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Coquitlam Advantages
Living and Working in Coquitlam
There are many reasons to base your business - and your home - in Coquitlam. Here are some of them.
Coquitlam is a vibrant urban centre surrounded by nature. The city is centrally located in the Metro Vancouver region, with easy access by road or rail.
Add to this our multicultural population and robust business community, and it’s no wonder Coquitlam is one of the fastest-growing cities in British Columbia.
Coquitlam is a cultural hub, home to art galleries, museums and theatres:
- Step back in time at Mackin House. Built in 1909, the house is now a museum that offers visitors a glimpse of life in the early days of Maillardville.
- While you’re in Maillardville, pay a visit to Place des Arts. This community arts centre and music school offers a variety of programs and events.
- And don’t miss the art gallery or a live event at the Evergreen Cultural Centre - the artistic heart of the city. Learn more at the Visit Coquitlam website.
Coquitlam is home to many modern facilities, including the:
- City Centre Aquatic Complex
- City Centre Library
- Poirier Forum
- Poirier Sports and Leisure Complex
Highlights of our many sporting and outdoor amenities include Percy Perry Stadium and the Town Centre Park Community Plaza. We’re also home to some of the best playgrounds in Metro Vancouver.
44% of our population identifies as being part of a visible minority. This cultural mosaic creates a welcoming environment for newcomers.
Coquitlam is part of the core territory of the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) First Nation. It’s also home to British Columbia’s only francophone neighbourhood - Maillardville - as well as significant Chinese, Korean and Iranian communities.
Coquitlam’s education options include public and private schools ranging from kindergarten to post-secondary institutions.
Douglas College’s David Lam Campus, serving more than 4,000 students, is conveniently located near the Lafarge Lake-Douglas SkyTrain Station.
School District Number 43 has the third largest student enrollment in British Columbia, with approximately 32,000 students in 70 schools. Along with regular classes, it offers specialized options such as French Immersion, Mandarin Bilingual, Montessori, International Baccalaureate, and many more. The school district also has the largest Kindergarten through 12th-grade international education program in Canada.
Just what does a healthy work-life balance mean?
- In Coquitlam, it means walks around Lafarge Lake on your lunch break. Or walking the dog through Mundy Park before your quick commute to the office in Austin Heights. Or maybe it’s relaxing with workmates after hours at the local craft brewery.
- Coquitlam is the perfect combination of city life and wildlife. Step outside your office to see salmon swimming in Hoy Creek. Head to a festival at Town Centre Park and then pop over to Coquitlam Centre to pick up a birthday gift for a friend.
- Our parks, trails and green spaces total more than 2,400 acres, with 120-plus kilometres of trails made for hiking and biking. Not to mention our regional and provincial parks whose rugged beauty is postcard-perfect.
Coquitlam lies at the centre of major transportation and road networks. SkyTrain, the West Coast Express, and RapidBus routes serve the City’s rapid transit needs. More than 60 kilometres of commuter and recreational bike routes complete our transportation options.
Residents and businesses enjoy easy access to:
- Abbotsford and Vancouver international airports
- United States border crossings
- Vancouver port facilities
Our central location and efficient transportation grid make Coquitlam ideal for manufacturing and exporting. Learn more by checking out our Coquitlam Location Guide (PDF).
Coquitlam is a shopping destination. From Coquitlam Centre mall to the boutiques of Austin Heights, we have it all. Explore North Road’s "Koreatown," or visit the furniture stores that line United Boulevard.
Find out what Coquitlam has in store for your inner shopper at the Visit Coquitlam website.
Running your business is like a soccer match. You need speed and agility to stay in the game.
Coquitlam’s fibre optic network, QNet, provides the infrastructure to help you compete in the global marketplace. With our ultra-fast fibre optic connection and gigabit-plus capacity, your business will have our speed on its side. Launched in 2008, QNet became British Columbia’s first open access municipal leasing utility for fibre optic cable.
We lease our state-of-the-art fibre optic cables to private telecom companies and businesses in Coquitlam. The QNet network stretches nearly 90 kilometres throughout Coquitlam, connecting tens of thousands of businesses and homes with the fastest technology available. It also connects with fibre optic networks that terminate at the Internet Exchange in Vancouver (VANIX).