Port Coquitlam, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Port Coquitlam is a city in British Columbia
, Canada
. Located 27 km east of Vancouver
, it sits at the confluence of the Fraser River
and the Pitt River
. Coquitlam borders it on the north, the Coquitlam River
borders it on the west, and the cities of Maple Ridge
and Pitt Meadows lie across the Pitt River. Port Coquitlam is almost entirely bisected by a Canadian Pacific Railway
yard with two underpass crossings and one overpass. Port Coquitlam is often referred to as "PoCo." It is Canada's 88th largest city by population.
Port Coquitlam is not to be confused with the adjacent and larger Coquitlam.
people, including the Kwikwetl'em people. The first European settlers began farming beside the Pitt River
in 1859. The Canadian Pacific Railway
moved its terminus from Vancouver
to the banks of the Fraser River
in 1911. Port Coquitlam was first incorporated as a municipality on March 7, 1913. Port Coquitlam was originally mostly farmland; however, because of the densification and expansion of Vancouver, it has now become mostly suburban housing, especially on its northern and southwestern sides. The economy has diversified with a variety of industrial
and commercial
developments, including metal fabrication, high technology industries, and transportation.
36%, Protestant 32%, Other 14%, and No Religion 18%.
In 2009 Port Coquitlam was rated 85th for its murder rate (for Canadian cities with a population over 50K).
TransLink provides a number of bus routes throughout the city. The most used bus route in this section of the Greater Vancouver Regional District is the 159. The 159 connects southern Port Coquitlam to the SkyTrain
. Other bus routes in the city are the 160 and C38. The 160 links Port Coquitlam and Vancouver. It passes through Coquitlam Central Station
and Port Moody Station
. Two major stops in the city include the Port Coquitlam Centre and the Port Coquitlam Station
. Numerous other Community Shuttles serve the Port Coquitlam area, including the C38 which connects Northern Port Coquitlam to Coquitlam Central Station
via Port Coquitlam Station
.
The Lougheed Highway passes through Port Coquitlam, running from Coquitlam in the west to the Pitt River Bridge
in the east. Although this highway has made much of Port Coquitlam a very congested area, it is one of the few major arterial highways in the area.
The Mary Hill Bypass, officially known as Highway 7B, runs adjacent to the Fraser River from the Pitt River Bridge
on the east to the Port Mann Bridge
on the west.
Canadian Pacific Railway
has a major rail yard in the central sector of the city.
In October 2009 the new Pitt River Bridge
, a new seven-lane cable stayed bridge, opened to the public replacing the existing crossing. The previous crossing was made up of 2 swing bridges which were removed upon completion of the new cable stayed bridge. The Pitt River Bridge crosses the Pitt River
connecting Port Coquitlam to neighbouring Pitt Meadows.
In March 2010 the Coast Meridian Overpass
, a new four-lane cable stayed bridge, opened to the public giving a new option for traveling north to south over the Canadian Pacific Railway
Oxford Street rail yard.
A 25 km hiking and biking trail, known as the Traboulay PoCo Trail, completely surrounds the city.
was jailed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
. The arrest is apparently related to a February, 2007 incident in which the mayor was accused of harassing an ex-girlfriend. This is Young's 3rd arrest since becoming mayor in 2001.
The Mayor was released on bail and will next appear in court on April 16. He currently faces the following charges under the Criminal Code of Canada
: Two counts of assault, one count of breaking and entering with intent, one count of criminal harassment and three counts of breach of condition of a release order. Scott Young stepped aside as Port Coquitlam mayor temporarily on April 13 2007.
Scott Young has indicated he intended to return to active mayorship after the Victoria Day
holiday, and return Tuesday, May 22, 2007. However, the Mayor did not return until May 28th 2007 which was the last possible day for him to return, as his resignation is automatically tendered by British Columbia provincial law after missing 4 meetings or 60 days of which both would have occurred on May 28th 2007 had he not resumed his duties.
Scott Young was replaced as mayor of Port Coquitlam by Greg Moore on December 1, 2008. Young was defeated in his quest for a councillor's seat in the November 15, 2008 local municipal elections.
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Located 27 km east of Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, it sits at the confluence of the Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
and the Pitt River
Pitt River
The Pitt River in British Columbia, Canada is a large tributary of the Fraser River, entering it a few miles upstream from New Westminster and about 25 km ESE of Downtown Vancouver. The river, which begins in the Garibaldi Ranges of the Coast Mountains, is in two sections above and below Pitt...
