Surrey is one of Canada’s most innovative cities, powered by education, research, business growth, and a rapidly expanding population.
With a population of over 700,000, Surrey is one of British Columbia’s fastest-growing cities and is poised to surpass Vancouver as the province’s most populous. It’s a city with ambition, and its abundance of assets is accelerating the transformation, including a diverse, highly skilled local workforce and the largest share of Metro Vancouver’s industrial lands.
Education and innovation are driving transformation
Building a strong education hub is a key component of Surrey’s current and future vision. The city is home to campuses of major post-secondary institutions, including Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), Simon Fraser University (SFU), and the upcoming University of British Columbia Surrey campus, with some programs already being taught at the Surrey Health and Technology District. SFU Surrey’s new School of Medicine will be the first in nearly 60 years in Western Canada. The first cohort of aspiring physicians and medical professionals is set to begin studies next year.
While UBC is consistently ranked as one of the world’s top universities, SFU is recognized as Canada’s top university for innovation and entrepreneurial spirit as per (WURI) 2025 rankings and KPU is recognized for its leadership in polytechnic training in Trades and Technology programming, and for its industry-supporting assets such as the Applied Genomics Centre
It’s no surprise these universities have established a strong presence along Surrey’s Innovation Boulevard, an anchor of the city’s innovation ecosystem co-founded by the City of Surrey and SFU. This vibrant innovation platform of businesses, innovation labs, incubators, and university-industry research partnerships is unmatched in the Metro Vancouver region.
Where innovation, talent, and industry come together
Entrepreneurs, businesses, and investors are connected to expertise, university researchers, academia and talent to prototype, pilot, commercialize, and scale solutions faster in high-impact sectors, including cleantech, agritech, smart cities, health tech, and advanced manufacturing. This is backed by Surrey’s unique strengths: access to top-tier talent and research (through Innovation Boulevard, businesses can access innovation and research labs across the city) industrial and commercial lands, trade-enabling infrastructure, and easy access to major transportation corridors.
These partnerships between industry, government agencies, post-secondary institutions, and the City of Surrey are helping to close Canada’s productivity gap while creating quality jobs and increasing national competitiveness.
City of Surrey recognized as the “Most Business Friendly” by the 2024 NAIOP Awards for Municipal Excellence
1. Dynamic Demographics
700,000+
residents (population of
1 million expected by 2050s)
25%
of the population is
under 19 years of age
36%
of residents are
working age (20-44)
62%
of the population aged 25-64
have a post-secondary
certificate, diploma, or degree
65%
of Surrey workers live
and work in the city
100+
languages spoken
2. Academic and Innovation Leadership
28,000 students
are enrolled in Surrey’s
post-secondary institutions
Access to high-tech
research labs
Academic leaders
in research and innovation, specializing in life sciences, engineering sciences, agriculture technologies, computer sciences.
3. Land availability and Trade Connectivity
351,301 SF of office and 81,195 SF of retail space
are under construction
in Surrey City Centre
Access to
3 Deepsea Shipping Ports
within 1 hour
Access to
Rail and Highway Networks
connecting Surrey to Major Population Centers
across Canada and the U.S.
Looking to grow your business in Surrey or expand into the western Canadian market? Contact Us.
