First proposed in 2012 by Surrey mayor Dianne Watts,[1] construction on the project was planned to start in 2019 with an opening date set for 2024.

The electorate voted against the tax increase to fund regional projects and provide a long term sustainable funding model;[4] however, Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner said, after the sales tax was voted down, that the city still planned to build the light rail project as it was the main component in her election campaign.

On September 4, 2018, during a visit to Surrey, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau reiterated the Federal government's financial commitment to helping to build the route.

Proposed stops A Surrey–Langley Line was proposed as a future phase after the completion of the Surrey–Newton–Guildford Line and was expected to travel on Fraser Highway and connecting Surrey City Centre, Fleetwood Town Centre and Langley with expected travel time of 24.5 minutes.

[citation needed] The Surrey LRT project had been criticized by some local residents, and an advocacy group, who have raised concerns suggesting a lack of travel time improvement, large annual operating deficits, vulnerability to accidents and a lower comparative business case benefits documented in the 2012 TransLink joint analysis.