Surrey mayoral contender Doug McCallum says he would fast-track a new full-service acute care hospital on City-owned land in Newton if elected.
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Surrey mayoral candidate Doug McCallum says his campaign’s next move is a proposal for a new full-service hospital in the city, arguing Surrey faces a significant gap in critical care capacity compared with Vancouver.
McCallum said he would pursue construction of a new acute-care facility on City-owned land at 6965 King George Boulevard in Newton if he is elected as mayor. He said the land was purchased by the City in October 2020.
The Safe Surrey Coalition, his campaign group, said it would move quickly through municipal processes if elected. In a press release, the group stated it would fast-track the application and issue all City permits within 60 days, then approach both the provincial and federal governments for construction funding.
McCallum’s argument centres on what his campaign describes as a disparity in hospital access for residents of the two municipalities. The release compares Surrey and Vancouver’s population size—about 730,000 people each—while contrasting Vancouver’s six hospitals with Surrey’s one.
The campaign points to gaps in specialized pediatric care under Fraser Health, the health authority serving Surrey. It said Fraser Health does not have a pediatric intensive care unit, and that between 900 and 1,000 critically ill children are transferred from Surrey to BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver each year.
The release also highlighted pressure on Surrey’s existing hospital and paediatric services. It said Surrey Memorial Hospital treats 50,000 children annually, while its pediatric emergency department is designed to treat 20,000 a year.
McCallum also referenced maternity capacity, saying Surrey Memorial delivers 6,000 babies per year despite having capacity for 5,000. He characterized Surrey as having been treated as a “second-class city” and said it is on a path to become B.C.’s most populated municipality.
Under McCallum’s proposal, the new Surrey General Hospital would be positioned as a full-service acute care facility. The campaign described a range of services including an emergency department, acute care and inpatient beds, operating rooms, intensive care, maternity and newborn care, diagnostics and imaging, and dedicated pediatric care.
The hospital proposal also comes as Surrey continues other health-related initiatives within municipal jurisdiction. Earlier in 2026, the City confirmed locations and lease agreements for two new community medical clinics expected to open in the fall, saying the step was aimed at helping more residents see a family doctor when they need one, while the City said it would not be involved in clinical decision-making.
Surrey’s hospital system is also already in the middle of major expansion. The provincial government is building Surrey’s second hospital, the new Cloverdale hospital, at a reported cost of $2.9 billion, with an opening planned for 2030. The planned facility is described as including 168 beds, an emergency department with 55 treatment spaces, surgical units, outpatient clinics, and a BC Cancer Centre facility, while longer-term plans include an additional acute care tower at Surrey Memorial Hospital.
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