Surrey, BC – Former Surrey mayor and Conservative Party of BC candidate for Surrey-Serpentine, Linda Hepner, has criticized the NDP government for neglecting Surrey’s infrastructure needs while pushing for increased housing and density. Hepner accuses Premier David Eby of demanding more housing from cities without providing financial support for essential infrastructure like sewer, water, schools, and hospitals.
“During my time as mayor, Surrey approved over 30,000 homes. Meanwhile, David Eby hasn’t built a single one,” Hepner said, highlighting the city’s rapid growth and its capacity for responsible development. She emphasized that cities like Surrey, which has grown by more than 1,000 residents per month for years, don’t need direction from Victoria on how to build homes. Instead, she called on the provincial government to fulfill its role by funding crucial infrastructure projects, including schools and hospitals.
Hepner’s comments also touched on what she describes as an ongoing disregard for Surrey’s needs. She pointed to an infrastructure deficit, the use of nearly 400 portable classrooms, and a $1 billion over-budget hospital in Cloverdale that lacks a maternity ward. “The NDP seem to only show up at election time, then disappear once the votes are counted,” Hepner claimed, adding that 8,000 Surrey students still attend classes in portables despite past promises to eliminate them.
With Surrey poised to become BC’s largest city in the next five years, Hepner argues the city needs stronger political representation. She promised that Conservative candidates would fight for Surrey’s interests, delivering a list of priorities to Victoria if elected.
“The last thing we need is more housing mandates from the NDP without provincial commitments for the infrastructure that makes growth possible,” Hepner said in a Media Release . She criticized the NDP for dictating to cities while failing to deliver on promises, concluding, “The NDP are known as the ‘Never-Deliver-Party.’ They love process but avoid accountability.”
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