Surrey unveils citywide plan to support one million residents by 2050

The City of Surrey released the draft 'Surrey 2050' Official Community Plan to guide housing, jobs, transit and infrastructure as the city plans for about one million residents by 2050; Surrey City Council is expected to consider approval in the coming months.

The City of Surrey has released the draft of its new Official Community Plan, called "Surrey 2050." The plan outlines a long-term approach to housing, job space, schools, transportation, infrastructure and utilities as the city plans for about one million residents by 2050. It replaces the PlanSurrey 2013 framework and reflects recent provincial legislation that requires municipalities to update OCPs periodically. Surrey City Council is expected to consider approval of the draft in the coming months. Key details: - The draft reduces the number of city policies from more than 600 to roughly 200 and streamlines land-use designations to limit future bylaw amendments. - The plan projects growth from an estimated 700,000 residents today to about one million by 2050, housing numbers rising from roughly 195,000 in 2021 to 333,000, and jobs increasing from about 212,000 to 381,000. - Growth is concentrated near existing and planned transit, including areas around seven new SkyTrain stations on the Expo Line Surrey–Langley extension (opening 2029) and significant bus corridors such as the R6 RapidBus and planned King George Boulevard BRT. - The OCP identifies five priorities: housing for all, a thriving and diverse economy, a vibrant downtown, livable and connected neighbourhoods, and climate resilience and a healthy natural environment. - The plan reinforces Surrey City Centre as a regional downtown, supports urban-style office development in town centres, protects industrial lands and parts of the Agricultural Land Reserve, and incorporates recent area plans such as the Fleetwood Plan. Summary: The draft OCP frames Surrey's future growth around denser, transit-focused development while adding policy emphasis on affordability, infrastructure capacity and climate resilience. It anticipates substantial increases in homes and jobs and seeks to balance urban intensification with protection of industrial and agricultural lands. Surrey City Council is expected to consider approval in the coming months, and provincial rules requiring regular OCP updates informed the timing and scope of the plan.