Sign In Subscribe Now Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines You will also start receiving the Star's free morning newsletter South Surrey—White Rock 2025 federal election live results. Browse live results for all 343 ridings 221 of 221 polls are reporting as of 4:22 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election 221 of 221 polls are reporting as of 4:22 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election is projected to win in South Surrey—White Rock Klassen has 33,094 of 65,528 votes (50.5%) is in second place with 29,924 votes (45.67%) and Jureun Park Findlay has represented the riding since 2011 31,269 voters cast ballots at advance polls Looking for another riding? Here are the full results for the 2025 federal election. The Liberals have 169 races called in their favour They have 8,535,128 votes and 43.69 per cent of the popular vote The Conservatives have 144 races called in their favour They have 8,059,938 votes and 41.26 per cent of the popular vote The Bloc Québécois have 22 races called in their favour They have 1,232,095 votes and 6.31 per cent of the popular vote The New Democrats have seven races called in their favour They have 1,231,198 votes and 6.3 per cent of the popular vote The Greens have one race called in their favour They have 243,471 votes and 1.25 per cent of the popular vote There were three independents and four vacancies in the 338-seat Commons the Commons has grown by five ridings starting with this election This article was automatically generated using data provided by Canadian Press and will update as riding results become available Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account As Smash Theatre School's founder and leader there's something inspiring about seeing young people take on the challenge of tackling professional-level theatre Beyond any applause they receive for their efforts they are building qualities that will last them a lifetime – self-confidence These qualities – and a generous helping of precocious talent – will be showcased this month as the South Surrey-based Smash Theatre Company takes on Newsies – one of the most celebrated musicals in the Disney canon Based on the real-life strike by impoverished and homeless newsboys (newspaper sellers) in New York City in 1899 the show will be presented at Delta's Genesis Theatre (5005 45 Ave.) from May 10 to May 18 The show (with music and lyrics by Alan Menken and Jack Feldman and book by Harvey Fierstein) demands bold choreography and powerhouse vocals to deliver its inspiring messages of courage and unity in the face of violence intimidation and corruption – but the current production's two full casts of eager students are measuring up to the challenge Established 11 years ago by Reader-Romo (a recipient of the White Rock/South Surrey Chamber of Commerce's Business of the Year Supporter of the Arts Award) and run by her and her daughter, Smash offers musical theatre and dance classes for children ages six and up The program is nothing if not ambitious according to a media release – this year alone the company has already taken on The Lion King (Kids); while productions of High School Musical Reader-Romo described the program as a “launchpad for confidence “Some of these kids train over 20 hours a week — dancing singing — and the personal growth I get to witness is truly incredible,” she said “None of it would be possible without our incredible parent volunteers and the support of this community Students travel from as far as afield as Abbotsford to be part of the program and many alumni return to teach or volunteer “I am absolutely blown away by what these kids are able to put on," said parent Natasha Young "Watching them shine on stage is an unforgettable experience,” she added "The dedication is amazing – and it means everything to them to have the support of the community." May 16 there will be one performance at 7 p.m. Tickets for Newsies ($30.74 to $34.94) are available at smashtheatreschool.ca  VancouverNewsStranger assaulted 2 elderly pedestrians in White Rock, RCMP sayBy CTVNewsVancouver.ca StaffPublished: May 03, 2025 at 12:07PM EDT Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved White Rock RCMP are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man involved in a brazen daylight attack on two seniors walking across the road last month Police say the "awful … more than road rage" incident occurred at approximately 4:15 p.m in a marked crosswalk at North Bluff Road and Johnston Road were crossing northbound and had the right-of-way when a motorist in a grey-coloured SUV northbound on Johnston narrowly missed hitting them as he turned to head east on North Bluff "I guess he came within a couple inches of hitting them so the female put her hand on the hood of his car and told him something," Sears said The couple then continued walking but were attacked shortly after knocked her to the ground and then took a swing at the older gentleman and knocked him to the ground and he ended up with a serious head injury," Sears said The driver involved – described as a 45- to 50-year-old Caucasian with a heavy build and wearing a light-coloured shirt and grey pants – fled in his vehicle before police arrived.  Anyone who witnessed the assault or able to identify the man involved is asked to contact Const Sears said police would also like to speak with a construction worker who helped the male senior at the scene Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines. Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account The Liberals had a strong showing in Surrey on Monday night flipping South Surrey-White Rock from blue to red although it was far from a landslide victory Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentSouth Surrey-White Rock where Liberal candidate Ernie Klassen came out on top with the Conservative campaign manager at one point calling it for his candidate while Conservative incumbent Kerry-Lynne Findlay had 29,498 votes Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. “The people of this riding have spoken and have overwhelmingly elected a small business owner community-involved advocate for all members of this community,” he said later “I believe strong community representation and communication with the grass roots members is the key priority for a politician “My priority will be to ensure that the voice of the residents of my riding and of Western Canada will be heard at the federal level to ensure fair and equitable representation across the country.” The Liberals swept several other Surrey ridings Liberal newcomer Gurbux Saini had 22,869 votes while Conservative Sukh Pandher had 21,190 votes incumbent Liberal Randeep Sarai gained 20,831 votes Conservative rival Rajvir Dhillon had 18,897 votes incumbent Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal had 20,006 votes compared to Conservative Harjit Singh Gill with 17,847 votes gluymes@postmedia.com transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account Mounties in White Rock are hoping to identify a man suspected of assaulting two elderly people last month The White Rock RCMP says an unknown man exited an SUV at the intersection of North Bluff Road and Johnston Street on April 11 around 4:15 p.m and assaulted two elderly pedestrians crossing at a marked crosswalk “The assault was serious enough to send one of the victims to the hospital with lacerations on their head,” police said in a release Friday As the suspect drove away before officers arrived the RCMP is now seeking witnesses to help identify the man and was wearing a light-coloured shirt and grey pants Police have released two images from CCTV footage of the incident If you witnessed this assault or are able to identify the suspect involved you’re asked to contact the lead investigator The federal council and the NDP caucus decided on the local MP WASHINGTON — Prime Minister Mark Carney will have to navigate a delicate balance during his first in-person meeting with Donald Trump today Jendhel May Sico is described as a person who lived her life to the fullest Killed in a car-ramming attack on Saturday she was celebrating the Lapu-Lapu Day festival with those she loved most -- her cousin speaks to reporter Kier Junos about the day their lives changed forever Huge crowds lined the streets of Vancouver to cheer on 25,000 runners making their way around the city for the 53rd annual BMO Marathon on Sunday Andrew's Saturday in honour of the victims of the deadly Lapu-Lapu tragedy last week The accused person in the deadly car attack at the Lapu-Lapu Day block party in Vancouver on April 26th appeared at the provincial Court of British Columbia 30-year-old Kai Ji Adam Lo appeared via video in court Four people remain in critical condition in hospital and another two remain in serious condition five days after the deadly attack at the Lapu-Lapu Day festival in Vancouver on April 26 Jack Rabb has more on the efforts to support the victims Listen to NewsRadio Vancouver live anytime and get up-to-the-minute breaking-news alerts weather and video from CityNews Vancouver anywhere you are – across all Android and iOS devices White Rock Mayor Megan Knight paused council proceedings Monday night (April 28) for a few moments of silence to pay respects to the victims of the Lapu Lapu Festival tragedy and others injured when an SUV plowed into a crowd attending the Vancouver festival which celebrates Filipino-Canadian pride and history history and community spirit," Knight said "It is truly heartbreaking that a day meant for joy and pride has been overshadowed by such loss "On behalf of White Rock council and our community I offer our deepest condolences to the Filipino community here in British Columbia and to all those affected by this tragic event," she added "To our Filipino friends and neighbours here in White Rock we are thinking of you and we stand with you and we share in your grief." Knight also offered that counselling and support is available through the Vancouver Police Department's website Mental Health's support line at 604-310-6789 It's nearly time once again to raise awareness about tens of thousands of individuals in B.C living with a devastating disease by getting out there in White Rock for an annual walk The Alzheimer Society of B.C.'s annual IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s is returning to White Rock's waterfront to make up the Surrey and White Rock community's event “It is estimated that more than 85,000 British Columbians are living with dementia and that number continues to grow,” chief development officer of the Alzheimer Society of B.C The walk is more than a fundraiser – it’s a lifeline The funds raised help deliver vital programs and services in communities across the province while also driving critical research to change the future of dementia.” individuals from across 19 different areas of B.C will get out there and walk in the fundraiser to support people living with dementia and care takers Two out of three people in the province are affected by the disease a different person is highlighted for the walk in each community and this year for Surrey and White Rock it's Ian Stewart who is a caregiver in the community with the honouree having lost his father in 2018 and moving