Newton BIA sheds light on 2025-26 activities during AGM on Zoom

Newton BIA sheds light on 2025-26 activities during AGM on Zoom

Published 3:04 pm Thursday, February 19, 2026

Newton Business Improvement Association welcomed one new director to its board during an annual general meeting on Thursday, Feb. 19.

Rafiat Amico (representing Kings Cross) was elected by acclamation, joining re-elected board members Jay Blaschuk (Sources BC), Jodi Leech (Studio 73) and Chris Philipson (ChaloFreshco).

Directors with one year remaining in their term are Mohit Moudgil (Raymond Immigration), Stephen Chodos (Value Industries), Jaspal Brar (Group 7 Insurance), Harry Lamba (The UPS Store), Kamil Lotfali (Newton Crossing) and Suman Basnyat (S Basnyat & Co.).

Newton BIA executive director Philip Aguirre led a 22-minute AGM on the Zoom online conference platform for 13 people, including three property managers representing eight Newton BIA properties, seven business operators and guests.

BIA grants, levy and event sponsorships cover $674,600 in expenses for administration, wages, marketing, events (including Surrey Car-Free Day in June and Spooktacular Newton in October, $75,000 for the two), safety, area enhancement and government relations (including $16,000 for the yearly State of Newton address).

Aguirre talked about key BIA programs including Community Safety Patrol, Team Tidy trash collection, graffiti removal, shopping cart retrieval and Newton Pop-Up Plaza in summer.

An annual report notes that since 2014, the BIA has recorded 38,267 community safety patrol files, 14,003 graffiti tags cleaned, 73,200 pounds of trash collected, 17,67 shopping carts returned, 198 events hosted and 198 media articles.

Newton is home to 149,000 residents, making it B.C.’s fifth largest community, according to the annual report. Newton boasts the most businesses in Surrey by community (33 per cent). Most of those are in manufacturing (78 per cent of all business in Newton, followed by office at 10 per cent, commercial and institutional, six per cent each).

Launched in 2014, Newton BIA involves 536 business properties in the town centre area (see map newtonbia.com), 102 property owners and $1.12 billion assessed property value.

AGM minutes are posted on newtonbia.com along with slide presentation and financials for the year.