Surrey-Green Timbers

Surrey-Green Timbers had been one of the NDP's most reliable strongholds in the Lower Mainland, held by Sue Hammell in all but one election since the riding's creation in 1991. The sole exception was the 2001 Liberal landslide, when Brenda Locke captured the seat. Hammell's retirement announcement in early 2017 — after five terms and twenty-two years of representation — opened the riding to a new generation. The NDP nominated Rachna Singh, a newcomer to electoral politics, while the Liberals put forward Locke herself in an attempt to reclaim the seat she had briefly held.

The riding is one of Surrey's most diverse, with nearly half the population identifying as immigrants by 2011 and close to half listing Punjabi as their mother tongue. For roughly seventy per cent of residents, English was a second language, making linguistic accessibility a significant factor in political engagement.

Candidates

Rachna Singh (BC NDP) — Born in Delhi and raised in Chandigarh, Singh attended Panjab University where she earned a master's degree in psychology. She moved to Canada in 2001, settling in Surrey. Prior to entering politics, she worked as a drug and alcohol counsellor and as a support worker for women facing domestic violence. She became active in her labour union local and rose to become a National Representative for the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

Brenda Locke (BC Liberal Party) — Locke previously served as the MLA for Surrey-Green Timbers from 2001 to 2005, during which time she was appointed Minister of State for Mental Health and Addiction Services. Between her stints in politics, she worked as executive director of the BC Massage Therapist Association. Prior to her original election, she had served as executive director of the BC Liquor Licensee and Retailers Association.

Saira Aujla (BC Green Party) — Aujla was a realtor who grew up in Hong Kong and spoke Cantonese, Punjabi, Hindi, and English. She was a well-known community figure who hosted a Canada-wide East Indian television show. In the 2014 Surrey municipal election, she received the most votes among independent council candidates.

Vikram Bajwa ran as an independent candidate, and Kanwaljit Singh Moti represented the Your Political Party of BC; both received minimal vote shares.

Local Issues

Public safety was a paramount concern in Surrey-Green Timbers. Gang violence and drug-related crime affected neighbourhoods in the riding, and residents frequently raised the issue of community safety at all-candidates meetings. The opioid crisis, which saw record overdose deaths across British Columbia in 2016 and 2017, was devastating communities in Surrey, and candidates were expected to address both immediate harm reduction needs and longer-term solutions involving treatment and recovery services.

Health care access, particularly for the riding's large immigrant population, was another key issue. Language barriers made navigating the health care system challenging for many residents, and the availability of multilingual health services and culturally appropriate care was a recurring theme. Wait times for surgery and specialist appointments at Surrey Memorial Hospital were a source of frustration.

Housing affordability affected the riding acutely. While property values in Surrey-Green Timbers were lower than in Vancouver, they had still risen substantially, and rental housing was increasingly unaffordable for working families. Many residents in the riding worked in low-wage service sector jobs, and the NDP's proposal to raise the minimum wage to fifteen dollars per hour resonated in a community where cost of living pressures were keenly felt.