A subway to UBC and SkyTrain throughout Surrey.

Vancouver mayor-elect Kennedy Stewart says he will support incoming Surrey mayor Doug McCallum’s vision to scrap LRT and substitute SkyTrain in the region’s fastest growing city.

“That’s what happens after an election, you have to sometimes go back to the drawing board. And it looks like that’s what they’re going to do in Surrey,” said Stewart, who was elected October 20 as Vancouver’s first independent mayor in more than 30 years.

“I’ll do everything I can to help them make that happen.”

Stewart says he will have to see what others on the Translink Mayors’ Council think, but that he believes the federal government will be open to building more SkyTrain in the Greater Vancouver region, and that as mayor he will work to secure the funding needed to do so.

He also wants to speak to stakeholders including the University of British Columbia (UBC) and Musqueam First Nation.

Stewart spoke to BIV Today about his immediate priorities once he and council are sworn into office on November 5.

Housing is priority number one.

“That’s the overwhelming message from the electorate,” he said, adding that he sees general consensus from his incoming council around building affordable, non-profit-run housing on city land, and agreement around the idea of a new renters’ advocate.

“We’ll have a little work to do when it comes to things like the empty homes’ tax,” said Stewart – a tax he ran on tripling.

The biggest challenge in his first year will be time.

“People want results quickly,” he said. “So time won’t be on our side.”

Stewart’s business priorities include reducing delays around construction permitting, and reviewing business taxation and permits.

“I also think I can get broad consensus on that on council. We’ll see,” said Stewart, whose council includes five Non-Partisan Association (NPA) candidates, three from the Green party, and one each from OneCity and COPE.

“It’s going to be a very different council,” said Kennedy, who believes the outcome of Saturday’s election will lead to better discussion.

“I think it’s really important that we start it off on the right foot and try to work together and pass things unanimously if we can.”

Listen to the full interview with mayor-election Kennedy Stewart on BIV Today.

hwoodin@biv.com

@hayleywoodin