Surrey Councillor Linda Annis has officially thrown her hat into the ring for the 2026 mayoral race, positioning herself as a centrist alternative to what she describes as the “divisive politics” that have dominated city hall in recent years.
Standing before a crowd of about 75 supporters at the Surrey Arts Centre Tuesday morning, Annis laid out her vision for Surrey’s future, emphasizing fiscal responsibility, improved public safety, and community engagement. The announcement comes nearly two years before voters head to the polls.
“Surrey deserves leadership that brings people together rather than driving them apart,” Annis told the gathered crowd, many wearing blue “Annis for Mayor” buttons. “For too long, our city has been stuck in a cycle of conflict that hasn’t served our residents well.”
Annis, who has served on council since 2018, currently sits as the lone Surrey First representative, having maintained her seat through the tumultuous transitions between former mayors Doug McCallum and current mayor Brenda Locke. Her early announcement marks one of the earliest campaign launches in Surrey’s political history.
Political analyst Gerald Baier from UBC’s Department of Political Science suggests the timing is strategic. “By declaring this early, Annis is positioning herself as the centrist option while establishing name recognition well before the campaign officially begins,” Baier said in a telephone interview.
The councillor’s platform centers on what she calls “common-sense governance,” addressing Surrey’s rapid growth, transportation challenges, and public safety concerns. Notably, Annis has avoided taking hard positions on the contentious Surrey police transition, instead promising a “fact-based approach” that would consider costs, community input, and public safety outcomes.
This middle-ground stance reflects her attempt to bridge divides in a city where the policing issue has dominated local politics for years. The transition from RCMP to a municipal force, initiated under McCallum, then reversed and partially reinstated under Locke, has become a political lightning rod.
“We need to stop using policing as a political football,” Annis said. “What matters is public safety, not winning political points.”
Recent polling suggests Annis’s approach might resonate with voters. A Research Co. survey conducted last month showed 67% of Surrey residents believe the city is “on the wrong track,” with 58% expressing dissatisfaction with the current council’s performance.
Mario Canseco, president of Research Co., noted that Annis’s approval ratings have remained relatively stable compared to her council colleagues. “There’s definitely an appetite for change in Surrey,” Canseco explained. “Voters are looking for stability after years of political whiplash.”
The early announcement also gives Annis a head start on fundraising – a critical factor in Surrey’s at-large electoral system, which requires candidates to campaign across the entire city rather than in smaller wards.
Annis, who also serves as executive director of Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers, has emphasized her connections to community safety organizations and business groups. Her campaign launch featured endorsements from several business leaders and community advocates.
“Linda understands that public safety is about more than just policing,” said Jasmine Garcha, a Newton business owner attending the launch. “It’s about creating communities where people feel connected and supported.”
Not everyone is convinced by Annis’s centrist positioning, however. Surrey resident and community activist Dave Hibbert expressed skepticism: “We’ve heard promises of unity before. The question is whether she can deliver actual results on issues like housing affordability and transportation.”
If successful in 2026, Annis would become Surrey’s second female mayor after current mayor Brenda Locke. When asked about the significance of this, Annis downplayed gender considerations.
“This isn’t about being a female mayor; it’s about being the right mayor for Surrey at a critical time in our growth,” she said. “We’re the fastest-growing city in B.C., and we need leadership that can manage that growth responsibly.”
Mayor Locke has not yet announced whether she will seek re-election, though political observers expect her to run. Former mayor Doug McCallum, who lost to Locke by just 973 votes in 2022, has also remained noncommittal about his political future.
With Surrey projected to surpass Vancouver as B.C.’s most populous city within the next decade, the 2026 mayoral race will likely focus on managing growth, transportation infrastructure, and housing affordability alongside the perennial issue of public safety.
Annis’s campaign slogan, “A Fresh Start for Surrey,” seems calculated to appeal to voters fatigued by years of political turbulence at city hall. Whether this message will resonate with Surrey’s diverse electorate remains to be seen, but her early entry into the race ensures the campaign will be closely watched across Metro Vancouver.
“The road to 2026 is long,” Annis acknowledged in her closing remarks. “But Surrey’s challenges won’t wait, and neither should our planning for the future.”
