BC Housing, in partnership with the City of Surrey and Fraser Health, is proposing to build 260 new homes on two lots located in Semiahmoo Town Centre, at 15238 19th Avenue and 1880 152nd Street. This project is an important part of our continued effort to address and prevent homelessness in the community and improve access to health services, including mental health and substance-use services.
The mixed-use development would include:
· 200 affordable studio, 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom homes (TBD)
· 40 supportive studio homes
· 20 studio homes with Complex Care Housing (CCH) services
BC Housing will design an attractive, welcoming building that fits into the local neighbourhood.
Drop-In Community Information Session
We are inviting neighbours, local businesses and other interested community members to join us for a drop-in community information session to learn more about this project.
Registration is not required but preferred for planning purposes.
Affordable rental housing
This building would provide 200 new rental homes for low- and moderate-income households in Surrey prioritizing seniors, people with disabilities and families. Residents would need to meet income and household size criteria and be able to live independently without on-site supports.
Supportive housing
The 40 supportive homes in this building would be studio apartments for local adults (19+) including seniors and people with disabilities or any others who need supports to maintain stable housing. All residents pay rent and sign program agreements. Typical supports include 24/7 staffing, meal programs, life skills and employment training and on-site wellness services, including referral pathways to substance-use treatment and recovery.
Complex Care Housing (CCH)
CCH offers a similar environment to supportive housing but with enhanced health, cultural, and social supports that are tailored to residents’ individual needs and goals. CCH residents are adults (19+) of all genders living with overlapping mental health and/or substance use challenges and other health needs. CCH residents can benefit from various supports to maintain stable housing. In CCH, Fraser Health will deliver on–site health services seven-days-a-week. These supports are available to residents for as long as they need.
Non-profit housing operator
BC Housing will select an experienced non-profit housing operator through a fair and open process to manage the entire building and provide support services to residents, including daily meals, life skills training, and social, cultural and recreational programs.
Stay in touch
BC Housing and the City of Surrey will continue to reach out to area neighbours with updates and keep lines of communication open throughout this project. We look forward to celebrating these new homes with the community.
Keep up to date about this project and view our Community FAQ by visiting letstalkhousingbc.ca/surrey-semiahmoo-town-centre or by scanning the QR code. Note: This webpage will be published on September 12, 2025.
If you have any questions about this proposed development or would like to be added to our contact list for future project updates, please email communityrelations@bchousing.org
Whale of a Time In Semiahmoo Bay
Submitted by SUZI LORI
I wanna give you guys a little update on our whale, who has now officially been in our bay for 13 straight days. It was first seen the morning of Sept 19th off west beach, and again that evening by a group of paddle-boarders, myself included, and it has basically been seen every single day since, Friday Sept 19th to yesterday, October 1st.
Today (Thursday ) will officially be two weeks of it feeding in our bay.
The obvious speculation was that it was a gray whale, who know our bay well from frequenting here in the spring and who was likely fueling up for a few days before the big migration south. Also to note, researchers in the Salish Sea have confirmed that not all of our gray whale population is migrating, some are staying back here now in the winter. So.. okay maybe this was a gray whale who was not going to migrate and just stay here and eat? The bait balls of fish out in the bay right now are huge!! It’s a feast out there.
A little back story about me, I’m obsessed with whales. I’ve spent time with easily over 100+ humpbacks, I have their swimming pattern, their feeding pattern, their body shape and size, their blow, quite literally everything about them memorized and engraved in my brain- they are my favorite animal in the entire world. Immediately to me, this whale was not a humpback. It’s not doing anything that humpbacks do or that I’ve ever seen in my time with humpbacks. By about day two of seeing this thing I had narrowed it down that it wasn’t a humpback. By about day 3-4 I started highly questioning if this thing was even a gray whale. I’ve spent time with about 20 gray whales now in the last few years, from the two who frequent our bay here in Semiahmoo (CRC-2383 and CRC-2557), to ones that frequent off of Victoria, to “Little Patch” who spent a lot of time this spring off West Vancouver, to lots of gray whales out off Tofino. I have videos and photos of them all.
This whale in our bay certainly is not surfacing, swimming or feeding like a gray whale.
