Ex-NDP MLA announces run for Surrey mayor’s job

As far as political introductions go, Mike Starchuk receive a special one Monday when he announced his candidacy for mayor.

“Mike pulled me from a burning building,” said Lorne West during his opening remarks for Starchuk, who is running for a new political party called Imagine Surrey.

That life-saving move isn’t surprising considering Starchuk spent 32 years as a firefighter, finishing up in 2014 chief fire prevention officer for Surrey Fire Services, and as the founding member of the Surrey Fire Fighters Charitable Society.

That would also explain why Starchuk was flanked by a group of firefighters wearing yellow shirts with his name on it.

Starchuk will have a lot of support from firefighters, something that is not to be underestimated. Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley managed to unseat an incumbent mayor in 2018 thanks to hundreds of firefighters helping him campaign.

“My pronouns are ready, willing and able,” said Starchuk in his opening speech.

Starchuk was first elected to Surrey City Council in 2014. During his term, he chaired the Agriculture, Environmental, and Diversity Advisory Committees, and co-chaired the Seniors Advisory Committee. In these roles, he helped launch new farm-to-table initiatives that showcased the richness of Surrey’s Agricultural Land Reserve and strengthened local food connections.

Starchuk was elected as a BC NDP MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale in 2020, and helped break ground for the city’s second hospital.

“That experience has prepared me very well to step into the role of mayor,” he said.

Imagine Surrey will be announcing a full slate of council candidates in the new year.

Starchuk listed off some of the usual issues for city politicians, including crime and public safety as being things he will be tackling.

Starchuk also plans on taking a collaborative approach to issues, commenting on the current divisiveness on council.

Currently, Coun. Linda Annis will be running against Mayor Brenda Locke for the Surrey First party, with much of the policy announcements taking aim at the current mayor.

“Imagine a mayor that’s steady, instead of petty,” Starchuk said.