Coquitlam | |
|---|---|
| City of Coquitlam | |
 | |
 Flag  Logo | |
| Motto: The Spirit of the Rivers is the Strength of the People[1] | |
 Location of Coquitlam inMetro Vancouver | |
| Coordinates:49°17′02″N122°47′31″W / 49.28389°N 122.79194°W /49.28389; -122.79194 | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | British Columbia |
| Regional district | Metro Vancouver |
| First settled | 7000 BCE |
| Incorporated as adistrict municipality | July 25, 1891[2] |
| Amalgamated | October 7, 1971[2] |
| Incorporated as a city | June 18, 1992[2] |
| Seat | Coquitlam City Hall |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-council government |
| • Body | Coquitlam City Council |
| • Mayor | Richard Stewart |
| • City Council | List of councillors
|
| • MPs (fed.) | |
| • MLAs (prov.) | List of MLAs |
| Area | |
• Total | 152.5 km2 (58.9 sq mi) |
| • Land | 122.15 km2 (47.16 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 24 m (79 ft) |
| Population (2021)[4] | |
• Total | 148,625 |
• Estimate (2024)[6] | 174,248 |
| • Rank | 34th in Canada 6th in British Columbia 5th in Metro Vancouver |
| • Density | 1,216.7/km2 (3,151/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−08:00 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−07:00 (PDT) |
| Forward sortation area | |
| Area codes | 604,778, 236, 672 |
| Website | www |
Coquitlam (/koʊˈkwɪtləm/ⓘkoh-KWIT-ləm)[7] is a city in theLower Mainland ofBritish Columbia, Canada. Mainlysuburban, Coquitlam is thesixth-largest city in the province, with an estimated population of 174,248 in 2024,[4] and one of the 21 municipalities comprisingMetro Vancouver. The mayor isRichard Stewart.[3]
TheCoast Salish people were the first to live in this area, and archaeology confirms continuous occupation of the territory for at least 9,000 years. The nameKwikwetlem is said to be derived from aCoast Salish term "kʷikʷəƛ̓əm" meaning "red fish up the river".[8]
ExplorerSimon Fraser came through the region in 1808, and in the 1860s Europeans gradually started settling the area. Coquitlam began as a "place-in-between" with the construction of North Road in the mid-19th century to provideRoyal Engineers inNew Westminster access to the year-round port facilities inPort Moody.[9]
The young municipality got its first boost in 1889 when Frank Ross and James McLaren opened what would becomeFraser Mills, a $350,000, then state-of-the-artlumber mill on the north bank of the Fraser River. The Corporation of the District of Coquitlam was incorporated in 1891. In the late 1900s, a mill manager's residence was built that would later becomePlace des Arts.[10] At the same time,Sikh immigrants also constructed agurdwara.[11]
Over the next two years, several contingents ofFrench Canadian mill workers arrived fromQuebec, andMaillardville was born. Named for Father Edmond Maillard, a youngOblate from France, it became the largest Francophone centre west of Manitoba. Maillardville's past is recognized today in street names, the Francophone education system andFrench immersion programs, French-languageGirl Guides andscouts, and celebrations such asFestival du Bois.[9][12]
FollowingWorld War II, Coquitlam and the rest of the Lower Mainland experienced substantial population growth that continues today. The opening ofLougheed Highway in 1953 made the city more accessible and set the stage for residential growth. In 1971, Coquitlam and Fraser Mills wereamalgamated, which gave the city a larger industrial base. The mill closed in 2001, and is now currently the subject of a proposed waterfront community.[10][13][14]
Coquitlam is situated some 10 to 15 km (6.2 to 9.3 mi) east ofVancouver, where theCoquitlam River connects with theFraser River and extends northeast along thePitt River toward theCoquitlam andPitt lakes. Coquitlam bordersBurnaby and Port Moody to the west, New Westminster to the southwest, andPort Coquitlam to the southeast.Burke Mountain,Eagle Ridge, and 1,583 m (5,194 ft) tallCoquitlam Mountain form the northern boundary of the city.[15][16][17] Coquitlam's area, 152.5 square kilometres (58.9 sq mi), is about six times larger than either Port Moody or Port Coquitlam.[5]
Coquitlam is in thePacific Time Zone (winterUTC−8, summerUTC−7), and thePacific Maritime Ecozone.[18][19]
Coquitlam's geographic shape can be thought of as a tiltedhourglass, with two larger parcels of land with a smaller central section connecting them.
Southwest Coquitlam comprises the original core of the city, with Maillardville and Fraser River industrial sector giving way to the large, elevated, flat-plateaued residential areas of Austin Heights. These older residences, with larger property dimensions, are increasingly being torn down and replaced with newer and larger homes. The Poirier Street area was the city's original recreational centre with theCoquitlam Sports Centre,Chimo Aquatic and Fitness Centre, and sports fields located there, while City Hall was previously located further south in Maillardville.[20]
The Austin Heights area containsComo Lake, a renowned urban fishing and recreation area, and headwaters for the Como watershed. The watershed represents one of the last urban watersheds in the Tri-Cities that supports wild stocks ofcoho salmon as well as other species at risk such ascoastal cutthroat trout (both sea-run and resident) and bird species such as thegreat blue heron andgreen heron.[21] It also containsMundy Park, one of the largest urban parks in the Metro Vancouver area.
