For updates on the current weather situation and any possible impacts to City services, please visit coquitlam.ca/ServiceUpdate.
Winter in the Lower Mainland can mean a variety of weather - from ice and snow, to wind and power outages, to rain and heavy flooding. The information on these pages will help you learn about the City’s operations during these events, as well as your responsibilities and how to be prepared for any emergency.
To report an area of concern, please use our real-time Coquitlam Snow Response Request tool. Note that while snow is falling or until the primary roads are cleared, the City will not be addressing local roads or lanes.
aDuring a snow event, City roads are plowed according to a priority system aimed at supporting public safety and public transportation access:
Private roads are not maintained by the City. Residents need to contact their Property Management Company or Strata for concerns related to their roads.
View the Coquitlam Snow Response Plan Map (PDF).
During a snow event, parking lots and access walkways at City facilities are cleared according to a priority system aimed at supporting access to City-owned facilities. Additionally, multi-use pathways that connect transit or school routes, as well as pedestrian pathways that allow safe passage along routes fronting civic property to schools, are cleared if school is in session.
Every effort is made to ensure parking facilities and pedestrian entrances and exits to Coquitlam City facilities including sidewalks are cleared for accessibility of all patrons. These priorities may change due to several factors including event intensity, severity and duration, personnel availability and equipment status.
Society buildings such as Place des Arts, Public Libraries, Evergreen Cultural Centre, Mackin Museum, Foster Tennis and Hoy Creek Hatchery have pedestrian entrances cleared by operators of these facilities.
Priority 1 responses will occur when resources are available and may be advanced, or delayed, due to event intensity, severity or duration, personnel availability, and may depend upon the operating hours of each facility.
Priority 2 responses will typically occur after priority 1 responsibilities have been met; however, the response may be advanced, or delayed, due to event intensity, severity or duration and personnel availability. Pathways include multi-use pathways.
The Boulevard Maintenance Bylaw (Bylaw 4853) does not apply to snow clearing by the City on sidewalks adjacent to City owned property.
The City of Coquitlam’s snow plows cannot deliver their best service when cars are parked on roadways. When there is snow in the forecast, do not park on the street. All vehicles should be parked in a driveway, garage, carport or other area of their private property - this applies to residents in secondary suites as well. Landlords must provide areas for their residents to park off the street.
Additionally, each year from Nov. 1 to Mar. 15, the City implements parking restrictions in problematic and steep areas of Coquitlam to assist City crews to plow streets clear from curb-to-curb making the streets safer for winter driving during snow events.
Drivers and residents are asked to follow all posted parking restrictions on their street, and as indicated on street regulation signage at all locations within the City. This will prevent you from having to dig out your vehicle, and will also prevent you receiving a ticket or having your vehicle towed.
If you live on any street below, please review map and note the restrictions and the signage on your street:
The City also activates a restriction every time snow is in the forecast on some streets until the end of the snow event and the streets are clear. See streets below.
If you live at any of the locations listed above, we recommend that you subscribe to our Winter Parking Restriction NotifyMe email - please subscribe here to help prevent receiving a ticket and having your vehicle towed.
The City also does its best to advise that the restriction has been activated via the City’s social media channels: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (please follow us).
In the event of hazardous road conditions due to snow and/or ice, there may be delays or a temporary cancellation of collection services.
Disruptions to Garbage and Green Cart collection will be communicated through the free Coquitlam Curbside Collection app. Download the app in the Google Play or App store or sign up for phone call or email alerts from the link on our Curbside Collection webpage.
If Garbage or Green Carts on your street have not been collected by 7:30 p.m. on your scheduled collection day, you do not need to report this. We track all missed areas and our contractor will attempt to collect missed carts the following day. Bring your missed carts in for the night and place them out again by 7:30 a.m. the next morning. If we are still unable to collect the following day, please bring your carts back in and then place them out on your next regularly scheduled collection day.
Curbside recycling collection in Coquitlam is not managed by the City – it is a service provided at no cost to residents by Recycle BC. Disruptions to recycling collection will be communicated through the free Recycle BC app.
Download the app in the Google Play or App Store or sign up for phone call or email alerts from the link on Recycle BC's website.
To help us better serve you during a winter weather event, please remember the following:
The best way to get timely information about garbage collection is through the City’s ReCollect app, available for download in the Google Play or App store. Sign up for instant phone, text or email alerts regarding service disruptions and delays here or by downloading the free Coquitlam Curbside Collection app.