in with his mother to provide her care not long after She has a friend in the building who will call her up to go on walks,”Stewart said on the Walk's website she gets herself ready and catches the HandyDART Stewart is also part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and has found support for himself while taking care of his loved ones queer – whatever a group member’s situation — I find it a huge support to hear from other people whose loved ones are living with dementia and what strategies work for them,” Stewart said The walk will begin at Memorial Park in White Rock on Sunday with registration beginning one hour prior It's time to get your family and friends together for fun live entertainment and an ocean breeze featured on one Friday afternoon and evening each month from May through September at the city's waterfront Memorial Park Plaza As temperatures warm up and days get longer it means more time for locals and visitors to celebrate community through yummy eats an expanded local artisan market with local vendors showcasing their wares and from corn dogs to Vietnamese spring rolls to kettle corn food truck and food tent vendors will be offering up a wide variety of delicious fare as well as the many businesses on Marine Drive This year, market patrons will likely be able to enjoy an adult beverage or two as the monthly event returns for its second year in a row White Rock's night markets 2025 schedule: "Save the dates and bring your friends and family!" the night markets' website urges Learn more at whiterocknightmarkets.com and you're invited to its official opening White Rock Mayor Megan Knight and council will open the new crosswalk which is located at Johnston Road between Thrift Avenue and Russell Avenue will offer residents and visitors an approachable encounter with public art Titled Seaside Stroll, the design brings the essence of White Rock’s iconic waterfront into the heart of the uptown community Everyone is welcome to join the official opening at Miramar Plaza Bao is a multidisciplinary artist based in Vancouver with a background in traditional art and architecture adding she is passionate about creating outdoor artworks that are accessible and free for everyone to enjoy The Liberals have taken the South Surrey-White Rock riding away from the Conservatives Conservative incumbent Kerry-Lynne Findlay has gone down to defeat at the hands of Liberal challenger Ernie Klassen Klassen had 31,106 votes to Findlay's 28,602 NDP challenger Jereun Park was in a distant third with 1,571 votes and Green Party candidate Christine Kinnie with 840 Klassen's party is continuing the celebration Ernie" as the soon-to-be MP for South Surrey-White Rock took to the mic to thank the crowd of supporters "South Surrey-White Rock was known as an ultra-Conservative riding tonight we elected its first openly gay MP," Klassen said "I'm proud and humbled to be selected as Member of Parliament I promise to you that I will listen to everyone and will serve this riding as an advocate in Ottawa." Findlay showed up to her campaign office party at about 11 p.m. while husband Surrey South MLA Brent Chapman declined to give a comment adding that Findlay is "digesting" the news.  White Rock city councillor Christopher Trevelyan arrived to the Conservative party right before Findlay came out "We’ve been watching as the results come in so we thought we were up and then we were down It’s been pretty close back and forth all night but right now it doesn’t look that good," she said addressing the claim her campaign manager had made earlier in the night "My heart is absolutely here with South Surrey-White Rock I’m so honoured to have represented this riding for the last six years." She went on to thank her volunteers and said there was nothing else any of them could have done to change the result and the NDP candidate here was only named in the last day and she had no literature so no doubt that a lot of those votes went over to the Liberal side." The Conservatives have seemingly accepted their defeat in South Surrey-White Rock with Liberal candidate Ernie Klassen projected to win the riding and unseat incumbent Kerry-Lynne Findlay Findlay continues to trail behind with 19,994 and Klassen still in the lead with 21,616 with 199 of 221 polls counted Findlay's watch party is seeing more and more supporters heading home as the vote looks to go in the Liberal's favour for now The ones left now are visibly stressed with anger sadness and frustration heard and felt from the remaining crowd Kerry-Lynne Findlay's campaign manager shares that a mistake has been made and he retracts his previous statement about Findlay winning the riding Conservative supporters are beginning to leave the celebration as Findlay is yet to show up Spirits continue to be high at Ernie Klassen's party where upwards of 65 people are still present awaiting the final count Liberals and Conservatives continue to keep high hopes as results pour in with 180 of 221 polls counted, Klassen leads at 17,147 with Findlay at 15,732 Klassen remains in the lead with 49.7 per cent of the vote at 14,297 votes and Findlay close behind with 45.9 per cent at 13,199 votes Spirits continue to be high at both candidates' parties while Klassen greets supporters and Findlay is yet to show The split continues to be close with 145 of 221 polls counted Klassen is still in the lead with 11,181 votes and Findlay close behind at 10,832 Kerry-Lynne Findlay's supporters are celebrating at her campaign office as they have projected her win while Elections Canada's results are still updating According to FIndlay's campaign manager Miguel Martinez's numbers Findlay has taken the lead with 3,800 votes with Ernie Klassen sitting at 2,380 This story will be updated with Elections Canada's final numbers Klassen and Findlay are in a tight race with the Liberal candidate still in a slight lead with 6,383 votes and Findlay with 6,301 with 90 polls counted Klassen is still leading with 51.5 per cent of the vote with 1,053 and Findlay at 44.3 per cent with 914 ballots Klassen remains in the lead with 52.1 per cent of the vote with 366 votes and Findlay close behind with 44.2 per cent and 311 votes Klassen (Liberal) has gained 60.7 per cent of the vote with 85 with incumbent Findlay (Conservative) trailing with 47 at 33.6 per cent of the vote Kinnie (Green) and Park (NDP) each have four votes with Findlay close behind with eight and two for NDP's Park with candidates and voters in Surrey's seven ridings are now awaiting results residents have their choice between four candidates: Conservative incumbent Kerry-Lynne Findlay Green Party Christine Kinnie and New Democrat Jureun Park Surrey residents have voted in seven ridings: Surrey Centre Ernie' can be heard in the Tap & Barrel restaurant where the Liberal candidate is awaiting election results with his supporters dozens of volunteers for Findlay crowd her campaign office in White Rock cheering and boo-ing at the TV when news comes down At least one individual at Findlay's event voiced support for U.S 51st state!" and denied Canada and the U.S Neither Klassen nor Findlay are present at their respective parties Watch this space for live results as they come in The Cloverdale Reporter, Langley Advance Times, Surrey Now-Leader and North Delta Reporter teams are also on the road tonight bringing coverage from ridings that also include Surrey neighbourhoods For Surrey Newton, see here. For Cloverdale-Langley City, see here For Delta, see here.  Sign up for a free account today and start receiving our exclusive newsletters An open letter to White Rock mayor and city council: The news that mayor and council had voted 4-3 to build new premises on Johnson Street for a new city hall and library was to say the least annex and daycare properties will then be sold to developers for the construction of two or more six-storey condos along Fir Street and Buena Vista Avenue as well as parts of Pacific Avenue and Centre Street is a great disappointment for the current condo dwellers in this area especially for some of us who paid prime for a small view of the water!  Where is common-sense urban development to have so many highrise buildings plonked all over the city amongst two- or three-storey buildings The current library is an attractive building and why not renovate and add a storey or two to the current city hall and annex European countries would lose their charm if the their lovely houses and buildings were destroyed.  Can you visualize a green little oasis here An inviting green space added to the few existing trees in the corner A place to sit and ponder the beautiful "whale wall" family kitty-corner on Johnston and Russell Avenue It could be a project for young landscape engineers to re-create this small one-third of an acre to a place of beauty more old parking lots may need to be reclaimed for growing just might become the year to fall in love with White Rock again It’s Election Day in South Surrey-White Rock and Canadians across the country are heading to the polls a steady stream of people was arriving at White Rock Community Centre – one of Elections Canada's designated polling places – to cast their ballots Canada's federal election was called March 23 amid a trade war with the United States and parties have been campaigning for the past 37 days to earn their seats in the next Parliament A new federal government is expected to be named Monday night as Canada’s 2025 snap election gets underway.  The main parties vying for the 343 seats in the House of Commons are Mark Carney’s Liberals Elizabeth May and Jonathan Pedneault’s Greens Yves-François Blanchet’s Bloc Quebecois and Maxime Bernier’s People’s Party of Canada.  Polls are open in British Columbia from 7 a.m To find out local poll location, visit the Elections Canada website and type in your street address or postal code Canadians can look at their voter registration card – cards were mailed to registered voters and should have been received by April 11 Note that voters can only visit their specified polling location.  For Elections Canada’s FAQ page for questions like what kind of identification to bring, click here.   Check out our website for full coverage of the results once polls close.  “I’m bursting with energy,” proclaims young Jo March (Rebecca Erin Curtis) in White Rock Players Club’s Little Women (until May 11 at Oceana PARC Playhouse) not only of Curtis’ playing of the main character but also the largely commendable WRPC production of the 2005 Broadway musical an adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel that energy has ensured that WRPC has a hit on its hands Massachusetts in the turbulent era of the American Civil War and the immediate post-war period, chronicles a close-knit family of four sisters and their tirelessly loving and supportive mother Marmee struggling to make the best of life in Concord in the protracted absence of their father Headstrong Jo has naturally assumed a leadership role among her siblings and involving them in her numerous amateur productions of her own blood-and-thunder plays and novellas But as years go by and the sisters mature into womanhood Jo finds herself out of step; experiencing her own measure of heartache and rejection ultimately finding her way back by telling the story of her family Assembling a full-scale Broadway musical at a community theatre level (and on a community theatre budget) is no mean feat and my hat is off to director Dann Wilhelm and assistant director Paige Thomsen for putting all the pieces together and making it work smoothly and it's clear the actors have been well-guided to make the most of their characters and musical numbers put together a design for the show which makes good use of a few well-done set pieces and some large projections (including a fine one for the attic domain of the sisters) to create atmosphere aided by good crewing for the swift changes of scene Just how future audiences will appreciate this version of LIttle Women, Alcott purists among them – and others with fond memories of many film and television adaptations of the classic – will depend on their tolerance for the tropes of contemporary musical theatre The downside is that adaptor Alan Knee has ruthlessly hammered Alcott's two-volume novel into a procession of rather clichéd musical theatre "moments," while the score by Jason Howland (music) and Mindi Dickstein (lyrics) so slavishly follows Broadway formulas of the last four decades that it borders on parody Most effective are Howland's more melodic songs in which Dickstein's lyrics provide the kind of necessary fleshing-out of characters that Knee's expository script all too often tends to neglect Would that Knee had spent more time on showing and not telling us about the touching characters of Alcott's original story rather than imagining what Jo's melodramas might have looked like on stage (in no less than two numbers) – which must have seemed a cute idea to the adaptors but affords only a few cheap laughs at best makes the most of what it has been given to work with, achieving the most with song and numbers like Astonishing and The Fire Within Me as launch a frontal assault on them – while she might be faulted on technical grounds she can't be faulted in either the passion or heart of her performance It's all somehow well-suited to the character of impetuous quick-tempered Jo – so much so that part and player succeed in fusing into an inseparable whole long before the show is over the real relevatory performance comes from Gina Geoghegan as Marmee – particularly her warm and melodious singing in the moving solos Here Alone and Days of Plenty She has such command of the material – and the idiom – that it is surprising to learn that this is her first return to the stage since she was a child Young Annie MacEwan is thoroughly assured in her promising performance as the youngest sister offering a fine portrait of immature petulance but smoothly transitioning to the character's more deeply caring side.  Camilia Rodriguez finds all the sweetness and sadness in the sickly sister Beth notably in the touching Some Things Are Meant To Be but even more felicitously at the piano for her duet Off To Massachusetts with the gruff Mr who engineers a smooth transition from lean miser to warm-hearted benefactor that begins with More Than I Am) Tirion Jones isn't given much to do as calm but she lights up the stage in the pre-ball number I'd Be Delighted and has some sweet scenes with Jake Catling effective as her utterly smitten suitor Mr Jared McCune as the young neighbour 'Laurie' Laurence – who becomes the sisters' closest friend and confidante – begins by playing him with a kind of studied goofiness While his portrayal is not without charm (as exemplified by his solo Take A Chance On Me) he takes on a greater and more convincing maturity as the characters grow older who was hampered by a malfunctioning wireless microphone in the early scenes of the show I saw creates a well-judged portrayal of Jo's New York friend and mentor Professor Bhaer particularly by the time he reaches his solo How I Am Elizabeth Trottier provides a suitably strict and severe presence as the sisters' moneyed relative Aunt March also doubling felicitously as Irish boarding house owner Mrs It should be noted that two other very reliable players are set to understudy some roles during the run: Abrielle Dumansky (for Amy and Beth) and Alexandra Quispe (for Jo and Meg) – which Eve Partridge's costume design successfully and efficiently evokes the line and style of the 1860s one could have wished that the men's vests were more carefully fitted Stef Delisimunovic has contributed some brief but effective choreography provides strong musical direction and keyboard playing (augmented by bassist Steve Lay and percussionist Evan Macnamara); agreeably spirited and more than equal to the demands of the score.   The Oceana PARC Playhouse is located at 1532 Johnston Rd. For tickets, call 604-536-7535, or visit www.whiterockplayers.ca Peace Arch News reached out to all the local candidates vying for a seat in the upcoming federal election with a questionnaire to fill out to introduce themselves to voters Candidates were all given the same questions Below are the responses received from the four candidates in the South Surrey-White Rock riding What neighbourhood do you live in? South Surrey How many years have you lived in Surrey/White Rock/Delta? Nine years and another several years previously MP for South Surrey-White Rock 2019-Present Associate Minister of National Defence 2013 Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice 2011-2013 and MP for Delta-Richmond East 2011-2015 Kerry-Lynne Findlay is a graduate of UBC (B.A ,J.D.) I had a successful civil litigation practice for over 30 years and have appeared in all levels of court including the Supreme Court of Canada I was a partner in two downtown Vancouver law firms and later had a sole practice in South Surrey-White Rock.  Kerry-Lynne was also appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 1999 (now King’s Counsel) by the Attorney General of B.C for “superior knowledge of the law and the highest ethical standards” She was also appointed by the Canadian Minister of Justice to serve a five-year term as an Administrative Law Judge on the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal she was elected as the President of the BC Branch of the Canadian Bar Association by its then 10,000 members What is the most important issue facing voters in this election I believe the top issue for South Surrey—White Rock voters is affordability President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and aggressive rhetoric impacting our economy and sovereignty and reduce income taxes to ease financial burdens we’ll streamline regulations to boost construction Canada First approach ensures we stand firm against unjust tariffs and protect our sovereignty unlike Liberals who’ve weakened our position with low productivity and economic reliance on the U.S Our plan supports small businesses with tax breaks and less red tape We will keep the dental care and child care plans secure from external threats and internal mismanagement I have been honoured to be the MP for South Surrey—White Rock for 6 years bringing decades of experience as a lawyer As Member of Parliament I also served as Minister of National Revenue and Associate Minister of National Defence delivering results with integrity and a caring approach. I understand our community’s needs—affordability and streamlining regulations to boost housing and support small businesses With a strong record of advocating for families and seniors I will stand up for Canada’s interests against external pressures My common sense leadership has been principled and shown my strong voice for South Surrey—White Rock’s needs in Ottawa Telephone number voters can reach you at:  604-531-8383 or by email at team@votefindlay.ca What neighbourhood do you live in? White Rock How many years have you lived in Surrey/White Rock/Delta?  How many years have you lived in Surrey/White Rock and I have lived in the Surrey/White Rock area for a total of 12 years I finally returned home in 2021 to be near my family after living in Northern B.C. for many years this is my first time running for public office The most important issue facing voters in this election is economic insecurity — from unaffordable housing to rising costs that make daily life harder for too many Canadians People are working hard but still can’t keep up It’s time for real change that puts people first We will make the largest investment in public housing since the 1970s and crack down on investors who drive up prices We’ll also expand universal health care to include medication and dental care — because health shouldn’t depend on your income we’ll eliminate federal income taxes on earnings under $40,000 and introduce a Guaranteed Livable Income to ensure no one lives in poverty and support Canadians at every stage of life The Green Party has historically been the only party to fully cost its platform Ours is going through that process right now with the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) and sustainable solutions are what make the Green Party different Christine Kinnie is deeply rooted in South Surrey – White Rock she sees firsthand the need to address Canada’s historically high economic gap as families struggle with the rising cost of living A mature student at KPU with a goal of human rights law and Chair of the Board for the South Fraser Unitarians Christine is driven by the urgency of housing affordability Christine believes politics should serve people and planet — not profit https://www.greenparty.ca/en/candidate/christine-kinnie https://bsky.app/profile/christinekinnie.bsky.social https://www.facebook.com/christinekinnie.greenparty https://www.instagram.com/christine_kinnie2025/ What neighbourhood do you live in? Central White Rock How many years have you lived in Surrey/White Rock/Delta?  25 years Currently White Rock city councillor (on a leave of absence due to this election) Cost of Living and Affordability: As we approach this election one of the foremost concerns for voters is the escalating cost of living which directly impacts affordability across various sectors Families and seniors alike are feeling the pressure especially in critical areas such as housing Childcare and Support for Families: Young families are particularly burdened by the lack of affordable childcare options Programs like the $10-a-day childcare initiative play a crucial role in alleviating this burden It's essential that we not only preserve these programs but work to expand them further seniors are increasingly anxious about safeguarding their pensions and navigating retirement age making it vital that we address their concerns with reliable support systems Housing Affordability: Housing affordability remains a significant challenge in our community we need substantial investments in the construction of new homes and the enforcement of fair rental practices Ensuring that everyone has access to safe and affordable housing should be a top priority Mental Health and Substance Use: The growing issues surrounding mental health and substance use require urgent attention We must implement stronger prevention strategies and develop long-term recovery options (answer was cut here for going over 200-word limit) Ernie Klassen is a committed community advocate and entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience serving White Rock He is recognized for his inclusive leadership and his passion for creating positive change Ernie is married to Michael Barwell and values spending time with their three children and two grandchildren and leading a balanced and fulfilling life What neighbourhood do you live in? Did not answer How many years have you lived in Surrey/White Rock/Delta?  