Transit is a big investment, let’s make decisions that make sense for the future, and in Surrey that’s LRT: Linda Annis
Surrey, B.C. (May 11, 2026): Surrey First Councillor and candidate for mayor Linda Annis says TransLink’s unfunded Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) proposal from Surrey City Centre along King George Boulevard, to 16th Avenue, needs a complete rethink before any commitments are made.
“Transit is all about the future, not a temporary fix,” said Annis. “Light Rail Transit (LRT) requires a bigger investment, but in the end, it provides higher capacity and scalability than a rapid bus, and in a growing city like ours, we should be building for the future, and our growing population.”
Annis said TransLink has not provided any price tag for the rapid bus, but she says it will cost hundreds of millions.
“When TransLink presented to council last week, we were told that down the road we could make a decision to switch from rapid bus to another system, which makes absolutely no sense,” said Annis. “Why would we spend hundreds of millions, only to make a change down the road? Why not build what we actually need now?”
Annis said, “At the end of the day, rapid bus is just a bus,” with limited capacity, even if the stops and stations are dressed up, and the buses are made to look futuristic in artistic renderings.
“LRT will help connect our neighbourhoods, and it provides more capacity and options for growth,” noted Annis. “So, why would we spend hundreds of millions on buses, when what we really need is a modern LRT system that can grow as our city grows. Rapid bus looks and feels like we’re being offered a second-best substitute for what we really need.”
Annis said if she is elected mayor in October, she will be pushing for modern LRT and more and better transit for Surrey.
“The fact is, Surrey has been shortchanged when it comes to transit,” explained Annis. “The new SkyTrain line to Langley is the first major transit investment in 40 years. SkyTrain does a good job of connecting cities, but it does not connect neighbourhoods the way LRT can. I want a transit system in Surrey that reflects our size and our growth. We’re as big as Vancouver, Richmond and Burnaby combined, and we’re going to be the first city in BC with one million people. Surrey residents deserve more than rapid bus to meet their growing transit needs, and that’s what I’ll be fighting for.”