Happy Friday, Surrey!

Winter’s just around the corner, and you can feel it in the air. The mornings are colder, the evenings darker, and that first step outside makes you wish you grabbed a warmer jacket.

In today’s edition:

- Mark

Big news for Surrey’s future doctors — applications are now open for the first class at Simon Fraser University’s new School of Medicine, located at the SFU Surrey campus. The first 48 students will begin classes in August 2026, marking the first new medical school in Western Canada in over 50 years.

The permanent building will be part of the Centre Block project at the former North Surrey Recreation Centre site, featuring classrooms, labs, a clinic, and childcare facilities. Once complete in 2030, the school will train up to 120 students per year by 2035.

Premier David Eby and Mayor Brenda Locke both called the project a major step in improving health care access for Surrey residents, where the shortage of family doctors is among the worst in B.C.

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The Surrey Police Service (SPS) has submitted a proposal to open a new police training academy in the city. If approved by B.C.’s Ministry of Public Safety, the centre would train at least 90 new recruits each year using the SPS’s existing 65,000-square-foot training facility and in-house instructors.

The goal is to increase police training capacity across the province, as the current Justice Institute of B.C. (JIBC) in New Westminster struggles to meet growing demand. SPS leaders say a Surrey-based academy would help train officers locally while freeing up space at JIBC for other departments.

City officials, including Mayor Brenda Locke, support the plan, saying it’s key to ensuring strong public safety as Surrey and other communities continue to grow. Surrey currently plans to hire over 800 officers in total, with 250 still to come.

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Surrey Civic Theatres is switching to a new ticketing system called Spektrix starting Nov. 12. The update promises to make buying tickets faster, easier, and mobile-friendly for theatre-goers.

During the transition, online ticket sales will be paused from Nov. 7–12, but tickets can still be bought by phone until Nov. 9 at 5 p.m. All existing ticket purchases will automatically transfer to the new system, though older printed tickets must be reissued at the box office.

The change is part of the city’s effort to modernize Surrey Civic Theatres, which hosts more than two dozen performances each season, including plays, concerts, and community events.

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The Museum of Surrey in Cloverdale has unveiled three new exhibits this fall — each offering a unique look at sports, culture, and history. Visitors can explore Surrey’s connection to hockey, learn how Inuit knowledge helped solve a famous Arctic mystery, and admire hand-crafted model warships built by a local veteran.

The feature exhibit, “Our Connection to Hockey,” celebrates Canada’s national sport and its role in bringing communities together. It also shines a light on Surrey athletes, women’s hockey, para hockey, and Punjabi broadcasters, tying in with the city’s upcoming Sports Hall of Fame.

Upstairs, “The Ones We Met” highlights Inuit oral history and its role in uncovering what happened to the Franklin Expedition, while “Fleet of Memory” showcases detailed Canadian Navy ship models by Surrey resident Yvon Lehoux.

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The Vancouver Paranormal Society is bringing its spooky annual showcase back to Historic Stewart Farm on Oct. 25 — the same place where their president, Kelly Claire Berge, once captured an eerie voice she believes could belong to John Stewart, the farm’s original owner.

This year’s one-night-only event will feature a presentation of real paranormal findings from recent investigations, including audio recordings and ghost stories from the site. Guests will also have a chance to ask questions, share their own experiences, and see the team’s investigation tools up close.

The event highlights both Surrey’s rich history and the volunteers who work to preserve it. Berge says partnering with heritage sites like Stewart Farm helps raise awareness and support for local museums and historic spaces that keep Surrey’s stories alive.

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Events marked with ($) require a ticket in advance. Please search them up before going.

Thanks for reading The Surrey Digest! Let’s chat again on Tuesday!