Did not answer but I've been elected in local associations like strata councils and tourism boards Affordability is on the top of every voter's mind From Trump's tariff war affecting millions of jobs to the ongoing housing crisis childcare cutting into working parents' earnings and the severe shortage of family doctors across the country Effective policies need to be made to address this The NDP has accomplished part of this in the past term by creating the Canadian Dental Program pressuring the Liberals to increase CERB from $1,000 to $2,000 a month I would hold the federal government accountable to promptly execute on more policies that actually lifts up Canadians: NDP initiatives like increasing the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) for seniors We need to tariff-proof the Canadian economy by reworking EI so it actually works for you (higher benefits and coverage for gig and self-employed workers) and using every dollar from retaliatory tariffs to directly support impacted workers in construction Jureun Park is your NDP candidate for South Surrey-White Rock Jureun immigrated from South Korea in 2006 and survived the 2008 financial crisis which has shaped her deep commitment to fighting for economic stability and fairness making her passionate about advocating for affordability and job security for all Canadians she has served in leadership roles on her local tourism board and strata association Her business acumen will inform precise and effective economic solutions Jureun would prioritize protecting Canadians' pensions Local White Rock children may be getting their green thumbs soon as a community garden at their school has opened this spring Peace Arch Elementary opened its first school garden in 60 years on April 23 for students to take care of "This is a huge project that we are very proud of," she shared the garden at the school is called 'The Raven's Nest' "It is fun trying to find worms in the dirt!" shared Grade 1 student Evan with enthusiasm there are 12 classes from the school participating in growing flowers and vegetables "Our school garden goals are to increase biodiversity at our school and to promote connection to land and the growing process," Workun shared Making the garden come to fruition took financial support from the school's Parental Advisory Committee and a donation from the City of White Rock "I like to be in the garden with my friends and to plant things It makes me happy," said Grade 4 student Ameera In his first act as newly elected South Surrey White Rock MP Ernie Klassen had a special request of supporters and volunteers who had gathered at his victory celebration at South Surrey’s Tap & Barrel restaurant Monday night He asked them for a few moments of silence in memory of those who lost their lives when an SUV plowed into spectators at the Lapu Lapu Festival in Vancouver on Saturday And it was a measure of the empathy of the Liberal faithful and their respect for their candidate that despite the boisterous party atmosphere that had prevailed for most of the evening “There has been a tragedy in British Columbia that we haven’t seen before…which occurred at the Lapu Lapu Festival in Vancouver,” Klassen told the crowd “We as British Columbians are all struggling to understand how something like this could happen and the unspeakable violence that has left 11 innocent people dead and many more injured,” he said “I know I speak for everybody here in this room when I say that we all stand together in solidarity with the Filipino-Canadian community and mourning 11 lives inexplicably cut short and we extend our condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and all those recovering in the hospital.” a mother and son – one in critical condition – had been present as entertainers at his Good Friday campaign open house In his subsequent speech – following his upset victory for the Liberals over Conservative incumbent Kerry-Lynne Findlay – Klassen was careful to thank everyone who had contributed to and helped his campaign “I’d like to say the people have spoken,” he said He noted that voters in South Surrey-White Rock had led much of the rest of Canada in turning out for advanced polls “There was such high interest in this election (The riding) had more people coming to and voting in the advanced polls than anybody west of Toronto Klassen said one message had become clear to him while he was on the campaign trail “What I heard over and over again was that Canadians want strong leadership in electing Mark Carney as our prime minister Klassen – a founder of the White Rock Pride Society – vowed to be a voice of inclusivity for all segments of society the riding “The issues we are facing here in (South Surrey) White Rock are something that I’m prepared to take to Ottawa and to ensure that the west coast of Canada gets equal representation (with) the east coast of Canada.” Noting that “these are uncertain times in the history of Canada," Klassen referenced Carney’s message that U.S adding he believes Carney will unite Canadians to fight for common values Speaking to Peace Arch News shortly afterwards Klassen reflected on the “intense experience” of an evening in which both he and  Findlay had alternately been announced as being in the lead “It’s still all a bit dreamy,” he admitted But he said he was in no doubt about what it was that had elected him and unseated Findlay embracing people of all walks of life and being able to listen to them,” he said While he had earlier noted he was the “first openly gay man” to be elected as MP for what had been formerly considered an “ultra-conservative” riding he said he has noticed changes in the population and aspirations of the community and I’ve seen the demographics change,” he said I’ve been surprised by the number of older people who gave me their support.” Klassen said he wants to “listen to the grass roots” and hear what they want and is prepared to do the work to represent that in Ottawa “Now we have a Liberal MP and a Liberal government I think I’ll be even better able to represent what the community wants and needs,” he said who is currently a member of White Rock city council said that it is inevitable that he will resign his council seat to serve as an MP although he said he is not yet sure about the timing “I’ll be discussing it with the Prime Minister’s Office and the mayor’s office to see if we can come up with a transition plan,” he said Semiahmoo Rotary Club meets weekly at Rotary Fieldhouse at 7 a.m White Rock & District Garden Club Keep calm and garden Join on the second Tuesday of each month except July and August at Cranley Hall 2141 Cranley Drive at 2 p.m Visitors welcome. If the parking lot is full For more information visit website at white-rock-garden-club.ca Buds and Flowers Floral Art Club welcomes new member of all levels Meetings are every 3rd Tuesday of the month at Cranley Hall  Contact for more information:  budsandflowersfloralartclub@gmail.com or 604 312 4402 South Surrey-White Rock voters can cast their ballots in the federal election as early as Friday Sunday and Monday (April 19 to 21) from 9 a.m Electors must vote only at their assigned polling place This is different from the process in some provincial elections where electors can vote at any polling location Voters can find the address for their assigned polling station on the back of their voter information card, by visiting elections.ca and entering their postal code electors must prove their identity and address The list of accepted ID can be found online Another early-voting option is to vote at any Elections Canada office by April 22 at 6 p.m you can head to the Elections Canada office at 14928 56 Ave. The offices are open seven days a week: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m Residents can also vote by mail using the special ballot process The deadline to apply to vote by special ballot is Tuesday and the marked ballot must be returned by election day – Monday Visit the Elections Canada website to apply to vote by mail Candidates running in South Surrey-White Rock are: Sign up below for unlimited digital access for 30 days receive our daily news alerts & breaking news 7 days agoDuration 1:57Liberals flip longtime Conservative riding of South Surrey-White Rock 7 days agoNewsDuration 1:57Liberals have managed to flip the South Surrey-White Rock riding, which was held by the Conservative Party in the last two elections. As Sohrab Sandhu reports, the new MP, Ernie Klassen, says the last provincial election was an important factor in his victory. Ben Hendriksen appointed Yellowknife mayor for remaining 1.5-year term24 minutes agoVideo0:35 One pilot died in Whitehorse helicopter crash, company says26 minutes agoVideo1:44 Should the Yukon River be considered a 'person' with rights?28 minutes agoTrending NowVideo2:17 Video evidence, NHLer testimony raise questions in world junior sexual assault trialThe National |May 2Video4:45 Trump repeats 51st state taunt as Carney prepares for White House visitThe National |May 5Video11:28 Stepfather of missing Nova Scotia children calls on public's helpMay 5Video1:19 It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem and candidates and voters in Surrey's seven ridings have spoken but it wasn't a runaway for anyone – and some races were downright nailbiting Langley Township-Fraser Heights turned blue with a Conservative win for incumbent Tako Van Popta And, in one of the closest-fought races of the night, so did Cloverdale-Langley City as Conservative Tamara Jansen took 25,607 votes to Liberal Kyle Latchford's 24,838 – in a riding not called until Tuesday morning after the final ballot box was counted Latchford had declined to concede on Monday night as two ballot boxes still remained to be counted with about 900 votes separating the two candidates Another projected Liberal win: Liberal Gurbux Saini is bringing it home in Fleetwood-Port Kells with 15,087 votes – leading Conservative challenger Sukh Pandher New Democratic Party candidate Shannon Permal is well back Sukh Dhaliwal has nearly brought it home in Surrey Newton 156 of 169 polls have reported in Surrey Newton and the Liberal incumbent is sitting pretty at 10,506 votes compared to Conservative Harjit Singh Gill's 9,590 compared to 14,995 for Conservative Rajvir Dhillon another Liberal victory appears to be in the offing – although Liberal newcomer Gurbux Saini has yet to declare victory compared to Conservative Sukh Pandher's 13,395 The two have been neck-and-neck through the night with Pandher nearly closing the gap on more than one occasion Liberal newcomer Gurbux Saini is moving closer to victory in Fleetwood-Port Kells compared to Conservative challenger Sukh Pandher's 12,629.  