Surrey mayor calls for ‘more realistic’ housing targets from provincial government
Published 11:15 pm Monday, July 13, 2026
Surrey’s manager of planning and development Ron Gill told council on July 13 that while city hall has demonstrated “strong progress” in meeting provincial government-imposed housing targets, these targets “may pose significant challenges” as they become progressively larger, reaching “unprecedented levels” in 2028 and 2029.
Mayor Brenda Locke asked Gill if these targets will be adjusted considering the federal government has made “significant” changes to its immigration policy. “Assuming that has an impact on housing, I would assume,” she said. “And so have they adjusted those?”
Locke also asked why the provincial targets “seem so elevated” compared to the federal targets Surrey gets through the Housing Accelerator Fund. “There seems to be a real discrepancy there,” she noted.
She also noted the provincial government cancelled eight housing projects in Surrey. “I think it was 954 units of housing – are those 954 housing units factored into this? That’s a significant percentage of what our target number would be ultimately.”
Gill replied that Surrey is “certainly on target” largely due to the record year it had in 2024 but this year has been “significantly” lower because of things outside of city hall’s control such as immigration and market conditions. “And yet the targets continue to ramp up, so there certainly is risk – I would say significant risk that the city will not, if the targets are not adjusted, the city will not meet the 2028 and 2029 targets if we remain on the current trajectory.”
Locke said it’d be “prudent” for city hall to send a letter to the housing minister “just to talk about adjusting those numbers to make them more realistic because as they continue to ramp up it’s pretty obvious that kind of housing stock is not going to keep building in our city, that’s not realistic so they need to review it.”
A Surrey housing target analysis indicates city hall granted occupancy to 5,307 new units between July 1, 2025 and June 30 for a cumulative 11,795 since the provincial Ministry of Housing issued Surrey its target of achieving a total of 27,256 by June 30, 2029.
The ministerial order was issued on July 1, 2024, establishing the five-year expectation these housing units be constructed by then.
Gill provided an update to council in a corporate report on July 13 that indicated Surrey’s progress in this latest period is 33 per cent above the second-year target of 8,872 new housing units, factoring in demolitions of existing units.
“This is a significant achievement, reflecting ongoing efforts to meet Surrey’s housing goals,” Gill noted.
He said there are currently more than 54,090 units that have received rezoning approval at third reading awaiting construction and more than 12,120 units that have been issued building permits and are in various stages of construction.
The next Housing Target Progress Report, covering July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, will come before council in July 2027.
Meantime, Gill said, this latest progress report indicates Surrey’s “favourable position in meeting the Province’s housing target.
“With above target units granted occupancy, significant In-Stream Units, and significant process improvements delivered, the City is still on track to continue meeting the next Annual Cumulative Housing targets set by the Province,” his report reads.