😮 Surrey’s $13.8M for Transit, Pattullo Bridge Upgrade & A Market in Transition

Learn about local changes in the Fraser Valley area that impact the value of your home and lifestyle!

Author

Scott Moe
June 30, 2025

Happy Friday!

What do fireworks, EDM, and experimental music have in common? They’re all hitting Surrey this summer—and that’s just the beginning.

We’re diving into 10 events you’ll actually want to show up for, a bridge getting a powerful new name rooted in Indigenous language, and $13.8M in transportation upgrades that could change how you get around the city.

Also on deck: a 10,000-seat arena stirring up big dreams (and big questions) and a real estate market that’s finally tilting in favor of buyers.

Let’s get into it! 👇🏻

— Scott

🎉 10 Can't-Miss Events Happening in Surrey (July/August)

Mark your calendar — here’s what’s happening in Surrey!

01. Surrey Canada Day Celebration

Four stages of music (featuring The Reklaws), food trucks, rides, family-friendly activities, and fireworks.
📍 Location: Bill Reid Millennium Amphitheatre
📅 Date & Time: July 1, 2025, 10 AM–10 PM
🎟️ Tickets: Free admission
🌐 Website: surreycanadaday.ca

02. FVDED in the Park

Canada’s premier EDM festival returns with Tiësto, Zedd, Kaytranada, and more for two days of unforgettable energy.
📍 Location: Holland Park
📅 Date & Time: July 4–5, 2025
🎟️ Tickets: On sale now
🌐 Website: fvdedinthepark.com

03. Casse‑Tête Experimental Music Festival

Dive into bold, boundary‑pushing sound at this free celebration of experimental music.
📍 Location: Historic Stewart Farm
📅 Date & Time: July 11–13, 2025
🎟️ Tickets: Free admission
🌐 Website: cassetetefestival.com

04. Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Festival

A weekend of Taiwanese music, dance, art, and food celebrating Taiwanese heritage.
📍 Location: Surrey City Hall
📅 Date & Time: July 12–13, 2025
🎟️ Tickets: $5 concert pass; other activities free
🌐 Website: tccfestival.ca/2025-surrey

05. Alam Khan: Ragas that Colour the Mind

A candlelit evening of Indian classical music with sarod virtuoso Alam Khan and tabla artist Eman Hashimi.
📍 Location: Main Stage, Surrey Arts Centre
📅 Date & Time: July 12, 2025, 7:30 PM
🎟️ Tickets: $29–$49
🌐 Website: tickets.surrey.ca

06. Phulkari Folk Dance Festival

Celebrate Punjabi folk heritage with lively Bhangra and cultural dance performances for all ages.
📍 Location: Bell Performing Arts Centre
📅 Date & Time: July 12, 2025, 11 AM
🎟️ Tickets: Adult $30 (student & child rates available)
🌐 Website: bellperformingartscentre.com

07. Sounds of Summer Concert Series

Enjoy free weekly outdoor concerts across Surrey parks featuring jazz, classic rock, R&B, and more.
📍 Location: Various Surrey parks
📅 Date & Time: Wednesdays in July & August, 6:30 PM–8 PM
🎟️ Tickets: Free admission
🌐 Website: surrey.ca/soundsofsummer

08. Whistle Podu Dance Competition

Top Indian cinematic dance crews from across Canada compete onstage in this high-energy showcase.
📍 Location: Bell Performing Arts Centre
📅 Date & Time: July 26, 2025
🎟️ Tickets: $10
🌐 Website: events.mazhathulli.ca

09. Surrey Fusion Festival

A vibrant celebration of global culture, food, and music—featuring cultural pavilions and acts like Miss Pooja and Easy Star All-Stars.
📍 Location: Holland Park
📅 Date & Time: July 19–20, 2025, 11 AM–10 PM
🎟️ Tickets: Free admission
🌐 Website: surreyfusionfestival.ca

10. Battle of the Brews

Enjoy unlimited beer samples, live country music, and lawn games—all to support youth programs in Surrey.
📍 Location: Surrey Civic Plaza
📅 Date & Time: August 16, 2025, 1:00 PM–5:00 PM
🎟️ Tickets: $50–$55; VIP $85
🌐 Website: surreyfirefighters.com/battle-of-the-brews

🌉 New Pattullo Bridge to Get Indigenous Name and Artwork

The new Pattullo Bridge, set to open later this year, will receive a new name in the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language, gifted by the Musqueam and Kwantlen First Nations as part of a cultural recognition initiative. This comes as the original bridge, opened in 1937 and named after former Premier Thomas Dufferin Pattullo, is being decommissioned.

