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There’s a “compelling” case for promoting Surrey as a “second downtown,” especially as Vancouver becomes even more expensive and crowded, said Jock Finlayson, executive vice-president of the B.C. Business Council.
“In our view here at the Business Council, the future of the Lower Mainland economy is pretty critical to the future of the entire province, so we’re pleased the B.C. government is perhaps going to play more of a leadership role in trying to shape the environment for economic development here in Metro, because we need it,” Finlayson said.
With Surrey’s location near the American border, it’s also expected to play an important role in the so-called “Cascadia mega-region,” which encompasses the urban centres of B.C., Washington and Oregon. Earlier this year, when the Washington state Department of Transportation released a business case analysis for a high-speed rail connection linking Portland, Seattle and Vancouver. The plan considers placing the northern terminus for the route in Surrey.
