Surrey-White Rock

Surrey-White Rock had been a safe BC Liberal seat for two decades heading into the 2017 election. Gordie Hogg had represented the riding since 1997, winning five consecutive elections, but he chose not to seek re-election provincially, leaving an open seat. The riding stretched from the south Surrey suburbs along 152nd Street down to the oceanside community of White Rock, encompassing one of the more affluent parts of Metro Vancouver. The demographics skewed older than many Surrey ridings, with a significant retiree population in White Rock proper.

The BC Liberals nominated Tracy Redies, the former CEO of Coast Capital Savings, one of Canada's largest credit unions. It was her first foray into elected politics, though she was one of the highest-profile business figures to enter the race anywhere in the province. The contest was not expected to be especially competitive, but the NDP's strong showing across Surrey made every riding worth watching.

Candidates

Tracy Redies (BC Liberal Party) — Redies grew up in the small northern Ontario town of North Porcupine, the daughter of parents who had immigrated from the United Kingdom. She attended the University of Victoria, earning a double major in economics and Asian studies, then completed a Master of Science in business administration and international trade and finance at the University of British Columbia. She spent 25 years in banking, including a stint as executive vice-president and head of personal financial services at HSBC Bank Canada, before becoming CEO of Coast Capital Savings. She was named BC CEO of the Year by Business in Vancouver in 2013 and Business Person of the Year by the Surrey Board of Trade in 2011.

Niovi Patsicakis (BC NDP) — Patsicakis was a retired special education teacher and former president of the association of Surrey specialist educators. She was an advocate for public education and social justice. In 2014 she ran unsuccessfully for Surrey school trustee.

Bill Marshall (BC Green Party) — Marshall was a realtor who had previously run for the Greens in Delta North in 2013. He was the strongest Green candidate in the Surrey area, attracting a notable share of the vote in the riding.

Tom Bryant ran as an independent.

Local Issues

Housing affordability was the central issue in Surrey-White Rock, as it was across Metro Vancouver. While south Surrey and White Rock had historically been more affordable alternatives to Vancouver proper, property values had surged dramatically during the 2013-2017 period, pricing many families and first-time buyers out of the market. The BC Liberals pointed to their foreign buyers tax, introduced in August 2016, and plans for new affordable housing units as their response, while the NDP promised a much more ambitious program of new affordable, non-profit, co-op, and owner-based homes over ten years.

Transportation was a persistent concern. The riding lacked rapid transit connections, and residents relied heavily on private vehicles and limited bus service to reach employment and services in other parts of the region. The BC Liberals pledged billions for transit expansion across Metro Vancouver, while the NDP promised large-scale infrastructure investment including new roads, schools, hospitals, and public transit.

Health care access was particularly important to the riding's older demographic. Wait times for specialist appointments and concerns about the availability of family physicians featured prominently in candidates' forums. White Rock's Peace Arch Hospital served a growing population, and residents wanted assurances that health care infrastructure would keep pace with demand.