Residents push back against proposed Surrey crematorium

There's major contention over a proposed funeral home and crematorium in Surrey.

SURREY, B.C.— There’s major tension about a proposed funeral home and crematorium in Surrey, and it was on full display at a public information session Tuesday night put on by the developer at a local banquet hall.

“Why was it decided that this was the best location?” a man who lives in the neighbourhood asked the developers to a round of applause by those who turned up to speak against the project.

The proposed crematorium put forward by the Five Rivers Community Services Society would be built on 168 Street, across from Tynehead Regional Park.

“There’s an industrial park not even far from that location,” said Tynehead resident Raj Khatar. “If it was there, we would have no case. We would not be standing here today, and in fact we would be supporting it and encouraging it.”

Those behind the proposal say the project is needed because of long waits for cremations.

“We have almost two weeks wait sometimes for the funeral service,” project co-ordinator Surindar Singh Jabal told CTV News following the event.

That sentiment was echoed by a representative from Vancouver’s Ross Street temple.

“So people are waiting and waiting,” said Joginder Singh Sunner with the Gurdwara Sahib Khalsa Diwan Society. “I gave so many examples. Can you believe this? In this week, we had seven funerals.”

But many who live in the neighbourhood oppose the project for a variety of reasons.

“Well we have 168, which is a one lane each way,” Tynehead resident Surj Sandher told CTV News, referencing concerns about traffic in the area. “If you happen to live in that area, you know how hard it is to get out of there. We also back onto some Serpentine River areas – some fish habitats.”

City councillor Linda Annis is watching the situation closely.

“I’m certainly not in favour of having a crematorium where they’re proposing this location,” Annis told reporters outside the information session. “We do need a crematorium in the Surrey area. As we know, the one in Delta is at capacity. But this is the wrong spot.”

Tuesday’s information session was eventually shut down ahead of schedule – with the reason given that there was no method in place to record feedback from those who had come to the event, prompting boos from the crowd.

An online petition opposing the project had collected more than 3,200 signatures as of Tuesday evening.