Newton BIA Elects Modern Director, Highlights 2025 Achievements at Annual General Meeting

The Newton Business Improvement Association (NBIA) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on February 19, 2026, welcoming a new director to its board and reviewing key initiatives from the past year. The meeting, conducted via Zoom, saw Rafiat Amico (representing Kings Cross) elected by acclamation.

New Board Members and Continuing Directors

Joining Amico on the board are re-elected members Jay Blaschuk (Sources BC), Jodi Leech (Studio 73) and Chris Philipson (ChaloFreshco). Directors with one year remaining in their terms include Mohit Moudgil (Raymond Immigration), Stephen Chodos (Value Industries), Jaspal Brar (Group 7 Insurance), Harry Lamba (The UPS Store), Kamil Lotfali (Newton Crossing), and Suman Basnyat (S Basnyat & Co.).

Financial Overview and Program Highlights

The NBIA reported $674,600 in expenses for the year, allocated to administration, wages, marketing, events, safety, area enhancement, and government relations. Key events, including Surrey Car-Free Day in June and Spooktacular Newton in October, received $75,000 in combined sponsorship. A portion of the budget, $16,000, was dedicated to the annual State of Newton address.

Philip Aguirre, the NBIA executive director, highlighted ongoing programs such as the Community Safety Patrol, Team Tidy trash collection, graffiti removal, shopping cart retrieval, and the Newton Pop-Up Plaza.

Long-Term Impact and Community Growth

Since its establishment in 2014, the NBIA has recorded 38,267 community safety patrol files, cleaned 14,003 graffiti tags, collected 73,200 pounds of trash, returned 17,67 shopping carts, hosted 198 events, and garnered 198 media articles [Newton BIA].

Newton is currently home to 149,000 residents, making it the fifth largest community in British Columbia. The area also boasts the highest number of businesses in Surrey, accounting for 33% of the city’s total. Manufacturing represents the largest sector, comprising 78% of businesses in Newton, followed by office spaces (10%) and commercial/institutional properties (6% each) [Newton BIA].

BIA Growth and Resources

The Newton BIA, launched in 2014, currently represents 536 business properties, 102 property owners, and a total assessed property value of $1.12 billion [Newton BIA]. AGM minutes, slide presentations, and annual financials are available on the NBIA website at newtonbia.com.