to Ontario raised $100,000 for the BC Cancer Society, and a fundraising ride from Canada to India set a world record while generating $100,000 for the Khalsa Aid organization.
Raised in Surrey, Dhaliwal is a devoted family man. His wife Pawan is a Registered Nurse, and they have a son, Diltaj. He says his experience listening to community members shapes his approach to representation, with a focus on affordable housing, education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability.
Surrey North is a six-way contest this time around. In 2024, Dhaliwal won the seat with 7,954 votes (50.67%), ahead of NDP incumbent Rachna Singh at 6,795 (43.29%) - a margin of 1,159 votes. The 2026 field includes Dhaliwal, NDP candidate Sahib Thind, Green candidate Yudhbir Gill, CentreBC’s Parm Bhandol, OneBC’s Tanya Gupta, and unaffiliated candidate Jag Bhandari. It is a rare Surrey riding where all six candidates are of Indian origin.
For the Conservatives, holding Surrey North means holding a seat they flipped from the NDP two years ago. For the NDP, winning it back means taking out a sitting MLA in one of the closest races on the map.
Advance voting in Surrey North runs October 16 to 21, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at Senator Reid Elementary School (9341 126 Street). General voting day is Saturday, October 24.
Photo: Conservative Party of BC (conservativebc.ca)
Sources: conservativebc.ca; Elections BC; StudioX News; bcballot.ca
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