B.C. election 2017: Surrey-Guildford riding

This newly-named riding (it consists mostly of the old Surrey-Tynehead riding) would have gone to the BC Liberals under the new riding boundaries in 2013 by a slim margin of 44.5 per cent to 42.8 per cent over the NDP (a gap of just 269 votes).

In 2009: BC Liberal incumbent Dave Hayer defeated NDP candidate Pat Zanon by over 1,500 votes, 53-43 per cent.

History & Geography: Created in 2001 to cover the city’s rapidly expanding northeastern suburbs, Surrey-Tynehead stretches from 144th Street to the Langley border at 196th street, with it’s southern edge slowly dipping down from 108 Avenue to 80th Avenue. The riding also includes Barnstrom Island. It has gone to the Liberals in all three of its elections, though the NDP have shown strength in the northwest section of the riding close to the Port Mann Bridge.

Candidates

Liberals – Amrik Virk: The Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services, Virk was an inspector with Langley RCMP before entering politics. He spent 25 years with the Mounties, working in Alberta, Surrey and Langley.

NDP – Garry Begg: Recently retired as inspector after 38 years with the RCMP. He ran federally for the NDP in 2015 in the Fleetwood-Port Kells riding. He has pledged to work for safer neighbourhoods, better transit, and more affordable housing.

Greens – Jodi Murphy: According to her website, Murphy has worked for the last 10 years at a locally-owned company that provides specialized technical services to the pulp and paper industry.

Christian Heritage Party of B.C. – Kevin Pielak: The Christian Heritage Party is running five candidates in 2017, after running two candidate is 2013. It’s a libertarian party with a Christian focus.

2017 Stats: Surrey-Guildford

Population (2014): 58,037 (39th)
Population Deviation from Average: 9.3 per cent
Area: 42 sq km (59th)
Pop Density: 1,381.8 (29th)
Average Age: 38.2 years (75th)
English as Second Language: 49.09 per cent (18th)

Top 3 Second Languages:
Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) – 6.18 per cent
Korean – 5.92 per cent
Mandarin – 5.85 per cent