I remember seeing two different posts from September 15th just south of our bay by the San Juan Islands in the U.S., they spotted and photographed a fin whale.. the rare, endangered, second largest whale in the world.
I thought to myself.. could this be??? But I tried not to let my mind wander there. Fin whales generally live very far offshore and aren’t spotted over here often.
But one was.. a few days before this whale arrived.
I immersed myself into learning everything there is to learn about fin whales, I stay up late at night obsessing, reading research papers about them and watching footage of them. Could this be? Could this actually be a fin whale? I allowed myself add a fin whale into my official list of suspicions as to what this whale could be.
Several whale experts are now starting to think this may actually be the fin whale. Again, we don’t know for sure because it’s so elusive, incredibly hard to photograph or video..
If anyone has videos/photos of this whale’s body coming out of the water, please send them over.
Pier lighting applications are now open for 2026, and community non-profit groups are invited to submit their requests from October 1 to November 30, 2025.
The Pier features coloured lights that enhances the beauty of the waterfront and celebrates annual occasions and/or builds awareness for registered not-for profit (NPO) causes that are important to the White Rock community and its visitors.
Please note: Applicants will be notified in January if their application has been approved. Applications will only be accepted during the designated intake period. Requests submitted outside of October 1 to November 30, 2025, will not be considered.
September 29, 2025
Congratulations
SUSAN BAINS and ANTHONY MANNING Saturday evening were elected to the two vacant seats on White Rock Council. It will be a one year term for the two new councillors.,
The province wider general election for the next four year term occurs in October 2026.
The two newly elected council members will be officially sworn in and take their seats at the council table Monday October 20, 2025 @ 4 P.M.,
I'm a Surrey backer but can also be a Surrey basher if I find out they are doing something stupid or dangerous. Unfortunately this TNT is a basher after negligence on the part of the City contributed to a friend's truck and trailer getting damaged last week. The issue is the large speed humps you will find throughout Surrey in traffic calmed neighbourhoods and school zones. While these humps are built properly and have the correct white triangles painted on them, in most cases the yellow and black speed hump signs that are supposed to be posted on either side of these bumps are missing. Every other city in the Lower Mainland signs these obstacles properly but for some reason the Surrey Engineering Department does not. Now let me tell you why this is not only stupid, it is also dangerous.
The City of White Rock and the City of Surrey are pleased to present the 2nd annual White Rock & South Surrey Culture Crawl on Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5, 2025.
The Culture Crawl is a vibrant, free event that showcases the rich arts, culture, and heritage of the Peninsula, offering a diverse program of drop-in activities, live performances, and select ticketed events. New this year, a complimentary shuttle service will operate throughout the weekend, providing convenient transportation between venues in White Rock and South Surrey along two dedicated routes.
Make sure to catch “Cultures in Motion” happening on Saturday, a dynamic celebration of global music, dance, and art, or drop in on an open rehearsal with the White Rock City Orchestra. Visitors can also tour the Crescent Park-based Semiahmoo Potters Studio, where artists will be hand-building and wheel throwing, with opportunities to learn about pottery classes and purchase one-of-a-kind pieces.
Live music will be featured in multiple locations, from the Crescent Beach promenade to the 1800s parlour at Historic Stewart Farm, adding a rhythmic heartbeat to the Crawl. White Rock’s Uptown Gallery will welcome Easton Arnouse, Artist in Residence and member of the Semiahmoo First Nation, for ongoing demonstrations of his work. Meanwhile, Totest Aleng: Indigenous Learning House offers a serene studio experience with sound healing sessions led by the Mindful Movement duo.
On Sunday, fashion and history take the spotlight with the ticketed show “From Rationing to Ravishing”, presented by historian Ivan Sayers. The South Surrey White Rock Art Society’s annual show and sale also returns, featuring meet-the-artist moments and live demonstrations.
To make the most of your Culture Crawl experience, pick up a map at any White Rock Community Centre or visit whiterockcity.ca/culturecrawl.
The map will guide you through the different activities across 28venues and help you plan your cultural journey.
Shuttle from location to location
Explore the Culture Crawl stress-free! The free shuttle service provides convenient transportation between venues in White Rock and South Surrey along two dedicated routes throughout the weekend. No tickets needed, just show up! Download shuttle service schedule.
