News Flash

Coquitlam’s Burke Mountain neighbourhood marked a major milestone today with the groundbreaking for the Burke Mountain Community Centre.

COQUITLAM, B.C., May 12, 2026 – Coquitlam’s Burke Mountain neighbourhood marked a major milestone today with the groundbreaking for the Burke Mountain Community Centre. 

Mayor and Council were joined by project partners and staff today to celebrate the official groundbreaking of this highly anticipated new facility, along with confirmed provincial funding.

A Community Hub for a Growing Neighbourhood

Once complete, the Burke Mountain Community Centre will serve as a vibrant hub for recreation, learning and community connection. The new facility has been designed to meet both current and future needs of a growing community. 

Nestled into the mountainside, Burke Mountain Community Centre will include:

• A six-lane lap pool, leisure pool with lazy river and two lap lanes, hot pool, steam room, sauna, climbing wall and drop slide
• A double gymnasium for sports and active play
• A fully equipped fitness centre with weight room and studio space
• Flexible, multi-purpose rooms for programs, meetings and events
• A new branch of the Coquitlam Public Library inside the facility, with a curated collection designed around the local community 

Beside the community centre, Burke Village Park will be an outdoor extension of the facility. Flexible seating and open spaces, a splash pad to cool off in the summer, and accessible walkways throughout the park will bring community together for everyday use and small community events. A dedicated Streamside Protection and Enhancement Area will protect the natural watercourses in the area. 

Part of a Complete Community

The community centre is a key component of the broader Burke Mountain Village, a master-planned, walkable neighbourhood that will serve as the social and commercial heart of Northeast Coquitlam. 

The Village will include approximately 120,000-square-feet of retail and commercial space, including a grocery store, and accessible, multi-use paths to allow visitors to walk, bike or roll into the village heart. Learn more at burkevillage.ca.  

Funding Support

The City has taken a careful, long-term approach to planning and funding the Burke Mountain Community Centre and Burke Village Park. Most of the project cost is being funded through development revenues and external grants, with debt financing used to bridge timing gaps, reducing the impact on existing taxpayers, in addition to a one-time grant of $10 million from the provincial Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, announced today. 

Quotes

“Today’s groundbreaking is an exciting milestone for Burke Mountain and for our community as a whole. As Coquitlam grows, we’ve stayed focused on making thoughtful, long-term investments in the spaces people need to stay active, connect with one another, and enjoy a high quality of life. It’s especially meaningful to see this project moving forward as one of the final major civic initiatives in my time as Mayor. I look forward to this centre becoming a true gathering place where people of all ages can come together, build relationships and create lasting memories for years to come.” Mayor Richard Stewart

“Provincial support for the Burke Mountain Community Centre will help ensure public services are expanded, so Coquitlam residents can count on recreation, fitness, learning and gathering opportunities as Burke Mountain continues to grow.” Christine Boyle, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs

“As someone who represents this community, I see how much shared spaces matter to everyday life here. From staying active year-round to accessing programs and library services close to home, Burke Mountain Community centre will serve people well into the future.” Jodie Wickens, MLA for Coquitlam-Burke Mountain

“The Coquitlam Public Library Board is immensely proud to partner with the City of Coquitlam and bring the Library Services and Spaces Strategy to life in such a meaningful way, expanding our reach to meet the needs of our growing community. The vibrant new branch at Burke Mountain Community Centre is envisioned as more than a building – it will be a dynamic, welcoming hub where neighbours gather, students thrive, and families explore endless worlds of imagination together. We look forward to warmly welcoming each of you through our doors in the near future.” Jacqueline Gorton, Board Chair, Coquitlam Public Library

Looking Ahead

Construction is now underway, with completion anticipated in 2029.

The City will continue to provide updates throughout the construction process on key milestones. For more information about the project, visit coquitlam.ca/BMCC. 

Media ContactMichelle FrilundDirector, Communications and Civic Engagementmedia@coquitlam.ca

We acknowledge with gratitude and respect that the name Coquitlam was derived from the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ (HUN-kuh-MEE-num) word kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (kwee-KWET-lum) meaning “Red Fish Up the River”. The City is honoured to be located on the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm traditional and ancestral lands, including those parts that were historically shared with the q̓ic̓əy̓ (kat-zee), and other Coast Salish Peoples.

During Public Works Week, residents are invited to learn about these services and how they support everyday life, including at a free, family-friendly open house on May 23.