The two have been in a close-fought battle all evening with Pandher moving within as little of eight votes of Saini at one point in the evening Randeep Sarai is projected to claim victory in Surrey Centre winning back the riding for the Carney Liberals At the latest Elections Canada update at 10:50 p.m. Sarai had a comfortable lead with 15,561 votes to Conservative challenger Rajvir Dhillon's 13,950 Sukh Dhaliwal is projected to claim victory in Surrey Newton Dhaliwal holds a comfortable lead over Conservative challenger Harjit Singh Gill With about three-quarters of polls now reporting back Liberal victories are now looking more assured for Surrey candidates Gurbux Saini now leads 10,147 votes to 9,878 over Conservative Sukh Pandher Saini acknowledged it was a "tight race," declining to declare victory yet Saini said the Liberal Party of Canada got elected because of Canadians' concerns about U.S "I think Canadians are very concerned about U.S and we want to make sure we have a strong Liberal government that can stand up to Trump because Mr Sukh Dhaliwal leads 8,397 to 7,788 over Harjit Singh Gill Randeep Sarai leads with 11,118 votes to Rajvir Dhillon's 9,794 Liberal Gurbux Saini and Conservative Sukh Pandher continue their neck-and-neck battle with Saini leading 7,620 to 7,574 votes as 121 polls report back Sukh Dhaliwal maintains a comfortable lead for the Liberals with 7,969 votes to Conservative Harjit Singh Gill's 7,353 in an election night gathering at the Grand Empire banquet hall is jovial as he chats to a reporter about his evening this is one of the best elections I could have," he said noting he had knocked on about 16,000 doors He cited issues such as inflation and health care as important ones for the voters he had talked to on doorsteps Gill said he was prepared to wait for the result but was "ready to celebrate." Only 50 polls have reported in Surrey Centre where Liberal Randeep Sarai continues to lead with 9,750 votes to Conservative Rajvir Singh Dhillon's 8,448 More than half the polls are now reporting in Fleetwood-Port Kells and Liberal Gurbux Saini maintains a slim lead over Conservative Sukh Pandher: 7,450 votes to 7,383 incumbent Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal holds a 7,006 to 6,473 lead over Conservative Harjit Singh Gill but incumbent Liberal Randeep Sarai leads 6,105 votes to 5,268 over Conservative Rajvir Dhillon Sarai has yet to turn out to his election night party at the Crown Palace Banquet Hall but the room is buzzing with excitement as supporters stream in – cheering each time the riding's results come upon the televisions Fleetwood-Port Kells continues to be a tight race with 7,236 votes to Conservative Sukh Pandher's 7,152 with 5,919 votes to Conservative Harjit Singh Gill's 5,473 with Liberal Randeep Sarai continuing to lead at 5,805 votes to Rajvir Dhillon's 4,965 If anyone has any fingernails left in Fleetwood-Port Kells Liberal Gurbux Saini and Conservative Sukh Pandher are now separated by just eight votes — 5,142 to 5,134 Surrey Newton incumbent Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal has a slightly more comfortable lead with 4,811 votes to Harjit Singh Gill's 4,334 with 80 polls reporting Dhaliwal has not yet turned out at his election night party at the Royal King Palace banquet hall Surrey Centre continues to lag in counting but incumbent Liberal Randeep Sarai mainains a comfortable lead with 5,629 votes to Conservative Rajvir Dhillon's 4,791 A large crowd has gathered in support of Sarai at the Crownd Palace banquet hall but Sarai himself has not yet made an appearance Fleetwood-Port Kells continues to be a neck-and-neck race as Conservative Sukh Pandher edges up on Liberal Gurbux Saini – whose lead has been cut to just 51 votes with 55 polls now reporting (of a total 187) Incumbent Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal continues to lead in Surrey Newton with 47.4% of the vote (2,442 votes) to Conservative Harjit Singh Gill's 45.4% (2,343 votes) Counting is proceeding more slowly in Surrey Centre Liberal incumbent Randeep Sarai continues to lead with 48% of the vote to Conservative Rajvir Dhillon's 42.4% Just 64 votes now separate the leading two candidates in Fleetwood-Port Kells where Liberal Gurbux Saini is clinging to a lead over Conservative Sukh Pandher The gap between the Liberals and Conservatives has narrowed in Fleetwood-Port Kells with Liberal Gurbux Saini at 46.3% to Conservative Sukh Pandher's 45.7% It's the biggest move by a Conservative candidate in Surrey so far tonight where Sukh Dhaliwal now holds 47.2% of the vote for the Liberals compared to Harjit Singh Gill's 46% for the Conservatives Fewer polls have returned in Surrey Centre but incumbent Liberal Randeep Sarai continues to sit at 48.9% of the vote to Conservative Rajvir Dhillon's 40.6% Just six of 153 polls have reported back in Surrey Centre but Randeep Sarai remains in the lead with 49.3% of the vote to Conservative Rajvir Dhillon's 40.4% incumbent Sukh Dhaliwal also continues to hold the lead for the Liberals with 48.7% of the vote to Conservative Harjit Singh Gill's 44.3% Gurbux Saini holds just shy of half the vote with 49.9% to Conservative Sukh Pandher's 42.8%.  Liberal candidates remain in the lead in Surrey Centre with just shy of half the votes in all three ridings Gurbux Saini in Fleetwood-Port Kells has 49.4% of the vote while Sukh Dhaliwal in Surrey Newton is at 48% First polls have now reported in Surrey-Newton Incumbent Sukh Dhaliwal is at 55.9% of the vote and Conservative challenger Harjit Singh Gill is at 32.4% Sarai continues to lead with 48.2% of the vote.  just a small handful of polls have reported so there is much room for the lead to change hands as the night wears on Four polls have now reported, and Saini retains the lead with 50.6% of the vote (272 of 538 votes) to Pandher's 40%. Saini's election night party is at Westfield Country Club, where a small crowd is beginning to gather. Reporter Tom Zillich will report in from the road – you can follow Tom Zillich on X/Twitter @TomZillich Liberals have also struck first in Fleetwood-Port Kells where Liberal Gurbux Saini is at 59.9% of the vote with just one poll reporting That leaves Conservative Sukh Pandher at 32% of the vote Liberal leads are holding in Surrey Centre and South Surrey-White Rock Election results have just begun to trickle out – and Liberals have drawn first blood in Surrey Liberal Randeep Sarai took 53% of the vote in the first reported poll with Conservative Rajvir Dhillon at 24% – with just 79 total votes reporting the People's Party of Canada's Beverly Tanchak and the Community Party of Canada's Ryan Abbott are also on the ballot Sarai was up to 42.5% of the vote to Dhillon's 25.8% Liberal Ernie Klassen notched the first poll win with a slim lead over Conservative incumbent Kerry-Lynne Findlay (10 votes to Findlay's 8) More polls should be reporting soon; stay tuned with the main showdown featuring Liberal incumbent Sukh Dhaliwal and Conservative challenger Harjit Singh Gill New Democrat Raj Singh Toor and Communist Salman Zafar are also in the race.  Fleetwood-Port Kells features five candidates with Liberal Gurbux Saini and Conservative Sukh Pandher expected to battle for the seat Also on the ballot are New Democrat Shannon Permal John Hetherington of the People's Party of Canada and Murali Krishnan of the Green Party Peace Arch News and North Delta Reporter teams are also on the road tonight bringing coverage from ridings that also include Surrey neighbourhoods For Delta, see here.  For updates from Cloverdale-Langley City, see here For South Surrey-White Rock, see here For Langley Township-Fraser Heights, see here I couldn’t agree more with all the residents that have written in showing their disapproval of having yet another highrise built in the town centre Whatever happened to listening to the taxpayers here and it saddens me to see how poor this town has become We’re often referred to as the "Thrift Store Capital" and without doubt it has become the "Cannabis Capital." Decent businesses have had to wait over five years to finally get their business licences approved and some gave up because they were losing their businesses in the meantime here we are and the powers-that-be on the White Rock have given way too many ‘"pot shop" licences in record time I have to question why we even have a city council there was to be a park included in that project Now the park that was promised years ago at Johnston and Russell is a parking lot Yet as I write this the council wants a new city hall and another concrete tower they’re calling "the hub." Recently a lady wanted a mat on a the pier for ease of use by people with wheelchairs City council balked at spending just over a hundred thousand White Rock council needs to wake up to reality We need an efficient council that can manage a small city like White Rock You already have the land where the current building is There could be a wonderful community hub built there to serve all of the community The property uptown needs to be managed (with security cameras) to dissuade the drug use Let’s have a nice park for all the uptown children and families that live in our concrete core Enter your email to connect to 30 more days worth of stories by journalists living & working in the local area Thank you for supporting local journalism Should the Yukon River be considered a 'person' with rights?29 minutes agoTrending NowVideo2:17 Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. Tim Shum identifies his top concern ahead of Canada’s federal election We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle content“Tariffs and the economy,” he says indicating the source of his unease beyond the end of the White Rock pier where Washington State is visible across the bay when sunshine and an ocean breeze put people in a good mood the threat of American interference is hard to ignore in South Surrey-White Rock a border riding that could be heavily impacted by a trade war “It’s less in your face when you live further from the border,” said Ernie Klassen a White Rock city councillor running for the Liberal party will prompt people to vote for Mark Carney the leader he thinks is most capable of steering Canada’s economy in uncertain times Conservative incumbent Kerry-Lynne Findlay who won the riding by four percentage points in 2019 and again in 2021 believes people want change and will vote for Pierre Poilievre “I see this as a change election,” she said including Surrey Centre and Cloverdale-Langley City The leaders of the two main parties have visited Surrey multiple times with Carney making a quick stop at the White Rock waterfront last week and Poilievre popping in at a Fruiticana store on Easter Sunday Those ties represent $2.8 billion in cross-border commerce each year Linda Shum said she plans to vote for the Liberals Dashmesh Singh said he’s worried voters won’t get something new from the same old party “People have short-term memories,” he said and he’d like to see a housing philosophy that drives supply He’s not sure either party is offering a solution to the housing crisis who paused to say he is worried about “years of over-expenditure” by the Liberal government a camera slung over his shoulder and a cup of ice cream in his hand said he was disillusioned by both parties and their candidates and wants proportional representation Several Muslim residents held a protest outside her campaign office on April 11 Findlay said it has been an