SURREY, B.C. - When voters in Surrey-Fleetwood head to the polls on October 24, they will find an unusual twist on the ballot: two candidates named Brar. Alongside incumbent NDP MLA Jagrup Brar is Paul Brar, the CentreBC candidate and a longtime Surrey resident campaigning on a platform of affordability, health care, and public safety.
Paul Brar describes himself, in his own 25 words to the Surrey Now-Leader’s candidate questionnaire, as “a professional with 40 years of experience and community volunteer who built his life in Canada on hard work, responsibility, and commitment to serving others.” It is the core of his pitch: a long working life and years of community volunteering, offered as the practical grounding for a run at provincial office.
His top three priorities are affordability, health care, and public safety. Asked what he would do in his first 100 days, Brar pointed to education – better support for students with learning disabilities and more resources for teachers so all children can learn in a positive environment. He said he would take a close look at how education funding is allocated to make sure resources reach the front lines, and that he would work toward stronger consequences for violent offences along with better support for enforcement and prevention.
“B.C. needs change, and residents deserve a future they can feel confident about,” Brar said in his questionnaire response. “I will work hard to put more money back into people’s pockets, strengthen education and healthcare. And make our communities safer.”
Brar has been an active part of CentreBC’s campaign ground game in Surrey. On October 16, he was one of four regional CentreBC candidates – alongside Parm Bhandol (Surrey North), Sargy Chima (Surrey-Cloverdale), and Kyle Stevenson (Langley-Walnut Grove) – who joined party leader Elenore Sturko at a Langley announcement where she pledged permanent school spaces for 25,000 more B.C. students by 2031, the return of letter grades from Grade 4 up, 1,500 more education assistants, and expanded school food programs. CentreBC, the new centrist party now led by Sturko, is contesting Surrey-Fleetwood for the first time.
The riding is one of Surrey’s tightest. In 2024, Jagrup Brar held the seat for the NDP with 9,923 votes (48.6 percent), just 751 votes ahead of Conservative Avtar Gill at 9,172 (44.9 percent). This time the ballot carries five names: Tim Binnema for the B.C. Greens, Jagrup Brar for the BC NDP, Paul Brar for CentreBC, Carolyn Hofbauer for OneBC, and Garry Purewal for the Conservatives.
Advance voting in Surrey-Fleetwood runs October 16 to 21 at Coyote Creek Elementary School (Fri to Sun), Johnston Heights Church, and Northwood United Church (both Fri to Sat and Mon to Wed), all from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. General voting day is Saturday, October 24.
Photo: CentreBC (centrebc.ca)
Sources: centrebc.ca; Surrey Now-Leader B.C. VOTES candidate questionnaire (via europesays.com); Elections BC Statement of Votes 2024; Elections BC advance voting places 2026
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