In 1984, the provincial government sold 57 hectares (141 acres) formerly attached toRiverview Hospital to Molnar Developments. Shortly afterward, this land was subdivided and became Riverview Heights, with about 250 single-family homes. The remaining 240 acres (0.97 km2) of this still-activemental health facility has been the subject of much controversy amongst developers, environmentalists, and conservationists. In 2005, the city's task force on the hospital lands rejected the idea of further housing on the lands and declared that the lands and buildings should be protected and remain as a mental health facility.[22] In May 2021, the Government of British Columbia announced that the Riverview lands had been renamed səmiq̓wəʔelə (pronounced suh-MEE-kwuh-EL-uh), meaning "The Place of the Great Blue Heron". The kʷikʷəƛ̓əm Nation andBC Housing are working on a long-term master plan for development of the site.[23]
Coquitlam Town Centre, was designated as a "Regional Town Centre" under the Metro Vancouver's Livable Region Strategic Plan. The concept of atown centre for the area dates back to 1975, and is intended to have a high concentration of high-density housing, offices, cultural, entertainment and education facilities to serve major growth areas of the region, served by rapid transit service.[20] It is in the town centre that many public buildings can be found, including City Hall, a branch of theCoquitlam Public Library, anR.C.M.P. station, Coquitlam's main fire hall, the David Lam Campus ofDouglas College, theEvergreen Cultural Centre,City Centre Aquatic Complex,Town Centre Park andPercy Perry Stadium.
In 1989, the provincial government sold 570 hectares (1,409 acres) ofsecond-growth forested land on the south slope of Eagle Mountain, known locally asEagle Ridge, to developer Wesbild. This resulted in the closure ofWestwood Motorsport Park in 1990, and the creation ofWestwood Plateau, which was developed into 4,525 upscale homes, as well as two golf courses.[24][25]
With development onWestwood Plateau completed and the opening of theDavid Avenue Connector in 2006, Coquitlam's primary urban development has now shifted to Burke Mountain in the northeastern portion of the city.[26][27]
With new development of theEvergreen Extension of theMillennium Line of theSkyTrainrapid transit system which began operation in December 2016, Coquitlam's urban development area has again shifted toBurquitlam and secondly Burke Mountain. The Burke Mountain area plan is now divided into 4 new neighbourhood plans: Lower Hyde Creek Neighbourhood, Upper Hyde Creek Neighbourhood, Partington Creek, and Smiling Creek.[28]
| Use type | Area | |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural land | 381.25 ha (942.1 acres) | |
| Extractive industry | 138.00 ha (341.0 acres) | |
| Harvesting and research | 0.00 ha (0.0 acres) | |
| Residential | Single family | 2,790.75 ha (6,896.1 acres) |
| Rural | 488.00 ha (1,205.9 acres) | |
| Town/Low-rise | 244.00 ha (602.9 acres) | |
| High-rise | 15.25 ha (37.7 acres) | |
| Commercial | 288.75 ha (713.5 acres) | |
| Industrial | 427.00 ha (1,055.1 acres) | |
| Institutional | 350.75 ha (866.7 acres) | |
| Transport. comm., utilities | 274.50 ha (678.3 acres) | |
| Recreation / nature areas | 5,429.00 ha (13,415.4 acres) | |
| Open / Undeveloped | 3,080.50 ha (7,612.1 acres) | |
| GVRD Watershed | 1,342.00 ha (3,316.2 acres) | |
| Total | 152.5 km2 (37,684 acres) | |
Like much of Metro Vancouver, Coquitlam has anoceanic climate (Köppen climate typeCfb), experiencing mild temperatures and highprecipitation; warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. However, compared to most other cities in the area, precipitation is especially heavy in Coquitlam due to its proximity to the mountain slopes. With westward air moving off thePacific Ocean, the air is forced to flow up theCoast Mountains causing it to cool and condense and fall as precipitation, this process is known asorographic precipitation. The orographic effect is mainly responsible for the massive 1,969 mm (77.5 in) annual average precipitation that Coquitlam receives each year, with most falling as rainfall in the fall and winter months, with 316 mm (12.4 in) in November; the summer is usually sunny with minimal precipitation with 60.7 mm (2.39 in) in July. Although the mild temperatures allow for mostly rain to fall during the winter months, occasionallysnow will fall. With a slightly higher elevation compared to the rest of Metro Vancouver, Coquitlam receives an average of 64.4 cm (25.4 in) of snow each year, with it rarely staying on the ground for a few days, adding to a very intermittent snow cover during the winter season.
