City of Surrey's Annual Financial Report 2021

CITY OF SURREY OVERVIEWS INVESTMENT & INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS DEPARTMENT

The Investment & Intergovernmental Relations Department's programs and services include economic policy and strategy, economic analysis, business attraction, sector development, government relations, policy analysis and communications. The department also has responsibility for the following operational divisions:

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT The Economic Development division is responsible for producing and implementing the City’s Economic Development Strategy. The division identifies and develops relationships with key stakeholder groups in order to build a strong ecosystem that stimulates investment attraction, job creation, entrepreneurship development and innovation. The Economic Development team maintains current information about businesses in Surrey, and collects and analyzes local, regional, and provincial economic data.

INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS The Intergovernmental Relations division is responsible for producing and implementing the City’s Government Engagement Plan. The division advances the City’s interests with all levels of government and identifies provincial and federal priority alignments and joint program opportunities.

2 0 2 1 A C C O M P L I S H M E N T S • Worked directly with the Provincial Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General’s office and the Federal Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services’ office to help advance Surrey’s transition to a Surrey Police Service. • Organized a visit to Surrey’s Safe Centre and roundtable session with the Federal Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services – participants included local MPs and some members of Council. • Assisted City Departments to secure funding from senior levels of government, including $13.8 million in new Rapid Housing Initiative funding to support the development of a 30-unit modular supportive

• Engaged with over 165 businesses as part of our outreach program to understand the impact of COVID-19 on our local business community and prepare them for recovery. • Partnered with Simon Fraser University (SFU) in establishing Surrey as a leader in Canadian agri-innovation. This includes supporting the development of a new agricultural technology program at SFU and initiating an Innovation Committee to discuss new collaboration opportunities. Additionally, the City is currently working with over 31 local food processes, particularly in the plant-based protein and snacks manufacturing space, to grow and expand within the City. • Build Surrey’s international presence as an investment attraction destination by ranking among the top 10 Mid-Sized Americas Cities of the Future 2020/21 by the Financial Times’ fDi Intelligence Division, winning regional, national and international awards for our Surrey Makes PPE Program and speaking at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26).

• In partnership with the Township of Langley, City of Richmond, and BC Tech Association, the City was awarded with $400,000 from the Province of BC to establish a Supply Chain Resiliency Program to support local manufacturing businesses in locking emerging market opportunities. • Admitted into the Consider Canada City Alliance, Canada’s leading network of cross-Canada investment agencies attracting foreign direct investment and became a partner of Invest in Canada. • Conducted a survey to assess consumer spending habits in Surrey that will be used as a baseline for future surveying being deployed in 2022. The insights will inform our efforts to attract more businesses desired by residents in each town centre.

housing project for youth aged 17–24 years experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

• Working with 136 companies considering locating to Surrey in 2022. This represents a 100% increase in leads compared to 2019 and four times as many leads compared to 2020. This accounts for over 3 million sq ft of commercial and industrial space interest in Surrey.

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