Surrey Connect says if elected to city council on Oct. 15 it will end the $10 fee for Freedom of Information requests for people seeking info related to the City of Surrey.
“We believe that access to information should be accessible for everyone, and that’s why we will be dropping the fee for information requests, if elected,” Surrey Connect Mayoral candidate Brenda Locke, a city councillor, said in a press release.
“The current fee for each information request is a minimum of $10. The Surrey Connect team sees the fee as a barrier for the public. By eliminating the fee, residents will see we are serious about transparency and good government,” she said.
READ ALSO: City of Surrey looking at charging $10 for Freedom of Information requests
Meantime, Surrey Forward, led by mayoral candidate and NDP MLA Jinny Sims, says if her slate is elected it will within two years create four new Business Improvement Associations, in South Surrey, Guildford, Clayton and Newton Village (80 Avenue & 128 Street).
“Small businesses are key to the success of the City of Surrey,” Sims said in a press release. “Promoting small businesses is the best job creation program the City of Surrey can support. BIA’s make it easy for businesses to have control of their own future, build their business and connect with one another.”
Surrey Forward notes Vancouver has 22 BIAs while Surrey “only has” four, in Newton, Downtown Surrey, Fleetwood and Cloverdale.
tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
Like us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram and follow Tom on Twitter