. Coquitlam borders it on the north, the Coquitlam River
Coquitlam River
The Coquitlam River is located in between the cities of Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam, suburban municipalities located in the Metro Vancouver. This river is a tributary for the Fraser River. Each year hundreds of salmon return to spawn in the Coquitlam River. There is a reservoir near the...
borders it on the west, and the cities of Maple Ridge
Maple Ridge, British Columbia
Maple Ridge is a District Municipality in British Columbia, located in the northeastern section of Metro Vancouver. Maple Ridge has a population of approximately 68,949.-History:...
and Pitt Meadows lie across the Pitt River. Port Coquitlam is almost entirely bisected by a Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
yard with two underpass crossings and one overpass. Port Coquitlam is often referred to as "PoCo." It is Canada's 88th largest city by population.
Port Coquitlam is not to be confused with the adjacent and larger Coquitlam.
History
The area was first inhabited by the Coast SalishCoast Salish
Coast Salish languages are a subgroup of the Salishan language family. These languages are spoken by First Nations or Native American peoples inhabiting the territory that is now the southwest coast of British Columbia around the Strait of Georgia and Washington state around Puget Sound...
people, including the Kwikwetl'em people. The first European settlers began farming beside the Pitt River
Pitt River
The Pitt River in British Columbia, Canada is a large tributary of the Fraser River, entering it a few miles upstream from New Westminster and about 25 km ESE of Downtown Vancouver. The river, which begins in the Garibaldi Ranges of the Coast Mountains, is in two sections above and below Pitt...
in 1859. The Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
moved its terminus from Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
to the banks of the Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
in 1911. Port Coquitlam was first incorporated as a municipality on March 7, 1913. Port Coquitlam was originally mostly farmland; however, because of the densification and expansion of Vancouver, it has now become mostly suburban housing, especially on its northern and southwestern sides. The economy has diversified with a variety of industrial
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
and commercial
Commercial property
The term commercial property refers to buildings or land intended to generate a profit, either from capital gain or rental income.-Definition:...
developments, including metal fabrication, high technology industries, and transportation.
Demographics
The second half of the 1990s saw the population grow at a rate of 9.8%, with a large number of immigrants, who by 2001, comprised 25% of the population. English was the first language for 76% of the inhabitants. Religions practiced were CatholicCatholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
36%, Protestant 32%, Other 14%, and No Religion 18%.
In 2009 Port Coquitlam was rated 85th for its murder rate (for Canadian cities with a population over 50K).
Transportation
Because of its primarily suburban nature, Port Coquitlam relies heavily on its vehicular roads to move people and goods. For example, two of its major arterial roads, Shaughnessy Street and Lougheed Highway bisect Port Coquitlam east to west and north to south, respectively.TransLink provides a number of bus routes throughout the city. The most used bus route in this section of the Greater Vancouver Regional District is the 159. The 159 connects southern Port Coquitlam to the SkyTrain
SkyTrain (Vancouver)
SkyTrain is a light rapid transit system in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. SkyTrain has of track and uses fully automated trains on grade-separated tracks, running mostly on elevated guideways, which helps SkyTrain to hold consistently high on-time reliability...
. Other bus routes in the city are the 160 and C38. The 160 links Port Coquitlam and Vancouver. It passes through Coquitlam Central Station
Coquitlam Central Station
Coquitlam Central Station is a station on the West Coast Express commuter rail line connecting Vancouver to Mission, British Columbia, Canada. The station is located on the north side of the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks in Coquitlam, just west of the Lougheed Highway rail overpass, near the...
and Port Moody Station
Port Moody Station
Port Moody Station is a station on the West Coast Express commuter rail line connecting Vancouver to Mission, British Columbia, Canada. The station is located on the south side of the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks in Port Moody, at the north foot of William Street, approximately north of St....
. Two major stops in the city include the Port Coquitlam Centre and the Port Coquitlam Station
Port Coquitlam Station
Port Coquitlam Station is a station on the West Coast Express commuter rail line connecting Vancouver to Mission, British Columbia, Canada. The station is located on the south side of the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks in Port Coquitlam, just off Kingsway Avenue. The station opened in 1995, when...
