Surrey Police Budget Hike Sparks Tax Hike Controversy

The Surrey Police Board has proposed a $91 million increase to its budget, which would result in an 18 per cent hike in property taxes for local residents. Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke described the proposed increase as “unacceptable.”

“That’s just not going to happen. It can’t happen,” Locke said, highlighting that the city already increased its policing budget last year. She added that the proposed increase represents a 38 per cent rise over the 2025 budget and is larger than the entire annual budget for the Surrey Fire and Rescue Service.

“Every level of government knows the financial pressure residents are under, and we can’t bring forward a budget that increases policing costs by 18 per cent,” Locke said.

The city has reviewed the provisional budget submitted by the Surrey Police Board and requested the board to revisit the figures. Locke clarified that the proposed increase is not related to the extortion task force, which is funded by the province.

Surrey councillor and mayoral candidate Linda Annis noted that the budget is still in draft form. She confirmed that the proposed funding remains within the $250 million envelope provided by the province.

Annis acknowledged that the transition to a municipal police force has attracted political attention but said additional funding is expected for such a large-scale change. “This should not increase costs for taxpayers. Once the numbers are reviewed, a final decision can be made on the budget,” she said.