Port Coquitlam

Port Coquitlam
City
The Corporation of the City of Port Coquitlam

Flag
Coat of arms
Nickname(s): "PoCo"[1]
Motto: "Working Together For The Future"

Location of Port Coquitlam in Metro Vancouver
Coordinates: 49°15′45″N 122°46′52″W / 49.26250°N 122.78111°W / 49.26250; -122.78111Coordinates: 49°15′45″N 122°46′52″W / 49.26250°N 122.78111°W / 49.26250; -122.78111
Country  Canada
Province  British Columbia
Regional District Metro Vancouver
Incorporated 1913
Government
 • Mayor Greg Moore
 • Governing Body Port Coquitlam City Council
 • Councillors Mike Forrest
Laura Dupont
Darrell Penner
Glenn Pollock
Dean Washington
Brad West
 • MP Ron McKinnon (Liberal)
 • MLA Mike Farnworth (New Democrat)
Area[2]
 • Total 29.17 km2 (11.26 sq mi)
Elevation 30 m (100 ft)
Population (2011)[3]
 • Total 55,958
 • Density 1,918.3/km2 (4,968/sq mi)
Time zone Pacific Time Zone (UTC-8)
 • Summer (DST) Pacific Daylight Time (UTC-7)
Postal code span V3B, V3C, V3E
Area code(s) 604, 778
Website City of Port Coquitlam

Port Coquitlam is a city in British Columbia, Canada. Located 27 km (17 mi) 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 city of Pitt Meadows lies across the Pitt River. Port Coquitlam is almost entirely bisected by Lougheed Highway. 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 Salish people, including the Kwikwetl'em people. The first European settlers began farming beside the Pitt River in 1859. A major impetus to the creation of a municipality was when the Canadian Pacific Railway moved its freight terminus from Vancouver to "Westminster Junction", where a spur line branched off to the Fraser River port of New Westminster 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 in the northern and southwestern areas of the city. The economy has diversified with a variety of industrial and commercial developments, including metal fabrication, high technology industries, and transportation.

Demographics

In the 2011 Census, Statistics Canada originally reported that Port Coquitlam had a population of 56,342 living in 20,651 of its 21,533 total dwellings, a 6.9% change from its 2006 population of 52,687.[2] Statistics Canada subsequently amended the 2011 census results to a population of 55,958 living in 20,461 of its 21,327 total dwellings, a 6.2% change from 2006.[3] With a land area of 29.17 km2 (11.26 sq mi), it had a population density of 1,918.3/km2 (4,968.5/sq mi) in 2011.[2][3]

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 Catholic 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).[4]

Historical populations
YearPop.±%
19212,148—    
19311,312−38.9%
19411,539+17.3%
19513,232+110.0%
19618,111+151.0%
198127,535+239.5%
199136,773+33.6%
199646,682+26.9%
200151,257+9.8%
200652,687+2.8%
201155,958+6.2%
[3][5][6][7][8]
Canada 2006 Census Population % of Total Population
Visible minority group
Source:[9] 		South Asian 2,445 4.7%
Chinese 4,835 9.3%
Black 550 1.1%
Filipino 1,205 2.3%
Latin American 440 0.8%
Arab 170 0.3%
Southeast Asian 390 0.7%
West Asian 860 1.6%
Korean 1,480 2.8%
Japanese 440 0.8%
Other visible minority 20 0%
Mixed visible minority 585 1.1%
Total visible minority population 13,425 25.7%
Aboriginal group
Source:[10] 		First Nations 500 1%
Métis 390 0.7%
Inuit 10 0%
Total Aboriginal population 905 1.7%
White 37,900 72.6%
Total population 52,230 100%

Languages

Mother Languages as reported by each person: [11]

Canada 2011 Census Population % of Total Population % of Non-official language Population
English 38,575 69.0 N/A
Chinese-Total
Chinese-Cantonese
Chinese-n.o.s. 		3,100
1,770
1,330 		5.6
3.2
2.4 		18.7
10.7
8.0
Korean 1,210 2.2 7.3
Tagalog 1,205 2.2 7.3
Persian 985 1.8 5.9
French 590 1.1 N/A

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 which connects southern Port Coquitlam to SkyTrain at Braid Station. Other bus routes in the city include the 160, which links Port Coquitlam with Vancouver via Coquitlam Central Station and Moody Centre Station, and the C38, which runs a loop through the northern half of the city, linking it with regional buses at Coquitlam Central and Port Coquitlam Station. Two major stops in the city include Port Coquitlam Centre and Port Coquitlam Station. The remainder of Port Coquitlam is served by a network of Community Shuttles.

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 (16 mi) hiking and biking trail, known as the Traboulay PoCo Trail, completely surrounds the city.

Public schools

Public schools in Port Coquitlam are part of School District 43 Coquitlam.

Secondary schools:

Middle schools:

Elementary schools:

The Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique operates one Francophone primary and secondary school: école des Pionniers-de-Maillardville.[14]

Private schools

Notable residents

Surrounding municipalities

 Coquitlam Coquitlam
Coquitlam Pitt Meadows
   Port Coquitlam  
Surrey Barnston Island

See also

References

  1. ↑ "PoCo wants new and old photos for exhibit". Coquitlam Now. LMP Publication Limited Partnership. 2012-10-17. Retrieved 2012-10-18.
  2. 1 2 3 "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2011 and 2006 censuses (British Columbia)". Statistics Canada. January 30, 2013. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Corrections and updates". Statistics Canada. March 21, 2013. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  4. ↑ Macleans: 14 October 2010
  5. ↑ , Canada Year Book 1932
  6. ↑ , Canada Year Book 1955
  7. ↑ , Canada Year Book 1967
  8. ↑ , British Columbia (Canada): Province, Major Cities, Towns & District Municipalities - Statistics & Maps on City Population
  9. ↑ , Community Profiles from the 2006 Census, Statistics Canada - Census Subdivision
  10. ↑ , Aboriginal Peoples - Data table
  11. ↑ , Focus on Geography Series, 2011 Census-Census subdivision of Port Coquitlam, CY - British Columbia
  12. ↑ "Save Lincoln School".
  13. ↑ "Coquitlam School District 43".
  14. ↑ "Carte des écoles." Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique. Retrieved on 22 January 2015.
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