Coquitlam is also located in one of the warmest regions in Canada where average mean annual temperature is 10.2 °C (50.4 °F). Temperatures are warm during the summer months with an average high of 22.7 °C (72.9 °F), and an average low of 13.4 °C (56.1 °F) in August. During the winter months, the average high is 5.6 °C (42.1 °F), and the average low is 0.9 °C (33.6 °F) in December. This relatively mild climate, by Canadian standards, is caused by the warmAlaska Current offshore and the many mountain ranges preventing the cold arctic air from the rest of Canada from reaching the southwest corner of British Columbia.
On June 28, 2021, Coquitlam reached an all-time high temperature reading of 41 °C (106 °F), shattering the previous record of 37.0 °C (98.6 °F).[29][30]
| Climate data for Coquitlam (Burquitlam Vancouver Golf Course) (Elevation: 122m) 1981–2010 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 14.5 (58.1) | 17.5 (63.5) | 24.5 (76.1) | 28.0 (82.4) | 32.0 (89.6) | 41.0 (105.8) | 37.0 (98.6) | 35.0 (95.0) | 31.5 (88.7) | 26.5 (79.7) | 17.0 (62.6) | 14.5 (58.1) | 41.0 (105.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 6.3 (43.3) | 8.3 (46.9) | 10.6 (51.1) | 14.3 (57.7) | 17.5 (63.5) | 20.1 (68.2) | 23.5 (74.3) | 23.5 (74.3) | 20.7 (69.3) | 14.1 (57.4) | 8.9 (48.0) | 6.2 (43.2) | 14.5 (58.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.8 (38.8) | 4.9 (40.8) | 7.0 (44.6) | 10.0 (50.0) | 12.9 (55.2) | 15.7 (60.3) | 18.5 (65.3) | 18.6 (65.5) | 17.0 (62.6) | 10.8 (51.4) | 6.4 (43.5) | 3.9 (39.0) | 10.7 (51.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 1.4 (34.5) | 1.6 (34.9) | 3.4 (38.1) | 5.7 (42.3) | 8.3 (46.9) | 11.2 (52.2) | 13.4 (56.1) | 13.5 (56.3) | 11.3 (52.3) | 7.4 (45.3) | 3.8 (38.8) | 1.6 (34.9) | 6.9 (44.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −12.0 (10.4) | −13.5 (7.7) | −6.5 (20.3) | 0.0 (32.0) | 1.0 (33.8) | 6.0 (42.8) | 7.0 (44.6) | 9.0 (48.2) | 5.0 (41.0) | −4.0 (24.8) | −10.0 (14.0) | −15.5 (4.1) | −15.5 (4.1) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 286.0 (11.26) | 149.7 (5.89) | 176.3 (6.94) | 137.0 (5.39) | 117.1 (4.61) | 94.7 (3.73) | 61.7 (2.43) | 72.4 (2.85) | 78.3 (3.08) | 206.9 (8.15) | 306.7 (12.07) | 250.3 (9.85) | 1,937 (76.26) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 254.5 (10.02) | 140.9 (5.55) | 171.3 (6.74) | 137.0 (5.39) | 117.1 (4.61) | 94.7 (3.73) | 61.7 (2.43) | 72.4 (2.85) | 78.3 (3.08) | 206.9 (8.15) | 303.6 (11.95) | 234.5 (9.23) | 1,872.7 (73.73) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 31.6 (12.4) | 8.8 (3.5) | 5.1 (2.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.0) | 3.2 (1.3) | 15.8 (6.2) | 64.4 (25.4) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 19.8 | 14.2 | 19.1 | 15.2 | 13.9 | 12.7 | 7.7 | 6.8 | 7.7 | 16.9 | 21.1 | 19.4 | 174.3 |
| Average rainy days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 18.1 | 13.4 | 18.5 | 15.2 | 13.9 | 12.7 | 7.7 | 6.8 | 7.7 | 16.9 | 20.7 | 17.9 | 169.5 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.2 cm) | 3.5 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.06 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 10.16 |
| Source:Environment and Climate Change Canada (normals, 1981–2010)[31] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Coquitlam (Port Moody Glenayre) (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 16.5 (61.7) | 19.0 (66.2) | 24.0 (75.2) | 28.0 (82.4) | 34.5 (94.1) | 33.5 (92.3) | 35.0 (95.0) | 34.0 (93.2) | 32.5 (90.5) | 28.0 (82.4) | 19.0 (66.2) | 15.5 (59.9) | 35.0 (95.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 6.3 (43.3) | 7.5 (45.5) | 10.2 (50.4) | 12.9 (55.2) | 16.7 (62.1) | 19.3 (66.7) | 22.2 (72.0) | 22.7 (72.9) | 19.1 (66.4) | 13.6 (56.5) | 8.3 (46.9) | 5.6 (42.1) | 13.7 (56.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.9 (39.0) | 4.6 (40.3) | 6.8 (44.2) | 9.1 (48.4) | 12.5 (54.5) | 15.2 (59.4) | 17.6 (63.7) | 18.1 (64.6) | 15.0 (59.0) | 10.4 (50.7) | 6.0 (42.8) | 3.3 (37.9) | 10.2 (50.