The bridge site overlaps with former reserve lands tied to both Nations. A formal naming announcement is expected this summer. Meanwhile, Indigenous artwork by Kwantlen artist q̓ʷɑt̓ic̓ɑ (Phyllis Atkins) has been installed on the new Highway 17 overpass, featuring fish significant to the region’s Indigenous communities.

Why it matters: This marks a meaningful shift in how public infrastructure honors Indigenous heritage, acknowledging both historical land connections and cultural identity in a visible, lasting way.

🚌 Surrey to Receive $13.8M for
TransLink’s Upgrades

Surrey is set to receive over $13.8 million in funding for 13 transportation projects as part of TransLink’s broader $145 million infrastructure plan for Metro Vancouver. The projects will improve walking, biking, transit, and road safety across the city.

Planned improvements include new sidewalks, protected bike lanes, road widening, culvert replacements, and major bridge upgrades. Highlights include $4.8M for road widening on 72 Ave, $2M for bridge replacement at 16 Ave and Little Campbell River, and $2.2M for multi-modal upgrades on 32 Ave.

Why it matters: These upgrades will ease traffic, improve safety, and expand sustainable travel options in one of B.C.’s fastest-growing cities, helping Surrey stay ahead of rising transportation demands.

Want to know more about it? CLICK HERE→

🎥 Is the British Columbia Real Estate
Market Finally Turning Around?
(June 2025 Market Update)

Just dropped my June market update! May sales were up, but inventory is at an all-time high. Prices are down 2-4% from last year, and homes are taking longer to sell. If you're buying, it's your time to shine. Sellers need to get real about pricing. Interest rates are dropping, but uncertainty over the trade war has everyone waiting on the sidelines.

🎭 Surrey’s 10,000-Seat Arena Moves
Closer to Reality

Surrey is pushing ahead with plans to build a 10,000-seat arena in City Centre as part of a broader Entertainment District that may include retail, office space, a hotel, and convention facilities. Construction could start in 2027, and the city is currently hiring a development advisor to guide the next steps.

While Mayor Brenda Locke is championing the project as a city-building move, critics like Coun. Linda Annis call it an expensive “vanity project” without a confirmed anchor tenant. No official price tag has been announced, but estimates put it around $600 million. The arena could host concerts, sports, conventions, and events like BCHL showcases. Potential pro sports teams have expressed interest, but no commitments have been made.

Why it matters: This arena could transform Surrey’s cultural and entertainment landscape, giving the city a long-missing venue to host major events and reducing dependence on other cities. But with no confirmed tenants, rising costs, and questions about priorities, the project is stirring up heated political debate—and taxpayers are watching closely.

🏠 Canada’s Real Estate Market Enters a Cautious, Calculated Phase

After six months of falling sales, Canada’s housing market saw a modest 3.6% bump in May, mostly thanks to Toronto, Ottawa, and Calgary. But sales are still 4.3% below last year, and buyers are moving slowly. Meanwhile, more confident sellers are relisting, nudging the market toward balance.

Inventory rose for the third straight month, hitting 201,000 active listings, up 13.2% year over year. The sales-to-new listings ratio stayed at 47%, favoring buyers. Prices haven’t bounced back: the national average sits at $691,299, down 1.8% annually, though declines are slowing. Regional differences are stark, with price drops in B.C. and Ontario but gains in Manitoba, Quebec, and Newfoundland.

With lower mortgage rates slightly improving affordability, buyers now have more leverage, more choice, and more time to negotiate. Sellers must be sharp on strategy, with pricing and presentation more important than ever.

Why it matters: Canada’s housing market isn’t booming or crashing—it’s shifting. Buyers have gained power, but only the well-prepared will capitalize. For sellers, it’s not about speed—it’s about smarts.

📰 In Other News:

📊 Current Market Snapshots:

That’s all for today, I hope you have an amazing week!

If there’s ever anything you need:

  • a custom market or home value report

  • a home services list for a reliable contractor or services professional

  • feedback or a professional opinion on a home project

Just let me know! We’re here to help with all your home needs.

Talk soon,

Scott with the Moe Team