Surrey residents seem to be split down the middle on how they think the direction of the city is going, but most agree on the city’s main issues, according to a new poll.

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Leger polled residents in B.C.’s two most-populous cities — Surrey and Vancouver — to ask how they’re feeling ahead of the civic election scheduled for next year.

Surrey residents are divided, with 44 per cent thinking the city is heading in the right direction and 46 per cent saying Surrey’s on the wrong track.

When asked what the top issues impacting those living in Surrey are, 43 per cent said public safety, while 35 per cent said they would like taxes lowered.

The two issues are top of mind for longtime resident Nicholas Miller, 71, especially with the rise in local shootings.

“That’s one of my biggest problems in Surrey and they’re going to raise the taxes because they need the money (to) mitigate all these shootings,” said Miller, a South Surrey resident.

Surrey native Jannah Ali, 18, said she loves living in Surrey with her family, but safety is a big concern for her.

“I enjoy Surrey and all the cultural aspects it has, it’s very multicultural here. It’s the only place I’ve known,” Ali said.

But moving to another city is also tempting.

“There’s the extortion crimes going on in South Asian neighbourhoods and overcrowding in schools. The gang violence has also been a big issue for years and people aren’t happy about that. I mean, someone at my old school, Tamanawis, was stabbed a few years ago.”

When asked what would be the main reason for her to move, Ali said it would be her overall sense of feeling unsafe in Surrey, and the cost of housing and increasing taxes.

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In Surrey, with a population of more than 700,000, a total of 250 residents were polled. Of the participants, 103 were men and 146 were women. Sixty-three were between the ages of 18 and 34; 83 were between 35 and 54; and 104 were 55 and older.

Residents in both Vancouver and Surrey prefer that housing density be increased with four- to six-storey buildings instead of highrises.

At the bottom of the list of priorities for Surrey residents is attracting more people to move to their communities. That received only two per cent of the vote.

Forty-five per cent of respondents said they approved of Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke’s performance, while 36 per cent disapprove. The remaining respondents said they weren’t sure. Meanwhile, 50 per cent said they preferred someone else become the next mayor, while 23 per cent would like to see Locke win another term.

Locke wasn’t available for an interview with Postmedia News on Tuesday.

Steve Mossop, executive vice president of Leger for Western Canada, said it was interesting Surrey’s results showed an overall positive tone but a fairly low approval rating for Locke.

“There’s still a reluctance of the populace to say that she deserves another term. And that’s almost a bit of a puzzle,” Mossop said.

Mossop noted that residents are mainly focused on issues that do not ultimately fall on municipal officials, such as low-income housing and improving public safety.

“We’ve seen this the last, I’d say, five or six years since COVID, that those social issues that are arguably the responsibility of the federal and provincial government suddenly being laid upon mayors and councils across the country and people feeling it’s their problem,” he said.

Miller, a committed voter, says he will support Locke in the next election.

“I would say because of the fact she (Locke) is standing by her word and trying to make things work with all the pressure of all the provincial stuff going on, she’s doing the only job I think she can do,” Miller said. “I think that she does listen to the constituents, but the constituents felt that we got rifled by the fact that (Government House Leader Mike) Farnworth comes along and says, ‘Hey, this is what we’re going to do.’ And as a taxpayer, I find that really annoying.”

Ali isn’t so sure. The 18-year-old says she plans on voting for the first time in a municipal election but isn’t certain where her vote will go.

“All I know is that a lot of people don’t like the mayor, but I don’t know why. I know she held an extortion town hall recently,” Ali said. “I’d have to get more information on all of the candidates running but I would most likely vote.”

What Ali has heard about is the city’s plan to build a 10,000-seat arena, which she opposes.

“We are getting the SkyTrain extension so that will bring more traffic to Surrey but who’s going to come to Surrey for a concert or a sports game? And who would come have a concert? It just doesn’t make sense to me and I feel like the money could go towards something else,” Ali said.

But the university student seems to be in the minority, with 48 per cent of those polled supporting the arena and 38 per cent against the plan. Of those in support, 59 per cent are between the ages of 18 and 34.

Coming tomorrow, columnist Dan Fumano looks at the Vancouver polling results.

smoman@postmedia.com