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 1.4 (34.5) | 1.6 (34.9) | 3.4 (38.1) | 5.3 (41.5) | 8.3 (46.9) | 11.0 (51.8) | 13.0 (55.4) | 13.4 (56.1) | 10.8 (51.4) | 7.2 (45.0) | 3.6 (38.5) | 0.9 (33.6) | 6.7 (44.1) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −14 (7) | −13 (9) | −7.8 (18.0) | −1 (30) | −1.0 (30.2) | 4.4 (39.9) | 6.5 (43.7) | 7.2 (45.0) | 1.0 (33.8) | −7 (19) | −15.5 (4.1) | −16 (3) | −16 (3) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 285.0 (11.22) | 170.9 (6.73) | 185.5 (7.30) | 152.9 (6.02) | 110.8 (4.36) | 88.3 (3.48) | 60.7 (2.39) | 65.4 (2.57) | 87.2 (3.43) | 204.5 (8.05) | 316.2 (12.45) | 241.4 (9.50) | 1,968.8 (77.51) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 266.9 (10.51) | 161.4 (6.35) | 179.5 (7.07) | 152.7 (6.01) | 110.8 (4.36) | 88.3 (3.48) | 60.7 (2.39) | 65.4 (2.57) | 87.2 (3.43) | 204.4 (8.05) | 310.1 (12.21) | 225.8 (8.89) | 1,913.2 (75.32) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 18.0 (7.1) | 9.5 (3.7) | 6.0 (2.4) | 0.2 (0.1) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0.2 (0.1) | 6.1 (2.4) | 15.6 (6.1) | 55.6 (21.9) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 19.1 | 14.7 | 17.6 | 15.1 | 14.0 | 12.0 | 7.7 | 6.8 | 9.0 | 16.3 | 20.0 | 18.1 | 170.4 |
| Average rainy days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 18.0 | 13.9 | 17.3 | 15.1 | 14.0 | 12.0 | 7.7 | 6.8 | 9.0 | 16.2 | 19.7 | 16.9 | 166.5 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.2 cm) | 2.1 | 1.9 | 0.92 | 0.12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.09 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 8.9 |
| Source:Environment and Climate Change Canada[32][33] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Coquitlam (Como Lake Ave)(Elevation:160 m) 1981–2010 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 277.7 (10.93) | 181.6 (7.15) | 169.7 (6.68) | 141.6 (5.57) | 112.7 (4.44) | 88.5 (3.48) | 59.8 (2.35) | 66.4 (2.61) | 75.8 (2.98) | 190.4 (7.50) | 308.5 (12.15) | 250.1 (9.85) | 1,922.8 (75.70) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 253.4 (9.98) | 170.2 (6.70) | 165.6 (6.52) | 141.1 (5.56) | 112.6 (4.43) | 88.4 (3.48) | 59.1 (2.33) | 66.4 (2.61) | 75.8 (2.98) | 190.1 (7.48) | 302.7 (11.92) | 230.2 (9.06) | 1,855.6 (73.05) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 24.3 (9.6) | 11.4 (4.5) | 4.1 (1.6) | 0.5 (0.2) | 0.1 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.0) | 0.7 (0.3) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.3 (0.1) | 5.8 (2.3) | 20.0 (7.9) | 67.3 (26.5) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 20.0 | 14.7 | 17.4 | 15.2 | 14.2 | 12.5 | 7.4 | 6.8 | 8.0 | 15.0 | 19.9 | 20.0 | 171.0 |
| Average rainy days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 17.8 | 13.8 | 16.9 | 15.2 | 14.2 | 12.5 | 7.4 | 6.8 | 8.0 | 14.9 | 19.4 | 18.3 | 165.1 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.2 cm) | 3.6 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.14 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.09 | 1.1 | 3.8 | 11.6 |
| Source:Environment and Climate Change Canada[34] | |||||||||||||
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 2,374 | — |
| 1931 | 4,871 | +105.2% |
| 1941 | 7,949 | +63.2% |
| 1951 | 15,697 | +97.5% |
| 1956 | 20,800 | +32.5% |
| 1961 | 29,053 | +39.7% |
| 1966 | 40,916 | +40.8% |
| 1971 | 53,073 | +29.7% |
| 1976 | 55,464 | +4.5% |
| 1981 | 61,077 | +10.1% |
| 1986 | 69,291 | +13.4% |
| 1991 | 84,021 | +21.3% |
| 1996 | 101,820 | +21.2% |
| 2001 | 112,890 | +10.9% |
| 2006 | 114,565 | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 126,840 | +10.7% |
| 2016 | 139,284 | +9.8% |
| 2021 | 148,625 | +6.7% |
| [35][36][37][38][39] | ||
In the2021 Census of Population conducted byStatistics Canada, Coquitlam had a population of 148,625 living in 55,949 of its 58,683 total private dwellings, a change of6.7% from its 2016 population of 139,284. With a land area of 122.15 km2 (47.16 sq mi), it had a population density of1,216.7/km2 (3,151.3/sq mi) in 2021.[4]
According to the 2016 Census, 47% ofhouseholds contained a married couple with children, 30% contained a married couple without children, and 22% were one-person households. Of the 40,085 reportedfamilies: 76% weremarried couples with an average of 3.0 persons per family, 15% were lone-parents with an average of 2.5 persons per family, and 9% werecommon-law couples with an average of 2.6 persons per family. The median age of Coquitlam's population was 41.1 years, slightly younger than the British Columbia median of 43.0 years. Coquitlam had 85.6% of its residents 15 years of age or older, less than the provincial average of 87.5%.[40]