. Numerous other Community Shuttles serve the Port Coquitlam area, including the C38 which connects Northern Port Coquitlam to Coquitlam Central Station
Coquitlam Central Station
Coquitlam Central Station is a station on the West Coast Express commuter rail line connecting Vancouver to Mission, British Columbia, Canada. The station is located on the north side of the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks in Coquitlam, just west of the Lougheed Highway rail overpass, near the...
via Port Coquitlam Station
Port Coquitlam Station
Port Coquitlam Station is a station on the West Coast Express commuter rail line connecting Vancouver to Mission, British Columbia, Canada. The station is located on the south side of the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks in Port Coquitlam, just off Kingsway Avenue. The station opened in 1995, when...
.
The Lougheed Highway passes through Port Coquitlam, running from Coquitlam in the west to the Pitt River Bridge
Pitt River Bridge
The Pitt River Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge that spans the Pitt River between Port Coquitlam and Pitt Meadows in British Columbia, Canada. The bridge is part of Highway 7, carrying Lougheed Highway across the river...
in the east. Although this highway has made much of Port Coquitlam a very congested area, it is one of the few major arterial highways in the area.
The Mary Hill Bypass, officially known as Highway 7B, runs adjacent to the Fraser River from the Pitt River Bridge
Pitt River Bridge
The Pitt River Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge that spans the Pitt River between Port Coquitlam and Pitt Meadows in British Columbia, Canada. The bridge is part of Highway 7, carrying Lougheed Highway across the river...
on the east to the Port Mann Bridge
Port Mann Bridge
The Port Mann Bridge is a steel tied arch bridge that spans the Fraser River connecting Coquitlam to Surrey in British Columbia near Vancouver. The bridge consists of three spans with an orthotropic deck carrying five lanes of Trans-Canada Highway traffic, with approach spans of three steel plate...
on the west.
Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
has a major rail yard in the central sector of the city.
In October 2009 the new Pitt River Bridge
Pitt River Bridge
The Pitt River Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge that spans the Pitt River between Port Coquitlam and Pitt Meadows in British Columbia, Canada. The bridge is part of Highway 7, carrying Lougheed Highway across the river...
, a new seven-lane cable stayed bridge, opened to the public replacing the existing crossing. The previous crossing was made up of 2 swing bridges which were removed upon completion of the new cable stayed bridge. The Pitt River Bridge crosses the Pitt River
Pitt River
The Pitt River in British Columbia, Canada is a large tributary of the Fraser River, entering it a few miles upstream from New Westminster and about 25 km ESE of Downtown Vancouver. The river, which begins in the Garibaldi Ranges of the Coast Mountains, is in two sections above and below Pitt...
connecting Port Coquitlam to neighbouring Pitt Meadows.
In March 2010 the Coast Meridian Overpass
Coast Meridian Overpass
The Coast Meridian Overpass is a new four-lane cable stayed bridge in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia crossing the Canadian Pacific railyard. The new bridge has a width of 25 metres, and a length of 580 m. The construction project, officially launched in 2008, links Coast Meridian Road and...
, a new four-lane cable stayed bridge, opened to the public giving a new option for traveling north to south over the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
Oxford Street rail yard.
A 25 km hiking and biking trail, known as the Traboulay PoCo Trail, completely surrounds the city.
Secondary schools
- Riverside SecondaryRiverside Secondary School (British Columbia)Riverside Secondary School is a public coeducational secondary school located in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada. It enrolls students from grades 9 to 12.-General information:...
- Terry Fox SecondaryTerry Fox Secondary SchoolTerry Fox Secondary School is a school with approx. 2,000 students in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada. The original school was built on Wellington Street in the 1950s under the name "Port Coquitlam Senior Secondary" for grades 11 and 12. It was renamed Terry Fox Senior Secondary School...
Middle schools
- Citadel Middle
- Kwayhquitlum Middle
- Maple Creek Middle(former Hastings Junior Secondary)
- Minnekhada Middle (former George Pearkes Junior Secondary)
- Pitt River Middle (former Mary Hill Junior Secondary)
Elementary schools
- Birchland Elementary
- Blakeburn Elementary
- Castle Park Elementary
- Cedar Drive Elementary
- Central Elementary
- Coquitlam River Elementary
- Glen Elementary (French ImmersionFrench immersionFrench immersion is a form of bilingual education in which a child who does not speak French as his or her first language receives instruction in school in French...