honour to represent the riding in Ottawa She blamed the Liberals for putting the country in a “weakened state.” groceries — people are very concerned,” she said Findlay said she’s spoken to people who are working several jobs trying to pay their mortgages She said she’s also noted the absence of border lineups and spoken to business owners who are worried about tariffs Klassen said a trade war could critically impact the riding and economic hardship for farmers in South Surrey to the manufacturing sector on the riding’s eastern edge He said he wants to ensure Canada has a leader who can “rebuild a friendly relationship” with the U.S Klassen said it seems tourism is down this spring although he’s not sure if that’s because there are fewer American visitors or if locals are being “thrifty and careful with their money.” a new food cart serving chocolate-smothered strawberries and coffee on the promenade said she hopes sunny skies would help launch her new business venture Speaking to Postmedia while the cart passed its final health inspection she said the prospect of a trade war is worrisome As both strawberries and coffee could be impacted by tariffs she’s trying to navigate from where she’ll get supplies With only three weeks until the federal election a New Democrat candidate for South Surrey-White Rock has been announced Jureun Park is the NDP candidate for the Peninsula according to Elections Canada and the New Democratic Party of Canada website Park is described as an award-winning hotel manager and a mother who is proud to be from B.C "Jureun is an active member of her community serving in leadership roles for her local tourism board and strata association," her profile reads Park says she would fight for affordability capping grocery store price increases and building affordable homes She says she would prioritize Pharmacare and $10-a-day childcare and will work to "tariff-proof" the Canadian economy The federal election has been set for April 28 Other candidates in South Surrey-White Rock include incumbent Conservative candidate Kerry-Lynne Findlay Liberal candidate and current White Rock city councillor Ernie Klassen and Green Party candidate Christine Kinnie I was on my way home from pickleball at our local White Rock courts up the road on Wednesday I was walking home along 16th Avenue, right near Martin Street I was on my way to the Save-On Foods and was approached by a young man (30-ish) who was trailed by a young girl (seven or eight?) He was wearing a shirt that said "Great White North Strong And Free." Taking into account our current political situation our impending federal election and our unstable neighbour to the south I pointed at his shirt and said "Great shirt!" and smiled at him it took me a second to realize what he had said in response to my remark: "WHITE POWER" and flashed the Nazi “Sieg Heil” salute at me It took a second or two to register what was said This was not only disgusting at its most base level it was shocking and disturbing on so many levels I have been aware of racism in our country my entire life although it is usually cached as “latent racism” and is usually very covert It was an overt and in your (or my) face hostile racist act It truly allows me to see the truth of our fractious country I have read numerous articles about young white men Most people would be inclined to say that it was an isolated incident My father spent six long years in the Canadian military I am truly outraged that this happened in my little seaside town of White Rock Let’s hope this is not a sign of more to come No One Else Covers White Rock Like The Peace Arch News Don’t miss out on reading the latest local provincial and national news. Join our community and receive daily news alerts & breaking news While the merger of Surrey Board of Trade and South Surrey & White Rock Chamber of Commerce "continues to progress," the spring target date is fading Formal merger approval from the federal government is pending according to a joint statement by Ginny Hasselfield (president of South Surrey & White Rock Chamber of Commerce) and Rory Morgan (board chair, Surrey Board of Trade) "We are assured that our documents adhere to the requirements set out in the Board of Trade Act and that receiving the final approval is simply a matter of timing," they told members in an email Tuesday (April 22) Join thousands of other like-minded readers and sign up below to gain immediate & unlimited access to our news for the next 30 days – plus start receiving our newsletters White Rock's Generations Playground will soon have a new splash pad water feature City council approved moving ahead with construction for the Splash Pad during the March 31 meeting awarding the contract to GPM Civil Contracting Inc At an April 24 event to mark community donations that have helped spur the project city engineering and municipal operations director Jim Gordon said work will begin at the playground at Centennial Park (14600 North Bluff Rd.) on April 28 "We're planning on it being substantially complete by the end of August," he said "We're hoping to have it in operation for at least a couple of months of fall." Mayor Megan Knight and council members Michele Partridge Elaine Cheung and Christopher Trevelyan were there to accept donations to the project from two community partners: the Peace Arch Hospital Foundation ($100,000) and the White Rock Firefighters Charity Association ($119,500) "These are not just contributions to the project but investments in the well-being of the community," Knight said together with the Firefighters' charity association raised money through Princess Parties for eight years for an all-abilities playground – which ultimately became the Generations Playground – said she was really excited to see the splash pad added to amenities at the site "It's a real thrill every time I pass by and see children in the park," she said who hasalso been involved in long-term fundraising for an all-abilities playground said the splash pad would provide "a perfect complement" to the playground noted the foundation's contribution had been made possible by a trust established by Denis and Yvonne Blakely "They shared a love of children and wanted to make a lasting legacy to the community," she said adding that the splash pad fits with the foundation's vision to foster a healthy community by raising awareness and promoting activity "This will inspire people of all ages and abilities to stay active," she said There's a new fire chief in White Rock.  The City of White Rock appointed Brad Davie as the new fire chief as Fire Chief Ed Wolfe announces his retirement after more than 34 years of dedicated service Davie joins White Rock with an extensive background in fire services He has spent more than two decades with the City of New Westminster Fire Department most recently serving as deputy fire chief Been hankering for some homemade baked goods?  The White Rock Farmers Market returns to its regular uptown location this Sunday (April 20) offering shoppers a vast variety of local goods from cheese to beads to knife sharpening and woodwork the market features more than 90 vendors every week Life – and music – changed for Ben Klein one day in 2002 That's when he took the first step down the road to his career as an award-winning Elvis tribute artist His accidental discovery of the magnetism of Elvis' repertoire and persona fuelled what has become a more than 20-year career together with his wife – equally gifted singer Vanessa Klein – will take the stage at Peninsula Productions' black box studio theatre in Centennial Park (14600 North Bluff Rd.) Even when White Rock author Juliet Sullivan is writing about the grimmest of topics she can still find something to joke about.  droll asides and humorous digressions from her main narrative can catch you off-guard and leave you chuckling.  characteristic trait of the British-born writer that Ernie Klassen has been acclaimed as Liberal candidate in South Surrey-White Rock — after reports surfaced that former B.C premier Christy Clark was being considered as a parachute candidate in the riding The official announcement Tuesday morning came from Liberal Party national campaign co-chair Terry Duguid who said Klassen "will continue building on our hard work to keep Canada moving forward." and excited to announce that I will be campaigning to be the next member of Parliament for South Surrey/White Rock," Klassen posted on Facebook Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Sunday that a snap election would be held April 28 So far the only other confirmed candidate in South Surrey-White Rock is Conservative incumbent Kerry-Lynne Findlay the owner and operator of a Johnston Road floral business is a founding member of the White Rock Pride Society and former treasurer and president of the White Rock Business Improvement Association A groundswell of support from local Liberals for Klassen's candidacy encountered a brief setback on Monday when reports of Clark's possible candidacy surfaced Clark herself posted on X that she would not be running for the Liberals in any riding a member of the executive of the South Surrey-White Rock Federal Liberal Association said Klassen's confirmation as candidate means the campaign process can move forward positively and I think he'll be a good candidate," he commented Or how White Rock RCMP uses robots to help in certain situations Find out all about how firefighters fight fires and how police combat crime at the White Rock RCMP and Fire Rescue's annual open house event in the parking lot behind the fire (15315 Pacific Avenue) and RCMP station at 15299 Pacific Avenue (behind city hall) The event offers fun and learning opportunities for the entire family with aerial ladder demonstrations among other demos showcasing technology both police and firefighters use to do their jobs on a daily basis; there will also be demos showcasing how police dogs help officers fight crime Semiahmoo Community Safety Society will be grilling up hot dogs and offering other refreshment on site with other community partners in attendance as well Liberal leader Mark Carney paid a brief visit to White Rock's waterfront Wednesday afternoon Carney – sandwiching the event into a busy day's campaign schedule including stops in Victoria and a planned one at a small business in New Westminster – was taking advantage of sunny weather on the West Coast to shake hands and greet residents But while he got to breathe the fresh sea air sample donuts from a Memorial Park food truck with South Surrey-White Rock Liberal candidate Ernie Klassen meet White Rock Mayor Megan Knight and members of council and the White Rock Youth Ambassadors even catch a glimpse of a handful of Conservative supporters with Kerry-Lynne Findlay signs  – as well as shake multiple hands and pose in countless people's cellphone pictures and selfies – he did miss one treat Carney didn't make it as far as the city's iconic pier "You mean I came all this way and I don't get to go on the pier?" he quipped as handlers guided him up the steps from the head of the pier to Marine Drive While few at the waterfront were aware the visit was about to happen shortly after Carney arrived there were never fewer than 50 people around him at any one time as he made slow progress in a route that looped around White Rock's Museum and Archives Carney's informal motorcade of SUVs was back on the road and on its way to New Westminster.  