SURREY, B.C. - When Surrey-White Rock voters head to the polls on October 24, the CentreBC name on the ballot belongs to a finance professional making the case that Victoria needs more fiscal discipline: Waqas Rana.
Rana’s background is documented on his CentreBC candidate page. He is a CPA and CMA with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting and finance, and a career in banking and insurance, where he says he led major initiatives and diverse teams. His pitch pairs that professional record with a centrist political approach: rejecting partisan extremes in favour of practical, balanced solutions, with an emphasis on strengthening local health care capacity, tackling cost-of-living pressures, and family-friendly infrastructure and growth.
Family is central to his public profile. A Surrey-White Rock resident, Rana lives with his wife Dr. Alia and their three daughters Maha, Hiba and Zoya, plus son-in-law Rao Haider. His campaign biography says that busy household life informs his commitment to building a safer future for the next generation.
CentreBC is the new centrist party founded in 2025 by former BC United MLA Karin Kirkpatrick and now led by Elenore Sturko, who is running in neighbouring Surrey South. Rana is one of eight CentreBC candidates contesting Surrey’s ten ridings.
The riding has shifted political colours before. Trevor Halford was first elected in 2020 as a BC United Liberal before crossing the floor to the Conservatives in September 2024, and he won as a Conservative in 2024 with 14,667 votes (52.3 per cent), ahead of former White Rock mayor Darryl Walker’s 12,699 (45.3 per cent) for the NDP – a margin of 1,968 votes.
This time Halford is seeking re-election, Walker is back for the NDP, and the field also includes independent Kevin Diakiw, OneBC’s Amanda James and BC Green Christine Kinnie – six names in all, tied with Surrey North for the largest field among Surrey ridings.
Advance voting in Surrey-White Rock runs October 16 to 21, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at Bayridge Elementary (1730 142 Street), Elk’s Lodge Hall 431 (1469 George Street, White Rock) and Mt. Olive Lutheran Church (2350 148 Street). Bayridge is open Friday to Sunday, October 16 to 18; the other two run the full Friday-to-Wednesday period. General voting day is Saturday, October 24.
Photo: CentreBC (centrebc.ca)
Sources: CentreBC candidate page (centrebc.ca/candidates/waqas-rana); Peace Arch News (via newsbeep.com); Elections BC candidate report (2026-10-18); Elections BC advance voting places PDF; Wikipedia (candidate lists and 2024 riding results, citing Elections BC)
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