Linda Annis slams ‘billboards-for-Brenda’
Published 9:00 am Friday, March 27, 2026
Surrey First’s mayoral candidate Linda Annis is slamming Mayor Brenda Locke over seven “giant” taxpayer-funded “feel-good” signs she says cost $35,000 apiece that hail city projects which she characterized as “blatantly political” during an election year.
Annis issued a press release March 27 referring to the signs as “billboards-for-Brenda.”
“Surrey taxpayers see the obvious politics in these signs, particularly during an election year,” Annis said. “Information signage, yes, but not these billboards-for-Brenda that are being paid for by our taxpayers.
“Brenda Locke should pay for her own political signs, not have taxpayers foot the bill. We’re talking about $35,000 per sign at public projects such as the Newton Community Centre, the 72 Avenue Extension, Centre Block at City Hall, and city’s affordable rental housing project on 126A Street. These are feel-good signs for the mayor that taxpayers are paying for. Tax dollars are scarce, the police budget has been cut, and families are on waiting lists for swimming and skating lessons, but the mayor seems to have plenty of money for political signs like these.”
Annis said the $250,000 she says was spent on these signs could have provided 3,000 Surrey children with free swimming lessons.
Locke could not be immediately reached for comment.
The civic election is on October 17.
“Some are being installed right now,” Annis noted. “They’re very large signs, they have concrete supports. We didn’t vote on it so I don’t know where it’s being paid from, what budget, but the City is paying for them.”