Imagine Surrey mayoral candidate Mike Starchuk says commuter rail should connect Surrey’s rail corridor with stations including Newton and Cloverdale.
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Mike Starchuk, an Imagine Surrey candidate for Mayor of Surrey in the October 2026 civic election, argues that any future passenger-rail plan for the Fraser Valley should include Surrey, with a hub built in Newton. He makes the case in an op-ed that distinguishes between what he sees as near-term transit demand on the South of Fraser and the limitations of SkyTrain alignment, which he says currently serves the Fraser Highway corridor but does not reach Newton, Cloverdale’s central area, or South Surrey and White Rock.
Starchuk points to the existing rail corridor along the former B.C. Electric Railway Fraser Valley line, describing it as more than 100 kilometres of electrified track that once linked New Westminster through Newton, Sullivan, Cloverdale, Langley, Abbotsford and to Chilliwack. He says much of the track was removed for car traffic but that the right-of-way remains protected, with the Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society operating trains along the corridor on weekends.
According to the op-ed, Starchuk supports building a commuter rail “Phase One” that restores and extends the Cloverdale–Sullivan interurban route, with stations planned at Scott Road, Newton, Sullivan, Cloverdale and Langley City. He says passenger service would run on B.C. Hydro’s protected passenger-rail right-of-way, while freight would be handled by Southern Railway of B.C., and he proposes extending service east toward Aldergrove and Abbotsford along an interurban alignment.
Starchuk also calls for a second, parallel study direction that could add another branch down what he describes as the BNSF corridor, potentially connecting through Kennedy Heights and out toward Peace Arch and White Rock. He says BNSF runs trains along that area daily, and he frames the idea as a way to widen options for communities beyond the initial Newton-centred approach.
In his description of Surrey’s transit needs, Starchuk contrasts commuter rail with existing or planned projects. He states that the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension, which he helped advance as an MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale, would be transformational when it opens, but he argues it does not reach Newton or South Surrey. He also says passenger rail should be treated as a “spine” that enables other components of a wider system, rather than as a stand-alone replacement for transit investments.
Starchuk links his commuter rail concept to other transportation proposals he attributes to Imagine Surrey, including bus rapid transit on King George Boulevard and Scott Road, and additional east-west bus service intended to connect Newton, Fleetwood and Guildford. He also argues for a highway 10 bus route from Cloverdale to Langley, describing commuter rail as a way to create integrated intermodal connections rather than leaving riders reliant on transfers in Surrey City Centre.
The op-ed further argues that Newton is the location where an integrated transit hub could be built, combining commuter rail platforms with a transfer to SkyTrain and BRT services. Starchuk envisions Newton as a node where east-west rail lines could connect toward Langley, Abbotsford and eventually Chilliwack, while westward travel would connect to SkyTrain transfers at Scott Road and—if elected—at Newton. He describes the hub concept as including covered walkways, bike parking and development intended to grow “around” transit infrastructure.
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