According to the 2016 census, about 44% of Coquitlam residents were foreign-born, much higher than the 28% foreign-born for the whole of British Columbia. The same census documented the median income in 2015 for all families was $65,020, compared to the provincial average of $61,280. 58.2% of respondents 15 years of age and older claim to have a post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree, compared to 55% province-wide.[40] Lastly, also as of the 2016 census, only 23.4% of Coquitlam residents who work outside the home work within the city of Coquitlam itself, just less than half the provincial average of 48.9% of residents who work within their own municipality, yet 22.2% of Coquitlam residents take public transit, bicycle or walk to work, close to the provincial average of 22.4%.[41]
| Panethnic group | 2021[4] | 2016[42][43] | 2011[44][45] | 2006[39] | 2001[46] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
| European[a] | 61,220 | 41.51% | 65,730 | 47.6% | 67,655 | 54.12% | 68,120 | 59.99% | 71,755 | 64.4% |
| East Asian[b] | 46,375 | 31.45% | 40,400 | 29.26% | 30,715 | 24.57% | 26,710 | 23.52% | 25,030 | 22.46% |
| Middle Eastern[c] | 12,080 | 8.19% | 9,140 | 6.62% | 7,375 | 5.9% | 4,885 | 4.3% | 2,965 | 2.66% |
| Southeast Asian[d] | 7,675 | 5.2% | 7,205 | 5.22% | 6,415 | 5.13% | 4,110 | 3.62% | 3,710 | 3.33% |
| South Asian | 7,405 | 5.02% | 6,220 | 4.5% | 5,245 | 4.2% | 4,185 | 3.69% | 3,280 | 2.94% |
| Latin American | 3,345 | 2.27% | 2,190 | 1.59% | 1,895 | 1.52% | 1,530 | 1.35% | 1,110 | 1% |
| Indigenous | 2,915 | 1.98% | 3,095 | 2.24% | 2,610 | 2.09% | 1,565 | 1.38% | 1,480 | 1.33% |
| African | 2,135 | 1.45% | 1,515 | 1.1% | 1,265 | 1.01% | 1,005 | 0.88% | 1,130 | 1.01% |
| Other[e] | 4,300 | 2.92% | 2,590 | 1.88% | 1,840 | 1.47% | 1,455 | 1.28% | 970 | 0.87% |
| Total responses | 147,465 | 99.22% | 138,095 | 99.15% | 125,015 | 98.56% | 113,560 | 99.12% | 111,425 | 98.7% |
| Total population | 148,625 | 100% | 139,284 | 100% | 126,840 | 100% | 114,565 | 100% | 112,890 | 100% |
The 2016 census found that English was spoken as the mother tongue of 50.47% of the population. The next most common mother tongue language wasMandarin, spoken by 9.66% of the population, followed byCantonese at 6.43%.[40] The south slope of Coquitlam, which includes Maillardville, has a pocket of French speakers.
| Rank (2021)[4] | Mother tongue | Population | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | 70,195 | 47.5% |
| 2 | Mandarin | 14,380 | 9.7% |
| 3 | Korean | 10,040 | 6.8% |
| 4 | Cantonese | 9,670 | 6.5% |
| 5 | Persian (includingDari) | 8,920 | 6.0% |
| 6 | Spanish | 2,825 | 1.9% |
| 7 | Tagalog | 2,510 | 1.7% |
| 8 | Russian | 2,310 | 1.6% |
| 9 | French | 1,295 | 0.9% |
| 10 | Arabic | 1,255 | 0.8% |
| 10 | Punjabi | 1,255 | 0.8% |
| 12 | Italian | 1,195 | 0.8% |
| 13 | Portuguese | 1,100 | 0.7% |
According to the2021 census, religious groups in Coquitlam included:[4]
As abedroom community, the majority of Coquitlam residents commute to work in Vancouver, Burnaby, and other Metro Vancouver suburbs. Coquitlam's main industrial area lies in the southern Maillardville/Fraser Mills area near the Fraser River. Among the largest employers within Coquitlam are the City of Coquitlam with approximately 850 employees, Art in Motion with approximately 750 employees, andHard Rock Casino with approximately 600 employees.[47][48] Other major employers includeCoca-Cola,Sony, and the Marine Propulsion division ofRolls-Royce.[49][50]
In 2007, there were 610 retail businesses in Coquitlam, and these provided 8,765 jobs (27% of all jobs) within the city. Most retail businesses are concentrated aroundCoquitlam Centre in the Town Centre area, andbig-box retailers such asIKEA andThe Home Depot in the Pacific Reach areas, with the remainder of the city's retail outlets centered around the Austin Heights and North Road sectors.[51]
The Tri-CitiesChamber of Commerce has over 900 members including businesses, professionals, residents and other community groups, governed by a 14-person volunteer Board of Directors.[52]
Being in close proximity to Vancouver and surrounded by the rest of the Lower Mainland, Coquitlam residents have access to virtually unlimited choice in cultural and leisure activities. Within the city itself are numerous venues that bring these choices closer to home.
