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New Surrey mayor Doug McCallum sticks with plans for RCMP and rapid transit

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Decision 2018: New Surrey mayor sticks with plans for RCMP and rapid transit
WATCH: Newly-elected Surrey mayor Doug McCallum says he's confident he can replace the RCMP with a municipal police force and replace ground light rapid transit with SkyTrain, despite skepticism from critics. John Hua reports – Oct 22, 2018

The Surrey Board of Trade hopes to have an open discussion with the city’s newly-elected council, but will tell senior levels of government that Surrey might be heading in the wrong direction.

“We will be doing our own advocacy… about why we think the RCMP should stay in Surrey, why we need LRT,” Surrey Board of Trade CEO Anita Huberman said.

WATCH: Doug McCallum takes the stage after winning mayoral race in Surrey

Click to play video: 'Doug McCallum takes the stage after winning mayoral race in Surrey'
Doug McCallum takes the stage after winning mayoral race in Surrey

Mayor-elect Doug McCallum says he’s been working ever since his election win on keeping those two key promises during his first business-oriented council meeting in mid-November. He says he will put forward motions to bring in a municipal police force and scrap the light rail plan in favour of SkyTrain.

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McCallum doesn’t believe the provincial or federal governments will oppose the will of Surrey voters considering they’ve proven to hold power in those elections as well.

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The Mayor-elect says the city of Surrey can simply give two years’ notice to opt out of the current RCMP policing contract but believes both parties can agree in ending it earlier.

WATCH: New faces joining new mayor Doug McCallum on Surrey city council

Click to play video: 'Decision BC: New faces joining new mayor Doug McCallum on Surrey city council'
Decision BC: New faces joining new mayor Doug McCallum on Surrey city council

When it comes to paying for a SkyTrain line from King George Highway out to Langley, McCallum says the project is a simple duplication of the Evergreen line, which cost $1.4 billion. He says with inflation, the $1.65 billion being used for the light rail project will be enough to cover the cost of the new project.

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TransLink has stated about $50 million has already been spent on the light rail project.

“South of the Fraser rapid transit is a priority for TransLink and we are looking forward to working with the new mayor and new council in Surrey, as well as the Mayors’ Council to achieve this,” TransLink wrote in a statement.

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