The afternoon event was a prelude to a rally scheduled for the Cloverdale Agriplex at 7:30 p.m Calling it "a disaster in the making,"  "undemocratic" and a "one-size-fits-all" model that doesn't take into account local topography Surrey-White Rock Conservative MLA Trevor Halford reaffirmed to White Rock council that he intends to keep up the fight to repeal Bill 44 the provincial government's legislation designed to boost housing stock B.C.-wide Speaking at Monday afternoon's council meeting Halford encouraged council members to do the same – although Mayor Megan Knight noted that while council shares his concerns the city has not many options other than complying with the legislation and other directives from Housing and Municipal Affairs Minister Ravi Kahlon Small-scale multiple unit housing (SSMUH) measures in the legislation enable the redevelopment of single-family lots to provide as many as six separate units with public hearings waived and city requirements for on-site parking suspended when developments are deemed close enough to transit stops Halford said he feels that Bill 44 is "one of the worst pieces of legislation that's come through our house in a very and what I hope is that it isn't a disaster in reality "I'm not anti-development in any way whatsoever I think we need development here in White Rock and we definitely need development in South Surrey – I firmly believe that the geography of White Rock and some of the challenges that presents when you look at Oxford (Street) and some of the other areas and you look at what this legislation does what it doesn't do (and) the challenges that puts on mayor and council but really the challenges it puts on to the residents here "Being able to put four to six residential (units) on one lot and taking away the right to have public hearings, I think and it's something I really want to address directly with each of you Halford said that while he believes that the legislation may make sense in some areas of the province it doesn't make any sense in White Rock and South Surrey and I think it puts our city at risk," he said citing the landslides that claimed two lives in Lions Bay in December and noting that steep terrain presents the same potential for slides in South Surrey and White Rock.  "Some of the decisions that are coming before you guys I think that the province is taking those decisions out of your hands." He said that conversations he has had with Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke have indicated that Bill 44 could cost that city $800 million "When you look at all of the infrastructure upgrades that need to be done the lack of hospital care and hospital professionals – we're not set up for this We understand what they're trying to accomplish and I would appreciate if this is something we can continue to work together on We don't want to have things forced and decisions made that we can't undo in the future." "We appreciate you standing up for White Rock and our area," Knight said in response to Halford's remarks.  "It was a very rushed legislation that came down and we're trying to do our best to abide by it I think everyone on council is going to agree with what you said – it's just a matter of we have to do what we're mandated to do White Rock RCMP is hoping to hear from the community in a new survey Community members are invited to provide their input as the city's RCMP builds its 2025-2028 Strategic Plan "Help us determine priorities and strategies for policing within the community over the next three years," a social media post said.  Participants are encouraged to complete the survey before Friday Visit surveymonkey.com/r/Z3PTFSP online and other creators showcasing their talents in the two-day crawl across over 25 locations On Saturday, October 5 and Sunday, October 6, 2024, participate in the inaugural White Rock & South Surrey Culture Crawl, as part of Culture Days culture and heritage that White Rock and South Surrey have to offer Here are our top five locations for you to visit in South Surrey Totest Aleng will feature an Open Studio & Artist Spotlight highlighting local carver Visitors can explore the riverside pavilion and watch as Ryan performs live carving in the pavilion Tiffany Exclusively Stained Glass will cater to all your gifted glass jewelry and artwork needs Artist Lorraine Scott has been creating masterpieces for over 30 years and will be performing live demonstrations of her creation and Lorraine will be available for questions and custom orders on Saturday During the “In Love with Nature” exhibition at the Crescent Beach Pop-Up Gallery Terri Casela and Julie McDowell will feature artworks highlighting their love of all things nature They will be sharing their love of nature and art with the community Saturday Artist Cara Guri will be creating a crowdsourced artwork entitled while local musicians will be playing live music for attendees to enjoy and guests can explore the 1900’s farmhouse while enjoying live art Engage and learn about the creative processes from an eclectic group of artisans during the Artisan Exhibition Specialty handmade items such as children’s books and fine art paintings will be available for perusal and purchase at the Bayview Arts Collective A detailed map of all participating locations will be available for pick up in September at any White Rock or Surrey recreation centres, or you can download the map The 2024 White Rock & South Surrey Culture Crawl gratefully acknowledges financial assistance from the Province of British Columbia plants and pollinators presentation on April 10 by White Rock and Surrey Naturalists at 7 p.m email for more info to whiterockandsurreynats@gmail.com Victim's Services is available to those who need support by calling or texting 1-800-563-0808 or emailing 211-victimlinkbc@uwbc.ca The community is still "reeling" after the Lapu Lapu Festival tragedy in Vancouver over the weekend The Saturday (April 26) incident also left more than two dozen others injured when a man drove an SUV into a crowd of people celebrating the Filipino festival The planned extension of the SkyTrain from King George station to Langley City Centre will be a welcome improvement for accessibility in the Lower Mainland and TransLink to build an additional SkyTrain extension south into the communities of Newton A SkyTrain extension south will have significant benefits for Surrey and the Lower Mainland including improved accessibility and connectivity and environmental benefits as people are able to rely less on cars My husband and I moved to Surrey during the pandemic There was a surge in remote work opportunities while still expensive there were townhouse and condo options we could afford and there was construction everywhere inviting young families to “come make Surrey home.” and White Rock have seen major growth in recent years This was an opportunity for us to set down roots and grow our little family Housing affordability in the Lower Mainland is a major challenge for families but Surrey is one of the fastest growing suburbs in the Lower Mainland in part because it has been more affordable than other municipalities While I’m grateful to this community and our ability to make it our home the end of the pandemic and the reduction in remote work has highlighted how dramatically underserved these areas are by rapid transit in general and the SkyTrain specifically I and many of my neighbours lived close to family members – at the time it seemed normal that Grandma and Grandpa could live a 15-minute walk away the increased cost of living in the Lower Mainland over the last 30 years means that my family cannot afford to live close to grandparents The lack of rapid transit forces us to rely on cars for transportation or to sink hours of our days into difficult and long commutes I am returning to work soon after having our first child and will be unable to see my son until after 5 p.m. every day because of my hour-and-a-half commute by bus and SkyTrain into downtown Vancouver — a commute that can extend to nearly two hours on the return I cannot tell you how heartbreaking it feels to know that I won’t be able to spend time with my son to help him eat breakfast or brush his teeth because the transit is so poorly connected to where we could afford to buy our first home Transit is not a feasible option for visiting any of our family in the Lower Mainland I worry that I will be spending more and more time in my car and in worsening traffic to connect with and care for my family I consider myself lucky to have a home in the Lower Mainland where family is not an airplane ride away but compared to other international cities with metro systems that shorten hour-long drives to 20-minute trips it’s clear we are not planning far enough ahead to keep our region livable I have several colleagues and friends who have moved out of the city of Vancouver since 2020 I believe we need to be doing more to improve the accessibility between our communities as the Lower Mainland continues to densify Metro Vancouver is a world-class urban centre that will only continue to attract people to live here I believe this is a good thing and that densification will and should continue But we are grossly behind with transit development and build an expanded world-class transit system now that enables people to live in places like Surrey while being able to work in Vancouver or see family on the North Shore without having to use a car and TransLink to build a SkyTrain extension down 152nd or King George to South Surrey and White Rock The residents of these communities would only benefit from greater access to the rest of the Lower Mainland It would improve local and Metro Vancouver bridges and highway traffic and help relieve the pressure on housing around the city of Vancouver by creating more easily accessible neighbourhoods linked by SkyTrain I appreciate efforts to add additional bus or Rapid Bus services as well but I believe that a SkyTrain extension is the only practical and contribute to the livability of these communities that want to continue to attract families Many gardeners and green thumbs have one opinion in common: there's always room for another plant Those who agree will want to save the date for Saturday for the White Rock and District Garden Club's annual plant sale a fixture in the White Rock and South Surrey area for 78 years comprises 70 enthusiastic members who prioritize the plant sale each year residents in South Surrey and White Rock will get an opportunity to hear from those vying for their votes before heading to the polls Having informed voters ahead of the snap federal election scheduled for April 28 is the goal of an upcoming town hall being held in White Rock with the local candidates Organized by Brella Community Services Society Semiahmoo Seniors Network and National Association of Federal Retirees the "meet the candidates" event is set for Wednesday (April 9) John's Presbyterian Church at 1480 George St. the candidates running in the South Surrey-White Rock federal riding will be answering questions from the voting public on issues facing seniors in the community Confirmed candidates include Liberal candidate Ernie Klassen and Green Party candidate Christine Kinnie while Conservative candidate and incumbent Kerry-Lynne Findlay has not confirmed her attendance Registration for the event is not required with time for mingling with the candidates in attendance in store after the question-and-answer session where those in attendance will get the opportunity to ask questions of candidates premier Christy Clark says she won't be running as a candidate in Canada's federal election – after reports that she was being considered for South Surrey-White Rock caused considerable pushback from Liberal campaign workers in the community.  