The head of the Surrey Board of Trade is miffed that no events will be held in Surrey when the Times of India Film Awards (TOIFA) come to B.C. this week.
Board CEO Anita Huberman said she hoped TOIFA would be a regional event and that the province tried for the past two weeks to steer some of the festivities Surrey's way. That didn't pan out, however, and all of the upcoming events are taking place in Vancouver.
"This is simply unacceptable and disappointing especially as 30 per cent of Surrey's population is South Asian," said Huberman.
TOIFA spokeswoman Laura Ballance said the organization tried to find a practical venue in Surrey for the event, but due its sheer magnitude, nothing was big enough.
“This is a major event and I think it’s important for people to remember that this is on par with the People’s Choice Awards or another significant concert,” Ballance said.
Tens of thousands of people are expected to pack B.C. Place for the Bollywood awards gala. The show, running from April 4-6, is costing the province $11 million.
- with files from CTV