It’s one of the most important cities for this province but Surrey’s mayor feels the NDP government overlooked her community in its budget announced this week.
“There’s no question Surrey was shortchanged yet again,” Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke told CTV News on Wednesday.
From a portable-plagued school district to overcrowded emergency rooms, Locke feels the provincial government isn’t paying attention to her city.
“We can see where there is building going on in other areas,” Locke said, citing Burnaby General Hospital as an example. “I’m not saying don’t help other communities that need the help – but we need to see it in Surrey too.”
But the finance minister insists Surrey is getting its fair share for health care.
“I’m sure the mayor knows that is in fact not the case,” Brenda Bailey told CTV News on Wednesday in response to the suggestion Surrey didn’t get enough focus in this budget. “There’s a second hospital being built in Surrey right now, as well as cancer care. There’s kidney care being built out in Surrey.”
Locke is also upset the promised second tower at Surrey Memorial Hospital isn’t listed in the budget – though Bailey insists it will eventually come.
“I spoke for example to the minister of health two days ago and asked about the Surrey Memorial tower, and it’s moving ahead,” Bailey said. “So, there’s a lot happening in Surrey. We know how important it is that we need to meet the needs in Surrey.”
On education, parents and teachers have also been left underwhelmed by the budget.
“We are pretty frustrated to continually hear from government that Surrey gets the largest amount of money,” Surrey District Parent Advisory Council president Anne Whitmore said.
“A billion dollars. It seems so astronomical and as a lay person, surely that would solve any problem that would come in. But I like to give the analogy – that the tallest person usually gets the biggest shoes.”
The sentiment was backed up by the vice-president of the Surrey Teachers’ Association.
“We need to see the budget reflect what the students and the staff in Surrey deserve, and we deserve better,” Angela Marcakis said.
On the issue of new schools in Surrey, Bailey insists money is set aside for them – even if specifics were not laid out explicitly in the budget.