Coquitlam was designated as aCultural Capital of Canada in 2009 by theDepartment of Canadian Heritage.[53]
The Molson Canadian Theatre, a 1,074-seat multi-purpose venue, opened as part of a $30 million expansion to Coquitlam's Hard Rock Casino in 2006, whileCineplex Entertainment operates the 4,475-seat SilverCity Coquitlam movie complex with 20 screens.[54][55][56]
A partnership of the city, the arts community, private business and senior governments, the Evergreen Cultural Centre in the Town Centre area is a venue for arts and culture, a civic facility designed to host a wide variety of community events. It features a 264-seatblack box theatre, rehearsal hall, art studios andart gallery. Evergreen serves as the home venue for thePacific Symphonic Wind Ensemble, theCoastal Sound Music Academy, the Coquitlam Youth Orchestra, and theStage 43 Theatrical Society. Nearbyproscenium theatres include the 336-seatTerry Fox Theatre in Port Coquitlam, and the 206-seatInlet Theatre in Port Moody.[57]
Numerous yearlyfestivals are staged at various locations throughout Coquitlam,[58] including Festival du Bois (first full weekend in March),[12] theWater's Edge Festival (third full weekend in March),[59] Como Lake Fishing Derby (last Sunday in May),[60]BC Highland Games (last Saturday in June),[61] aCanada Day Celebration at Town Centre Park,[62] the BC Dumpling Festival (mid-August),[63][64] and the Blue Mountain Music Festival (mid-July).[65]
Coquitlam has a considerable number of open green spaces, with the total area of over 890 hectares (2,200 acres). There are over 80 municipal parks and natural areas, with Mundy Park located roughly in the centre of the city being the biggest, and Ridge Park located in the highlands near the city's northern edge.Pinecone Burke Provincial Park, Minnekhada Regional Park, and Pitt Addington Marsh are on the northern and eastern border of the city, while the restricted area of theMetro Vancouver's Coquitlam watershed border Coquitlam to the north.Colony Farm is a 404-hectare park that straddles the Coquitlam andPort Coquitlam boundaries, offering walking trails rich with wildlife and gardens.Town Centre Park is a large city park located in the central area of the city, it provides city residents with many recreational activities.[66][67]Como Lake Park andGlen Park are also popular with local residents.
Place des Arts is a non-profit teachingarts centre in Maillardville founded in 1972, offering programs in visual arts, music, acting, and dance. It features specialized programs for school students and home learners, and presents concerts and exhibitions for the public. Studios are offered forpottery,fibre arts,yoga,ballet,drama,piano,drawing andpainting. Place des Arts offers four faculty concerts throughout the year, as well as numerous recitals and presentations by students on an ongoing basis.[68]
Place Maillardville is a community centre providing leisure activities for all age groups, with programs on French language, culture, as well as physical activities. Heritage Square offers visitors a wealth of historic sites, gardens, a bike path, and an outdoor amphitheatre; it is also home to the Mackin Heritage Home & Toy Museum.[69]
The city is responsible for the maintenance of numerous sports and recreation fields, including 40 grass/sand/soil sports fields, fiveFieldTurf fields, 35 ball diamonds, several all-weather surfaces, abowling green, acroquet/bocce court, and acricket pitch.[70] The city also operates Percy Perry Stadium and the Poirier Sport & Leisure Complex.[71] Privately owned Planet Ice features 4 additional ice rinks, and more rinks are found throughout the Tri-Cities.[72]
There exists many opportunities for a wide variety of activities in Coquitlam:
Coquitlam is represented by two federalMPs in theParliament of Canada.Bonita Zarillo (NDP) represents thePort Moody—Coquitlam riding, whileRon McKinnon (Liberal Party) representsCoquitlam—Port Coquitlam.[103]
Coquitlam is represented by three provincialMLAs in theLegislative Assembly of British Columbia.Rick Glumac (British Columbia NDP) represents thePort Moody-Coquitlam riding, whileJoan Isaacs (BC Liberals) representsCoquitlam-Burke Mountain, andSelina Robinson (BC NDP) representsCoquitlam-Maillardville.[104]
In the2018 civic election,Richard Stewart was reelected asmayor of Coquitlam, and Craig Hodge, Chris Wilson, Teri Towner, Bonita Zarillo, Brent Asmundson, Dennis Marsden, Trish Mandewo and Steve Kim were all elected toCoquitlam City Council.[3] Coquitlam contracts out garbage and recycling services to International Paper Industries for city residents, but local businesses are responsible for their own garbage and recycling arrangements.[105]Coquitlam Lake provides residents with a mountain-fed water source, while the city maintains its own sewage management system.[106]
The nearestSupreme Court of British Columbia venue is the New Westminster Law Courts.Provincial Court of British Columbia cases were formerly handled through the Coquitlam Provincial Court, but this was closed in 1996 and moved to the new Port Coquitlam Provincial Court.[107][108]
Coquitlam is served byTransLink, which is responsible for both public transit and major roads.
