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Coquitlam Area Info.

Coquitlam is quickly becoming the Lower Mainland’s number one area for business and lifestyle. Coquitlam’s forward-thinking attitude, accessible services, wealth of public resources, and diversity of community and culture enable all Coquitlam businesses and residents to prosper and grow within a safe and clean environment.

With modern infrastructure that continues to pave the way for double-digit residential, commercial/retail and industrial growth, Coquitlam contributes significantly to the overall activity of the Greater Vancouver region as well as the Province of British Columbia.

Discover The Coquitlam Advantage – our progressive approach to sustainable development and quality living.

Location

Coquitlam is centered in the heart of the Lower Mainland on the West Coast of British Columbia, Canada, and is just a 30-minute drive from downtown Vancouver, BC’s largest city, and about 20 minutes from the US border.

City Profile

Coquitlam is strategically located at the geographic centre of the Lower Mainland, making the City an attractive place for residents, industries and a thriving retail sector. Coquitlam is bordered by the municipalities of Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Burnaby and New Westminster, as well as the Fraser River to the south, Pitt River to the east and the Coastal Mountains to the north.  

Coquitlam Today - A Growing City

Growth in Coquitlam through the early and middle parts of this century was steady.  The opening of the Lougheed Highway in 1953 made the City more accessible and set the stage for residential growth in the early 1960s.  Coquitlam experienced a period of boom in the mid-1970’s which continues today.

Population

Population trends in Coquitlam are indicative of changes in the region. Greater Vancouver is one of the most rapidly growing areas in Canada, and Coquitlam is among the fastest growing municipalities in the region.

Year	Coquitlam	Region**
1976 *	55,464	1,166,348
1981 *	61,077	1,268,183
1986 *	69,291	1,380,729
1991 *	84,021	1,602,502
1996 *	101,820	1,831,665
2001 *	112,890	1,986,965
2006 *	114,565	2,116,581

Coquitlam’s population increased by over 21% between 1986 and 1991, and again from 1991 to 1996.  A further increase of 10.9% occurred between 1996 and 2001.

Today, there is the continuing development of attractive residential areas offering a mix of housing types, the pedestrian-oriented Town Centre, a wide range of commercial activities, major industrial/business parks, and new recreation facilities. The pattern of growth has given Coquitlam diverse neighbourhoods within four distinct areas.

Southwest Coquitlam

The Southwest is well established with a network of public and commercial services and residential neighbourhoods. This area is characterized by a variety of building styles, from the modern to the historical, graced with the French-Canadian flavour of Maillardville. Coquitlam’s three major industrial and business parks are strategically located between the Fraser River and Lougheed Highway.

The Town Centre

Coquitlam’s Town Centre is a newer, 720-hectare community. It provides a dynamic focus as the Regional Town Centre for the northeast sector of Greater Vancouver. When planning for the Town Centre began in the mid-1970s, the area contained only a handful of homes and a small neighbourhood centre. Today, there are over 9,400 homes and a wide variety of commercial services.

The Town Centre core is also a focal point for civic, cultural and educational services.  The City Centre Aquatic Complex, Town Centre Stadium and Park, Evergreen Cultural Centre, Public Safety Building, Coquitlam City Hall, the David Lam campus of Douglas College, Pinetree Secondary School and the Pinetree Community Centre, can all be found in the Town Centre area.

While the Town Centre area is a thriving commercial and residential area, it also offers a direct link to nature, with hiking trails along Hoy Creek and Coquitlam River. Watching the salmon return to spawn in these watercourses is enjoyed by many, with an average of 500 people attending the "Salmon Come Home" event at Hoy Creek each fall.

Westwood Plateau

North of the Town Centre lie the Westwood lands - featuring 570 hectares of prime residential development with widespread appeal. Cluster houses, townhomes, single family houses, two golf courses, creeks and walking trails will attract a population of 15,000 to Northwest Coquitlam’s Westwood Plateau.

Northeast Coquitlam

Northeast Coquitlam is highlighted by both Minnekhada Regional Park and the southern portion of the massive Pinecone Burke Provincial Park. Currently almost 4,000 people live in a mix of older, well-established and new neighbourhoods, as well as extensive rural properties and farms.

History of Coquitlam

The earliest residents of this area were the Coast Salish. The name Coquitlam was originally pronounced Kwayquilam, which it is believed was derived from Kokanee or Kickininee, a little red fish similar to sockeye salmon. Although Simon Fraser passed through the region in 1808, European settlement did not begin until the 1860s.

Coquitlam began as a "place-in-between" since the area was opened up with the construction of North Road in the mid-1800s. While the purpose of the road was to provide Royal Engineers in New Westminster access to the year-round port facilities in Port Moody, the effect was to provide access to the vast area between and to the east.

The history of the early years is one of settlement and agriculture. Growth was slow and steady and, in 1891, the municipality of the District of Coquitlam was officially incorporated.

The young municipality got its first boost in the dying years of the 19th century when Frank Ross and James McLaren opened Fraser Mills, a $350,000, then state-of-the-art lumber mill on the north bank of the Fraser River. By 1908, a mill town of 20 houses, a store, post office, hospital, office block, barber shop and pool hall had grown around the mill. A year later one of the most significant events in Coquitlam’s history took place. Mill owners, in search of workers, turned their attention to the experienced logging culture of Quebec and in 1909 a contingent of 110 French Canadians arrived, recruited for work at Fraser Mills. With the arrival of a second contingent in June 1910, Maillardville was born.

Maillardville, named for Father Maillard, a young Oblate from France, was more than just a French-Canadian enclave in Western Canada. It was a vibrant community, the largest Francophone centre west of Manitoba, and the seed for the future growth of Coquitlam.

While the passing of time has diluted the use of the French language in BC, it is still heard on the streets and in the homes on the south slope of Coquitlam. Maillardville’s past is recognized in street names that honour early pioneers and in local redevelopments which reflect its French-Canadian heritage.

Information from City of Coquitlam