We don’t need another costly bureaucrat, we need city council and Surrey’s 10 MLAs to do their jobs: Councillor Linda Annis

Surrey, B.C. (May 6, 2025): Surrey First Councillor Linda Annis says Brenda Locke's proposal to hire a "healthcare administrator" to fix inequities between Surrey and Vancouver is a complete waste of time and scarce city tax dollars.

 

"We do not need another costly city bureaucrat to tell us what we already know," explained Annis. "Instead, we need our 10 Surrey MLAs to do their jobs and get Surrey the healthcare infrastructure, staff, and resources we need and deserve. Frankly, we need to flex our political muscle more to ensure we're heard in Victoria and Ottawa. We do not need an expensive staff person at city hall advocating for our city. What we need is our mayor, councillors and MLAs working together, and stepping up to do what we were all elected to do by voters and taxpayers."

 

Annis said she expects a healthcare administrator, and the associated costs, to total more than $300,000 annually.

 

"Healthcare is a provincial responsibility, not a municipal responsibility," added Annis. "The second our city steps into that area, the faster the province will start downloading costs to our city taxpayers. We need to let the province do its job, while our job at city hall is to push our 10 MLAs to speak up for our city, that’s their role in Victoria. Meanwhile, does anyone really believe that hiring a costly healthcare administrator for the city will be the end? Frankly, it’s just the tip of an expensive bureaucratic iceberg that will be prone to scope creep and the added costs that come with it."

 

Annis said she is also disappointed that the mayor's relationship with Victoria is “so awkward” that she believes Surrey has to hire a high-priced staff person to resolve healthcare issues in the city.

 

"Every mayor in British Columbia is responsible for building good working relationships with every other level of government, regardless of personal politics," noted Annis. "The solution to Surrey's growing healthcare and infrastructure needs will not be solved by staff, it needs to be dealt with at a political level, and that's where our MLAs and city council need to step up.”

 

Annis said everyone in Surrey knows we have been shortchanged when it comes to healthcare resources, staff, and infrastructure.

 

“Unfortunately, it often feels like Victoria thinks second best is good enough for our city, and that's just not on,” added Annis. “At the end of the day, that's a political discussion, not a staff discussion."

 

Annis also said if Mayor Locke is interested in the City of Colwood's success in setting up a municipal clinic and hiring doctors for local residents, she only has to pick up the phone and call Mayor Doug Kobayashi.

 

“I'm sure Mayor Kobayashi would be very happy to share his how-to manual with our mayor,” said Annis. “We don't need a six-figure staff person to make that call. Adding another costly employee to the city's payroll when tax dollars are scarce, makes absolutely no sense. We know what's needed for our city, and we know exactly who needs to make that case to the provincial government.”