Surrey mayoral candidate Mike Starchuk promises washrooms at every transit hub and neighbourhood centres

The Story

Surrey mayoral candidate Mike Starchuk has put public washrooms at the centre of his campaign platform, promising new facilities at transit hubs and neighbourhood centres if he and Imagine Surrey form government in the city.

According to a statement from Starchuk’s campaign, the plan would involve washrooms at every transit hub and at neighbourhood centres across Surrey, with the facilities delivered in partnership with TransLink. The proposal targets an issue Metro Vancouver residents have repeatedly raised, including limited options for riders and drivers when stations or bus loops lack washrooms.

Starchuk’s remarks also place his promise in the context of TransLink’s ongoing regional approach to washroom expansion. His statement says TransLink’s 10-year plan funds six public washrooms across the region, noting that the first opened at Metrotown SkyTrain Station last September and that Phibbs Exchange in North Vancouver is next.

The candidate’s statement further points to other locations under consideration within TransLink’s planning process. It says Scott Road Station is on a list of places TransLink has described as receiving early planning work that could “potentially” add a washroom in the future, while also noting that many new Fraser Highway stations are being designed with washrooms behind fare gates accessible only to attendants.

Starchuk argued that the pace of that approach has left Surrey waiting, describing the impact on daily routines for both transit users and drivers. He said riders and drivers can become “stranded” without access to restrooms when stations and bus loops do not provide them.

In contrast, Starchuk said that under an Imagine Surrey council, the washrooms would be built by the City of Surrey. He framed the promise as a priority of practical, everyday services rather than large capital projects, characterizing washrooms as “a basic thing” that, in his view, City Hall has been inclined to overlook.

Imagine Surrey council candidate Yousef Aldabainah-Barakat also weighed in, linking the issue to family routines. In his comments, he referenced “the panic of a bus loop with no washroom” and said washrooms for families at transit hubs and in neighbourhood centres are overdue in the city.

The campaign promise arrives as public-washroom access has been a recurring concern in the region, including complaints in Vancouver. With multiple transit lines serving Surrey through stations and bus connections, the proposal would, if adopted, represent a shift toward treating restroom access as a core element of transit and neighbourhood infrastructure rather than a slower add-on dependent on system-wide planning timelines.

For Surrey residents, the practical significance of the pledge hinges on where washrooms would be located and how quickly they could be implemented. By tying the plan to transit hubs while also targeting neighbourhood centres, Starchuk’s proposal seeks to expand options both at major transfer points and in local areas where residents may encounter transit-related waits and errands.