The city has four SkyTrain stations on the Millennium Line that are a part of the 10.9 km (6.8 mi) long Evergreen Extension.[109] With a project cost of $1.4 billion, the line runs from the Coquitlam City Centre area, throughCoquitlam Central Station and into Port Moody, re-entering Coquitlam on North Road and finally joining the existing Millennium Line atLougheed Town Centre.
There is regularbus service on numerous lines running throughout the city and connecting it to other municipalities in Metro Vancouver, with a major exchange at Coquitlam Central Station.[110]
TheWest Coast Express, with a stop at Coquitlam Central Station, providescommuter rail service west to downtown Vancouver and east as far asMission.[111] WCE operates Monday to Friday only (excluding holidays), with five trains per day running to Vancouver in the morning peak hours and returning through Coquitlam in the evening peak hours.
For motorists, theTrans-Canada Highway providesfreeway access to Burnaby, Vancouver,Surrey, and other municipalities in the Lower Mainland.Lougheed Highway is an alternative route to the Trans-Canada, entering Coquitlam through Maillardville, past the Riverview Hospital area, up to Coquitlam Centre where it turns sharply east to Port Coquitlam.Barnet Highway begins at the Coquitlam Centre area and heads directly east through Port Moody and on to Burnaby and downtown Vancouver.[112]
Coquitlam has 60 km of bike routes, including dedicated bike lanes on Guildford Way, David Avenue, United Boulevard, Mariner Way, Chilko Drive and others, plus additional routes through city parks.[113]
Coquitlam is served by two international airports.Vancouver International Airport, located onSea Island in the city ofRichmond to the west, is the second busiest in Canada and provides most of the air access to the region.Abbotsford International Airport, located to the east, is the seventeenth busiest airport in Canada. NearbyPitt Meadows Airport provides services for smaller aircraft[114][115] and there are alsoBoundary Bay Airport andLangley Airport for small aircraft.
Residents and visitors wishing to travel toVancouver Island, theGulf Islands, and other destinations along theInside Passage may use theBC Ferries car and passenger ferry service from two terminals in the communities ofTsawwassen andHorseshoe Bay, south and north of Vancouver respectively. BC Ferries operates theQueen of Coquitlam, aC-class ferry capable of carrying 362 cars and 1,466 passengers, which was launched in 1976. She received an $18 million rehabilitation in November 2002, and currently operates as a secondary vessel on the Departure Bay-Horseshoe Bay route.[116]
Coquitlam is served byFraser Health, which operates the 106-bed Eagle Ridge Hospital on the Port Moody/Coquitlam city boundary. ERH opened its doors in 1984 and operates a 24-houremergency department, ambulatory, long-term care andacute care programs. It is aCentre of Excellence forelective surgery forurology,gynaecology,plastics andorthopedics. The hospital also offers public education clinics forasthma,diabetes,rehabilitation services and programs forcardiology, children's grief recovery, youth crisis response and earlypsychosis prevention.[117]
Fraser Health also operates the 352-bedRoyal Columbian Hospital just south of Coquitlam in New Westminster. Coquitlam residents are also served by many privately owned health care clinics, while Tri-Cities Health Services operates 653 residential care beds.[118]
Coquitlam is also the home of Riverview Hospital, a largemental health facility, operating under the governance of BC Mental Health & Addiction Services. Riverview opened in 1913 and had 4,630 patients at its peak, but advances in treatment and cutbacks in funding have resulted in fewer people receiving mental health care, and much of the facility has closed over the last few decades.[119]
Coquitlam contracts out its police service to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, with the main police station adjacent to City Hall at Coquitlam Town Centre andcommunity police stations in the Austin Heights and Burquitlam areas. The Coquitlam RCMP detachment also serves the municipalities ofAnmore,Belcarra, andPort Coquitlam.[120]
Coquitlam has its own fire service, known as Coquitlam Fire/Rescue, with four fire halls. Coquitlam uses names, not numbers for their halls. The fire halls are Town Centre, Austin Heights, Mariner Way, near Mundy Park and Burke Mountain.[121]
Like all other municipalities in British Columbia, Coquitlam's ambulance service is run by theBritish Columbia Ambulance Service.[122]
Coquitlam Search and Rescue is a volunteersearch and rescue team operating under theProvincial Emergency Program. Coquitlam SAR is responsible for urban and wilderness search and rescue for the area betweenIndian Arm and Pitt Lake, and encompasses the local communities of Coquitlam, Burnaby, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, New Westminster, Belcarra and Anmore. The SAR team is based at Town Centre Fire Hall.[123]
The city manages four all-agecommunity centres (Centennial, Pinetree, Poirier, Summit), and two senior community centres (Dogwood Pavilion, Glen Pine Pavilion).[124]
Coquitlam is served bySchool District 43 Coquitlam, and offers four publicsecondary schools, sevenmiddle schools, and dozens ofelementary schools. Francophone education in the Tri-Cities is offered byConseil Scolaire Francophone de la Colombie-Britannique.[125][126]