) - Irvine Elementary (French Immersion)
- James Park Elementary
- Hazel Trembath Elementary
- Kilmer Elementary (French Immersion)
- Lincoln Elementary (Closed in 2007).
- Mary Hill Elementary (French Immersion)
- Westwood Elementary
Private schools
- Archbishop Carney Regional Secondary SchoolArchbishop Carney Regional Secondary SchoolArchbishop Carney Secondary School is a private Roman Catholic independent secondary school in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. It is under charge of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver and is the newest Roman Catholic high school in the Lower Mainland with 750 students as of September...
- Our Lady of the Assumption Elementary
- British Columbia Christian Academy
- Hope Lutheran School
- Ecole des Pionniers de Maillardville (French)
Notable residents
- Betty FoxBetty FoxBetty Lou Fox was a Canadian cancer research activist, the mother of Terry Fox and founder of the Terry Fox Foundation. She was the most prominent figure in Terry Fox's legacy .-Biography:...
, cancer research activist, mother of Terry Fox - Terry FoxTerry FoxTerrance Stanley "Terry" Fox , was a Canadian humanitarian, athlete, and cancer research activist. In 1980, with one leg having been amputated, he embarked on a cross-Canada run to raise money and awareness for cancer research...
, athlete and cancer treatment activist - Robert PicktonRobert PicktonRobert William "Willie" Pickton of Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada is a former pig farmer and serial killer convicted of the second-degree murders of six women. He is also charged in the deaths of an additional twenty women, many of them prostitutes and drug users from Vancouver's...
, convicted serial killer, alleged to be Canada's most prolific - Zach HamillZach HamillZachary Robert Hamill is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who currently plays for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League ....
, professional hockey player, drafted 8th overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston BruinsBoston BruinsThe Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
Past mayor's legal troubles
On April 5, 2007, former Port Coquitlam mayor Scott YoungScott Young (politician)
Scott Young was the mayor of Port Coquitlam, British Columbia from 2001 to December 1, 2008. Raised in Burnaby, Young was first elected mayor of Port Coquitlam in 2001, after serving as City Councillor from 1996-2000 and a school board trustee prior to that...
was jailed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
. The arrest is apparently related to a February, 2007 incident in which the mayor was accused of harassing an ex-girlfriend. This is Young's 3rd arrest since becoming mayor in 2001.
The Mayor was released on bail and will next appear in court on April 16. He currently faces the following charges under the Criminal Code of Canada
Criminal Code of Canada
The Criminal Code or Code criminel is a law that codifies most criminal offences and procedures in Canada. Its official long title is "An Act respecting the criminal law"...
: Two counts of assault, one count of breaking and entering with intent, one count of criminal harassment and three counts of breach of condition of a release order. Scott Young stepped aside as Port Coquitlam mayor temporarily on April 13 2007.
Scott Young has indicated he intended to return to active mayorship after the Victoria Day
Victoria Day
Victoria Day is a federal Canadian public holiday celebrated on the last Monday before May 25, in honour of Queen Victoria's birthday. The date is also, simultaneously, that on which the current reigning Canadian sovereign's official birthday is recognized...
holiday, and return Tuesday, May 22, 2007. However, the Mayor did not return until May 28th 2007 which was the last possible day for him to return, as his resignation is automatically tendered by British Columbia provincial law after missing 4 meetings or 60 days of which both would have occurred on May 28th 2007 had he not resumed his duties.
Scott Young was replaced as mayor of Port Coquitlam by Greg Moore on December 1, 2008. Young was defeated in his quest for a councillor's seat in the November 15, 2008 local municipal elections.
Surrounding municipalities
See also
- Province of British ColumbiaBritish ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
- Greater Vancouver Regional DistrictGreater Vancouver Regional DistrictMetro Vancouver is the brand name of the board of the inter-municipal administrative body known as the Greater Vancouver Regional District , a regional district in British Columbia, Canada...
- School District 43 CoquitlamSchool District 43 CoquitlamSchool District 43 is one of the sixty school districts in British Columbia. The district is the third largest in British Columbia with 45 elementary schools, 13 middle schools, and 9 secondary schools. School District 43 serves the Tri-Cities, including the cities of Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam,...
- Tri-Cities (British Columbia)Tri-Cities (British Columbia)The Tri-Cities is an informal term used to describe three adjacent suburban cities in the north-east sector of Metro Vancouver in British Columbia. Combined, these five communities have a 2008 population of 211,418 residents:-Other terms:...