Surrey North

This is an urban riding on the east edge of Greater Vancouver. The Fraser River forms the northern and western boundaries. The eastern border is the Fraser Highway and 152nd Street and the southern boundary is 88th Avenue, King George Highway, 120th Street and 96th Avenue.

The 2006 census found an immigrant population of more than 43 per cent. East Indians make up 26 per cent of the population and after English, Punjabi is the most common language in the riding.

Manufacturing and the service sector are the main employers here. The average family income is $64,047 and the unemployment rate is seven per cent.

This riding was formed in 1986 through the combination of portions of Surrey-White Rock-North Delta and Fraser Valley West. In 1996, about 40 per cent of the riding was carved away. In 2004, another 11 per cent was removed, while about 5,000 people from Surrey Central were added.

Population: 111,960 (2006 census; an increase of 4.7% since 2001)

Political History

New Democrat Penny Priddy took this seat in 2006, filling the void left by the death of Independent MP Chuck Cadman.

Cadman was re-elected for his third term in 2004, the only unaffiliated candidate to win in that election. He was voted in under the Reform banner in 1997, winning over Liberal Clayton Campbell by more than 6,000 votes. In 2000, he attracted 9,694 more votes than his nearest challenger, Liberal Shinder Purewal. Cadman died of cancer on July 5, 2005 while Parliament was still in session.

From 1979-88, Surrey-White Rock-North Delta was the seat of Progressive Conservative Benno Friesen. A New Democrat, Jim Karpoff, won Surrey North in 1988, and the Reform's Margaret Bridgman became MP in 1993.

• 1988 - NDP
• 1993, 1997 - REF
• 2000 - CA
• 2004 - IND
• 2006 - NDP