Clark posted on X that she had received "lots of encouragement and good wishes from Liberals and many other friends across the country." but I won't be running as a candidate in this election," she said in her post there has been strong local support for White Rock businessman Ernie Klassen (currently a White Rock city council member) to carry the standard for the Liberals in the April 28 election The snap election was called by Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sunday Opponents of Clark's candidacy noted she had to withdraw from the Liberal leadership race because of past Conservative ties "We had about 100 people in our community rally support behind Ernie Klassen to be the Liberal candidate for our riding," real estate agent Chris Shields told Peace Arch News "The Liberal Party members in this community will not support Christy Clark," he added Ernie Klassen. Many have already been busy getting campaign ready scoping out potential campaign office space Real estate agent Louise McKnight said it would be "deeply disappointing" if the Liberals were to appoint Christy Clark as the candidate for our riding "Ernie Klassen is not just a familiar face—he is a vital thread in the fabric of our community," she said "His dedication to South Surrey–White Rock is unwavering demonstrated through years of service on numerous boards and organizations This isn’t just where he lives; it’s where his heart is His commitment to giving back is ingrained in who he is grassroots leader in favour of an appointed candidate would be a disservice to the people who call this community home It would send a message that local voices and hard-earned contributions matter less than political maneuvering The strength of a representative should come from their connection to the people they serve "I sincerely hope the party recognizes the importance of honouring a process that values dedication To disregard that would not only be disheartening—it would be a mistake." South Surrey White Rock riding association board Michael Grunewaldt said the situation was developing fast and he expected more clarity to emerge in the next 12 hours "I will have to refrain from comment until such time as we have a candidate confirmed." The City of White Rock has announced that it has hired a senior project manager for its Community Hub project Darcy Dupont will be starting in the job on March 17 according to a media release issued by the city on Monday (March 3) A majority of White Rock council decided – in a sharply divided vote Jan. 29 – to pursue plans for a multiple-use building in the uptown area One of the best bargains around for the book lover – the eagerly awaited Rotary of White Rock Charity Book Sale – returns to the Peace Arch Curling Centre (1475 Anderson St. With a mammoth inventory of more than 50,000 quality books in just about every genre of fiction and non-fiction for adults and children – at unbeatable prices – the sale is who know that all of the proceeds go towards supporting community initiatives and charitable causes Conservative South Surrey-White Rock incumbent Kerry-Lynne Findlay is ready for another federal election.  Findlay was elected MP for the peninsula riding – federally a traditional Conservative stronghold – in 2019 with a four per cent lead over the then-incumbent posting a three-and-a-half per cent lead over her rival Findlay said it has been "the honour of my life" to be the Member of Parliament representing South Surrey and White Rock for the past five years We need to promote Canada First and we need to promote self-reliance," Findlay told Peace Arch News Tuesday (March 25) 'We're here in a border riding — we have two border crossings here — and the Conservative platform is strongly in favour of securing our borders strengthening our own ability to defend ourselves (and) dealing with rampant crime .. all of these touch our community in a very serious and personal way so I'm very excited to be part of a team that wants to bring change." she and her party would bring more fiscal responsibility to the country promote inter-provincial trade and break down the barriers that currently exist.  "If we broke down inter-provincial trade barriers in Canada our GDP would go up seven per cent," Findlay said.  She also pointed to the Conservatives' recent announcements of personal tax cuts as well as no GST on new homes under $1.3 million "You're going to save people as much as $65,000 with a cut like this so this starts right away to make life more affordable." Formerly a lawyer in downtown Vancouver with a successful practice focusing on civil litigation Findlay spent most of her growing-up years on Vancouver Island before going to UBC where she earned her law degree and a bachelor’s degree in history and political science she previously served as MP for the Delta-Richmond East riding from 2011-2015 during which time she was appointed Minister of National Revenue (2013-2015) Associate Minister of National Defence (2013) and Parliamentary Secretary to Justice (2011-2013) Findlay served as the Shadow Minister for the Environment and Climate Change for the Official Opposition and has also served on the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights She was also the first female to hold the position of Chief Opposition Whip Findlay is hopeful the election will produce a majority federal government "I expect — and Canada needs — a strong national Conservative majority government to really get things done at the national level you need a majority to turn this ship around We all know that we have a lot to do and a lot of work ahead A member of the Canadian Bar Association and the BC India Business Network Advisory Board Findlay is also highly involved in her community as an active member of Rotary International South Surrey White Rock Chamber of Commerce Findlay lives in South Surrey with her husband Conservatives are urging the province to save the South Surrey/White Rock Learning Centre which is to close in June if money isn’t found to renew its lease saying lives could be at risk if the centre closes We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentThe learning centre helps vulnerable youth struggling in mainstream schools by providing “flexible and individualized” programming for students in grades 10 to 12 along with counselling and social work services It also has a program that gives students a chance to volunteer in a field they are interested in working in Local Conservative MLA Trevor Halford says he has met with a number of students who said they wouldn’t be where they are today without the centre. “This is coming down to dollars and cents, and at the end of the day, it rests on the government of B.C. to make sure that these students are receiving the proper education that they deserve,” said Halford. The Surrey school district says the decision to not renew the lease came down to budget constraints. The district is the fastest-growing in the province and there was simply not enough money to pay for the new lease and the renovations and repairs the district says the building needs. It says students will re-join the regular school system but will be provided with supports such as smaller classrooms. Staff will be reassigned to where they are most needed. “The amount of money that we get every year from the provincial government has not kept pace with our expenses, and so things like inflation, dealing with the growth of the district, portables, are an issue,” said the chair of the Surrey school board, Gary Tymoschuk. “We just felt that this was an opportunity to save some money, and yet we will still be able to manage those kids quite well in the existing schools in the south.” The school board would not say how much money it would take to keep the learning centre open, instead pointing out that it already spends $50 million on programming for learners with diverse needs beyond its funding allotment. The Ministry of Education said in a statement that there are no plans to bail out the centre as individual school districts are responsible for making funding decisions. Hilly Schaeffer, who graduated in 2020, and Desmond Tompkins, who graduated in 2021, said the school gave them a safe place to learn at their own pace. For Schaeffer, the school was a reprieve from the inconsistency of foster care. She missed almost two years of school because of constant moves from one group home to another. She says she started at the Guildford Learning Centre, which permanently closed in November, before moving to the South Surrey location. “It gave me the opportunity to catch up, and I actually graduated on time, even though I had an extra two years of school to complete on top of the two years of school that I still had left,” said Schaeffer. Tompkins said the centre gave him a place to be himself after being bullied at his previous school for being queer. He said he feels for students who might not have the opportunities he got and knows many might drop out and never return to school. “They encouraged me to pursue my passions. I got to work on a lot of passion projects while I was there, like I ran a school-wide art show for my senior year. I was able to attend a journalism workshop with CBC, and I got all these opportunities to express myself that I wouldn’t have had otherwise,” said Tompkins. He said that regardless of the cost to keep the centre open, it will cost the government and school district less in the long term because it helps students succeed and keeps them from ending up in the judicial system or from becoming reliant on employment insurance and mental health care. Keith Chalmers, whose daughter is to graduate from the centre this year, is worried some students will resort to taking their own lives if they aren’t able to access additional supports. He said his daughter, who struggles with social anxiety and ADHD, has thrived since moving to the school in September and is now considering going to university after coming close to dropping out in Grade 11. “She’s feeling good about herself,” said Chalmers. “She’s now looking at taking Calculus 12. She couldn’t even do the basic math in grade 10 and 11.” What a generous and compassionate community White Rock and South Surrey has been this winter!  Deep gratitude is felt for all who dropped off much needed warm A heartfelt thank you to Peace Portal Alliance who graciously received and accommodated your donations Those who have no place to call home were kept warmer and drier this winter.  We are no longer requesting clothing at this time but send a huge thank you for your tremendous support