1. COVID-19
COVID-19 was by far what brought the most people to surreynowleader.com in 2020, whether it was for daily updates, closures and cancellations, COVID-19 exposures at stores and schools or new public health orders.
2. Toilet paper re-seller sets up at Costco
Social media was buzzing with photos of a woman apparently selling toilet paper from the back of her vehicle in the Langley Costco parking lot in March. A friend of the woman later told Black Press Media that she was just trying to help. During the start of the pandemic grocery store shelves were empty where there had usually been stockpiles of toilet paper, cleaning products and paper towels. Costco later banned returns of hoarded items, including toilet paper.
3. Landlord must pay Indigenous former tenant $23K for not letting her smudge
A Surrey landlord was ordered to pay Indigenous former tenant $23,300 for not letting her smudge in the basement suite she rented from him, with $20,000 of that in compensation for “injury to her dignity, feelings and self-respect.”
4. First look inside Surrey’s new Central City Fun Park, with roller rink, bowling and more
An entertainment centre billed as “Metro Vancouver’s Largest Indoor Amusement Park” was set to open in Surrey, near Pattullo Bridge and Scott Road SkyTrain Station, in early March, in time for spring break. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the opening day was pushed back to late May.
5. Ryan Reynolds gives his brother a shout-out on ‘Fallon‘
Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds gave a shout-out to his brother, a Coyote Creek Elementary teacher, on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on May 5, during Teacher Appreciation Week.
6. Driver tries to cross Port Mann Bridge with only three working wheels
It was a scary, late-January ride over the Port Mann Bridge as a driver was spotted pushing on with just three tires and a battered front end.
7. Mother, daughter charged in 2017 torched-SUV killing now allowed contact
The mother, Manjit Deo, charged with “accessory after the fact to murder” in connection with the 2017 death of Surrey teen Bhavkiran Dhesi, may now contact her daughter, Inderdeep Deo – who faces the same charge – through a lawyer.
8. Surrey man ordered to pay $500K, sentenced to three years in jail for fraud
Ravinderpaul Singh Mangat was sentenced to three years in prison and must pay $500,000 in restitution following an investigation by the British Columbia Securities Commission. He was found guilty of two counts of criminal fraud over $5,000.
9. Cardio equipment from ‘major gym franchise’ auctioned in Surrey
Fitness equipment from “a major gym franchise” was auctioned off in Surrey in July, with close to 300 cardio machines in an online-only auction.
10. Surrey Police will replace RCMP, government confirms
In February, the provincial government announced the City of Surrey had been authorized to set up its own city police. Since then, the police board was formed and Norm Lipinski was announced as the first-ever chief of police for the Surrey Police Service.
