In 2026, the City of Surrey has advanced several development process and housing initiatives, including the following:

Digital Compliance Program Status Update and Formal Launch

At their meeting on March 9th, Council received a report for information on the planned launch of the eCheck digital compliance system, which focuses on digital reviews of residential building permit applications that check for compliance with the Surrey Zoning Bylaw. This system launched publicly on March 10, 2026, following successful pilot testing in late 2025 and early 2026. In the coming months, additional residential zones will be added to eCheck, including R1, R2, R4, R5, R6 and RA. This phased rollout strategy will allow staff to refine eCheck based on user feedback and operational data from the R3 launch as coverage is expanded.

Additional information can be found in the full report by City staff.

Extension and Expansion of Pilot Program for Building Permit Application Submission in Advance of Subdivision Approval 

At their meeting on March 9th, Council authorized staff to extend and expand the pilot program for building permit application submission for single family homes and Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing in advance of subdivision approval for up to ten lots within a proposed plan of subdivision. Staff will report back to Council in Q4 2026 to report on the efficacy of this expanded pilot and provide recommendations for a more permanent process going forward.

Additional information can be found in the full report by City staff. 

HAF report 

At their meeting on February 23rd, Council received a report for information updating them on the City’s second-year progress under the Housing Accelerator Fund (“HAF”), including issued building permits, the status of the Action Plan, new initiative proposal, and financial updates.

In 2025, the City implemented more than 20 major process improvements to accelerate housing approvals and development. These improvements focus on reducing timelines, increasing efficiency, and supporting the development community. A comprehensive list is available on the City’s website: https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/developmentpermitting-improvements.

Additional information can be found in the full report by City staff. 

Proposed Amendments to the Zoning Bylaw to Reduce Development Variance Permits Related to Parking for Existing Commercial Buildings 

At their meeting on February 9th, Council gave first and second reading to the proposed amendments to Part 5 – Off Street Parking and Loading/Unloading Requirements of Surrey Zoning Bylaw, to allow new tenants within existing commercial buildings to obtain business licenses without the need to obtain a Development Variance Permit in situations where the new use has a slightly higher associated parking requirement.

Additional information can be found in the full report by City staff. 

July 14, 2025

At their meeting on July 14th, Council advanced a number of positive processing-related initiatives, as highlighted below. 

Surrey Soil Conservation and Protection Bylaw Update  

At their meeting on July 14th, Council gave three readings to the proposed amendments to the Surrey Soil Conservation and Protection Bylaw and approved the harmonization of three related City Policies M-18, M-26 and M-27 to improve integration and harmonization of municipal permitting requirements related to soil deposition and removal. 

Additional information can be found in the  full report by City staff.

Development Application Submission Deadlines for Council  

At their meeting on July 14th, Council endorsed the development application submission deadlines and directed staff to bring forward to Council for introduction the bylaws and permits for final approval. As part of the City’s effort to streamline their development and permitting processes to reduce processing times, staff have proposed the establishment of formal deadlines for development applications proceeding to Council for both introduction and final approval stages. The proposed deadline structure includes deadlines for confirming a target Council date (for either introduction or final approval) and deadlines for submitting materials required for Council. Applicants will be instructed to work closely with their assigned City Planner to meet these deadlines. These deadlines will apply to in-stream applications looking to proceed to Council and are not for initial application submissions. 

Additional information can be found in the  full report by City staff.

Development Approval Process Improvements – Streamlining the Urban Design Review Process 

At their meeting on July 14th, Council received a report for information on the introduction of improvements to the urban design review process for development applications. These improvements, scheduled to be fully implemented before the end of the year, will further streamline and simplify design review leading to reductions in development approval timelines. 

Additional information can be found in the  full report by City staff.

Tenant Improvement and Building Permit Improvements Status Update  

At their meeting on July 14th, Council gave three readings to the proposed amendments to the Surrey Building Bylaw in order to improve permit processing timelines, enhance applicant clarity, and establish a pathway for standardized improvements across all building permits. 

Additional information can be found in the  full report by City staff.