The Surrey & White Rock Board of Trade (SWRBOT) applauds today’s announcement that Surrey will be home to the new provincial museum dedicated to celebrating the history, contributions, and experiences of Canadians of South Asian heritage.
Since 2024, SWRBOT has consistently advocated for Surrey as the location for the museum, including through community engagement that brought together perspectives from people of diverse cultural backgrounds, lived experiences and sectors across the community. That engagement informed a report to the Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport identifying Surrey as the right choice for the future museum. We have highlighted Surrey’s significant South Asian population, extraordinary cultural diversity, rapid growth, regional accessibility, and the opportunity for the museum to serve as both an important cultural institution and an economic asset for British Columbia.
We are thrilled to see the Province recognize what the Surrey & White Rock Board of Trade has known for years: Surrey is the right home for this museum. The museum will provide an important place to preserve and share the stories of South Asian Canadians, while also creating an opportunity to strengthen Surrey’s economy and tourism sector.
Joslyn Young, CEO
Beyond its cultural significance, SWRBOT has emphasized that a museum of this scale can also contribute to Surrey’s broader economy by attracting visitors, creating opportunities for local businesses and strengthening the region’s cultural infrastructure.
SWRBOT congratulates the Government of British Columbia, the City of Surrey, and the community advocates who have worked to advance this project. We look forward to seeing work begin, and the opportunities it will create for Surrey and British Columbia.
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Aman Parmar
Policy & Media Advisor
aman@swrbot.com
604.634.0345
