Surrey Centre

Surrey Centre is a densely urban federal riding located in the heart of British Columbia's second-largest city. Centred on the Whalley neighbourhood and Surrey's rapidly evolving City Centre district, the riding is one of the most ethnically diverse constituencies in western Canada, with more than half its population identifying as South Asian. The riding's skyline is defined by new residential towers rising around the King George SkyTrain station, the SFU Surrey campus, and Central City mall.

Candidates

Randeep Sarai (Liberal) is the incumbent, first elected in 2015. Born and raised in Burnaby to Sikh immigrant parents from Punjab, India, Sarai earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of British Columbia and a law degree from Queen's University. He practised law in Surrey before entering politics. Sarai founded Virsa, a non-profit supporting youth and families, and co-founded the South Asian Community Coalition Against Youth Violence.

Rajvir Dhillon (Conservative) is a lawyer who was born in Punjab and immigrated to Canada, where he worked in mills and gas stations before becoming a lawyer in British Columbia. For over a decade, he has helped families, small businesses, and newcomers navigate the legal system.

Dominic Denofrio (NDP) graduated from Simon Fraser University with a degree in political science and began his career working in the constituency office of former provincial MLA Bruce Ralston. As a renter, he has campaigned on the need for more social housing, better transit access, and expansion of universal healthcare.

Krishan Khurana (Green Party) describes himself as passionate about sustainable change and community empowerment, with 32 years of experience in Canada spanning banking, customer service, and community work.

Beverly Tanchak (People's Party) and Ryan Abbott (Communist) also stood as candidates in the riding.

About the Riding

Surrey Centre encompasses Whalley, the oldest and most densely populated of Surrey's six town centres, and surrounding areas. The City Centre district is undergoing a dramatic transformation, with dozens of residential towers rising around the King George SkyTrain station and along the King George Boulevard corridor. SFU Surrey and a Kwantlen Polytechnic University campus anchor the riding's post-secondary presence, while Surrey City Hall and the main branch of the Surrey Libraries system are both located within the riding.

The riding's population is notably young and diverse. Over half of Whalley's residents are of South Asian heritage, and Punjabi is widely spoken alongside English. The area has historically served as a gateway community for newcomers, and its commercial strips reflect this, with grocery stores, restaurants, and professional services catering to a broad range of cultural communities.

In 2025, housing affordability and the pace of urban development were central concerns. The Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension—a 16-kilometre project extending the Expo Line from King George Station along the Fraser Highway—was under construction with an anticipated completion in 2029, and its progress shaped local debate about growth, transit access, and the displacement of existing residents. Public safety, healthcare access, and the cost of living were persistent issues in a riding where many households juggle high rents with modest incomes.