SCC News and Updates
Nov
18
2011
SCC’s Stephanie Ryan predicts property tax increases for Translink
SCC News Releases, Stephanie Ryan 0
A property tax increase in addition to the two-cent-per-litre gas tax is a very real possibility says Surrey Civic Coalition Candidate Stephanie Ryan. She predicts the Metro Vancouver Mayors’ Council will get boxed in by the provincial government and “are likely to break their promise that transit won’t be funded through property tax increase.” Ryan explained that the BC Liberals have put legislation in place for the new TransLink two-cent-per-litre gas tax to be deducted starting April 1, 2012. Mayor Dianne Watts and other members of the Mayors Council voted in favour of the new two-cent-per-litre gas tax. Ryan said
Nov
16
2011
SCC’s Rina Gill says City of Surrey made a mistake by installing pay parking on 137th Street
SCC News Releases, Rina Gill 0
I’ve been hearing buzz in the community and in the media about business owners being upset with the parking meters that were installed on 137th Street in the Newton area of Surrey. I’ve seen Letters to the Editors from business owners in the area in both the mainstream and ethnic media. Up until now, nothing has been done. Since I live in Newton, I frequent this area quite often and when I noticed the parking meters, I indirectly avoided parking there as well. I usually spend an extra 5-10 minutes searching for free parking and then end up walking quite
Nov
14
2011
SCC opposed to smart meters, Robinson says
SCC Gary Robinson, News Releases 2
The Surrey Civic Coalition is opposed to smart meters, Council Candidate Gary T. Robinson announced today. The former City Councillor who is seeking election with SCC, said he “will introduce a by-law to prohibit installation of the so-called smart meters in Surrey,” if he is elected on Nov. 19. “They are intrusive, they are unsafe and everyone I talk to says they are not wanted,” Robinson said, adding California is now in the process of removing smart meters. Robinson noted the Union of BC Municipalities passed a moratorium on smart meters on Sept. 30. “The majority of elected people in
Nov
08
2011
Surrey youth committee could examine school use, safety, transportation
SCC News Releases 0
The Surrey Civic Coalition believes Surrey should expand its Youth Advisory Council and give it greater responsibility. SCC candidates Steve Wood (council) and Ram Sidhu (school trustee) advocate the Youth Advisory Council be a joint committee of City council and Board of Education, and include an elected representative from both groups as well as youth from throughout Surrey. Most other neighbouring jurisdictions, such as Langley and Delta have youth advisory committees, but New Westminster is a good model because theirs is a shared responsibility of both council and the school district. Wood served on council in Campbell River in the
Nov
03
2011
SCC calls for a Regional Rental Registry and a new SCDC
SCC News Releases 1
The Surrey Civic Coalition (SCC) is calling for the creation of a Regional Rental Registry and the restructuring of the Surrey City Development Corporation (SCDC). The recommendations followed an all candidates’ debate Wednesday sponsored by the Surrey Housing and Homelessness Task Force. Gary Robinson, an SCC Council candidate who currently serves on the task force, said the majority of the participants at the debate agreed with SCC’s recommendations. Robinson says the city-owned SCDC “should stop competing with the private sector in land development and refocus its energy in providing more affordable housing in Surrey.” He said a registry should be
Nov
01
2011
SCC’s Elford favours reducing garbage over waste incinerators
SCC Doug Elford, News Releases 0
Are garbage incinerators in the plans for the people of Surrey? The current Surrey First Council is not even sure themselves. All along, it seemed every Surrey First councillor favoured burning our garbage in what they called waste-to-energy plants. Now, on the eve of the election, the mayor says otherwise. The Surrey Civic Coalition is opposed to garbage incinerators. I am sure the residents in Surrey are not in favor of smokestacks in their neighborhoods. The claim of modern technology being able to scrub out the particulates goes waning whenever I get a whiff of the stench of the local
Oct
31
2011
Schools announcement falls short of needs and expectations, says SCC
SCC News Releases 0
The Surrey Civic Coalition welcomes the new schools Premier Clark is promising on the eve of the civic election but says it falls far short of what Surrey needs. SCC says six schools are needed immediately and eight more, a total of 14 schools, are needed to keep up with Surrey’s growth in the next few years. “Surrey has been starved for new schools for years, so any announcement of new school construction is most welcome. But the reality is, this is less than the Board had hoped for. Surrey has gone from being six years behind to being four
Oct
31
2011
SCC to host Forum for Surrey’s Trucking community on November 4
SCC News Releases, Rina Gill 0
The Surrey Civic Coalition will be hosting another forum for the trucking community Friday, November 4 at 7pm at its campaign office, 109-12414 82 Ave. Rina Gill, an SCC candidate for City Council, has been working with the trucking community for years in an attempt to “find solutions to lack of safe, adequate truck parking facilities in Surrey.” She said the main focus of the forum is to address the “lack of action on truck parking issues by the current Surrey City Council,” and, just as importantly, give the truckers a platform to discuss other issues they may be experiencing.
Oct
29
2011
Six schools today; eight more in the next five years
SCC News Releases 0
The Surrey Civic Coalition says Surrey needs six schools immediately, but says Surrey needs another eight within the next five years just to keep up with growth. Ijaz Chatha, SCC Board of Education Trustee, said, “It’s true, Surrey is at least six schools short of where we should be right now. But it will take several years to build those schools. “I am a realtor by profession. I know Surrey is not going to stop growing. We need to catch up on new school construction immediately but we also have to plan right now for the years ahead. “Surrey will
Oct
24
2011
Mayor tries to hide Surrey First’s support for incinerators, SCC charges
SCC News Releases 0
The Surrey Civic Coalition says Surrey First can’t be trusted not to bring incinerators to Surrey. Stephanie Ryan, a city council candidate with the SCC, said, “There’s just no consistency to what the Mayor and Surrey First are saying when it comes to garbage incinerators.” She said Surrey First has consistently supported the concept of waste-to-energy projects and had even discussed a 10-hectare (25-acre) land purchase in South Surrey with a private waste management company. “Last week there were three councillors (Steele, Hepner, Rasode) who couldn’t remember attending the closed-doors meeting and now the mayor is denying council is even