Coquitlam Town Centre is home to the 4,000-student David Lam Campus of Douglas College, which offers university transfer, career-training and academic-upgrading programs. Therapeutic Recreation, Hotel and Restaurant Management, and Animal Health Technology programs are housed in the original main campus building. The $39 million Health Sciences Centre opened in 2008, with state-of-the-art facilities for Nursing, Psychiatric Nursing and other health-career programs.[127]
There are two major universities,University of British Columbia andSimon Fraser University, located in the nearby municipalities. TheBritish Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) in neighbouring Burnaby providespolytechnic education and grantsdegrees in several fields. Vancouver is also home to theEmily Carr University of Art and Design and theVancouver Film School.[128]
The Coquitlam Public Library has two branches: City Centre and Poirier. The library has a circulation of over 1.1 million items, and an annual budget of over $5 million.[129]
In addition to the otherMetro Vancouver media outlets,CKPM-FM was the firstradio station dedicated to the Tri-Cities area when it took to the air in 2009.[130]
Coquitlam is served by the bi-weeklyTri-City News newspaper.[131]
A significant number of movie and television productions have been partly or completely filmed in Coquitlam in recent years, including a significant portion of 2018'sDeadpool 2, 2014'sGodzilla, bothNew Moon andEclipse from theTwilight series,The X-Files,Juno,Smallville,Psych,The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,Dark Angel,The Day the Earth Stood Still,Romeo Must Die,Stargate SG1,Riverdale, andWatchmen.[132] The city maintains the Coquitlam Film Office to coordinate permits, traffic and crowd control, and insurance for film and television productions.[133]
Coquitlam currently hassister city relationships with the following:[134]
In November 2017, the city stated that they had ended sister city relationships withLaizhou,Tochigi,Ormoc andSan Juan.[135]
Juno Award-winningrock musicianMatthew Good is from Coquitlam. He graduated fromCentennial Secondary in 1989, and became lead singer for theMatthew Good Band, one of Canada's most successfulalternative rock bands in the 1990s. Centennial Secondary was featured in the "Alert Status Red" video, and its cheerleading squad recorded for "Giant".[136] The Matthew Good Band was dissolved in 2002, and Good has since pursued a solo career and established himself as a political activist,blogger, and author.[137]
ActorTaylor Kitsch graduated fromGleneagle Secondary in 1999,[138] and went on to star in movies such asJohn Carter andBattleship andLone Survivor as well as the television seriesFriday Night Lights'
FormerFA Premier League goalkeeperCraig Forrest is from Coquitlam and attended Centennial Secondary. Forrest appeared in 263 games forIpswich Town, 30 games forWest Ham United, and three games forChelsea. Forrest also earned 56 caps for theCanadian national soccer team, the most of any goalkeeper in team history, and earned the most clean sheets in the country's history. Forrest was elected to Canada's Soccer Hall of Fame in 2007.[139][140] Former Canadian national soccer team midfielderJeff Clarke and Canadian women's national soccer playerBrittany Timko also both attended Centennial Secondary.[141][142]
FormerNational Basketball Association playerLars Hansen was raised in Coquitlam and played his high school basketball at Centennial Secondary. He was a member of theSeattle SuperSonics1979 NBA Championship team, and was elected to the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008.[143]
American political analyst and former Fox News co-hostRachel Marsden was raised in Northeast Coquitlam's Burke Mountain area.[144]
Former BC Lions placekickerLui Passaglia has resided in Coquitlam for over 20 years.[145] Passaglia is a member of theCanadian Football Hall of Fame, and his #5 jersey is one of eightnumbers retired by the Lions.[146] Passaglia was voted #30 of the CFL'sTop 50 players of the modern era by Canadian sports networkTSN.[147]
PlayboyPlaymate and actressDorothy Stratten was raised in Coquitlam and attended Centennial Secondary School. Stratten was Playmate of the Year for 1980. She appeared in several movies, includingPeter Bogdanovich'sThey All Laughed, then she was murdered by her estranged husband. Stratten was portrayed twice in biographies of her life, byJamie Lee Curtis inDeath of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story and byMariel Hemingway inStar 80.[148]
Spoken word poetChris Tse was raised in Coquitlam though he is based in Ottawa. He was captain of the Ottawa spoken word team that won theCanadian Festival of Spoken Word championships and placed second overall in the Poetry Slam World Cup in Paris, France.[149]
Filipino pop and jazz singer, musician, lyricist, and songwriterJoey Albert is a Coquitlam resident.[150]
Hockey playersMathew Barzal of theNew York Islanders,Dante Fabbro of theColumbus Blue Jackets, andVincent Iorio of theWashington Capitals were all born and raised in Coquitlam.[151][152][153]
Science fiction novelistDennis E. Taylor is a Coquitlam resident.[154]
Coquitlam travel guide from WikivoyagePlaces adjacent to Coquitlam | |
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