COQUITLAM, B.C., May 7, 2026 – Coquitlam’s public works professionals work 24/7 to maintain and advance quality of life for Coquitlam businesses and residents. This includes roads, water, sewer and drainage systems, vehicles and equipment, solid waste services and emergency response support.

During National Public Works Week (May 17–23), residents are invited to learn more about these services and how they support everyday life, including at a free, family-friendly open house on May 23.

Public Works Open House – Saturday, May 23 

Join us on Saturday, May 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Austin Operations Building, located at 500 Mariner Way (enter off Austin Avenue), to meet the team that provides the essential services that keep our community running, and learn all about the interesting work they do. 

The event is free and family-friendly with more than 15 exhibits including:

• Equipment and vehicles – Check out the City’s crane truck, vactor truck, and CCTV camera van - kids can enjoy an insider's view and sit inside.
• Environmental education – Learn how you can help keep our streams and creeks clean, as well as keep our urban wildlife safe.   
• In-house dispatch centre – See inside the 24/7 utility control centre where staff manage infrastructure work across the City as well as public works emergencies.
• Parks equipment road show – See the cool equipment that keeps Coquitlam’s parks looking their best, then have a blast playing with a variety of lawn games found in our outdoor park spaces.
• Animal shelter display – Learn about the City’s Animal Shelter and take a picture with our life-size cutout of a dog and cat.
• Kids’ activities – Gear up for a behind-the-scenes look at the equipment that powers daily operations, visit colouring and activity stations and more.
• Job opportunities – Meet with the City’s Human Resources team to explore current job openings, ask questions about the hiring process, and discover career paths within the City. Learn how you can contribute to meaningful work that supports our community.

Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Details at coquitlam.ca/PublicWorks.

Public Works in Action 

Coquitlam residents appreciate the essential services provided by the Public Works division as reported in the City’s most recent Community Satisfaction Survey, receiving the overall highest satisfaction ratings (90% or more) as well as being rated as the overall most important of City services (90% or more). 

In 2025, the Public Works team:

• Handled 10,203 service requests and work orders
• Cleaned 101 km of watermains and 104 km of sanitary sewers
• Swept 7,040 km of roads
• Maintained 1,627 km of pipe and 74 facilities
• Provided 303 litres of total water per capita each day
• Managed bi-weekly garbage and weekly organics pickup from over 25,800 homes
• Diverted 69% of household waste from the landfill through recycling and organic waste programs 
• Recycled over 2,200 mattresses as part of the City’s Large Item Pickup program

The City’s road, drainage and water systems stretch thousands of kilometres and contain a variety of elements that Public Works monitors and maintains, including:

• 1,147 lane km of asphalt and 603 km of sidewalk
• Over 579 km of storm water mains/culverts and 3.2 km of dikes maintained by the City 
• Over 524 km of water mains, 2,831 hydrants, 6,717 valves, 10 reservoirs, 1,229 institutional and commercial water meters, 11 water pump stations, 27,800 water service connections and 50 pressure-regulating chambers

For more information, visit coquitlam.ca/PublicWorks.

Media contact:Inder Tung Manager, Public Works604-927-3500 epw@coquitlam.ca

We acknowledge with gratitude and respect that the name Coquitlam was derived from the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ (HUN-kuh-MEE-num) word kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (kwee-KWET-lum) meaning “Red Fish Up the River”. The City is honoured to be located on the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm traditional and ancestral lands, including those parts that were historically shared with the q̓ic̓əy̓ (kat-zee), and other Coast Salish Peoples.

The City of Coquitlam is proposing to modernize its high-density zones to continue delivering housing options near SkyTrain, align with new Provincial requirements and evolve the City's successful rental incentive program to support a growing community.

COQUITLAM, B.C., May 6, 2026 – The City of Coquitlam is proposing to modernize its high-density zones to continue delivering housing options near SkyTrain, align with new Provincial requirements and evolve the City's successful rental incentive program to support a growing community.

Coquitlam has long been a regional leader in housing delivery. However, changes to provincial legislation have altered how municipalities may guide new growth and support community needs, including how rental and affordable housing is encouraged.

Why Changes Are Needed

Provincial legislation introduced new rules around density, particularly in transit-oriented areas, and changed how municipalities can use tools like density bonus to encourage affordable housing. These provincial changes require Coquitlam to update its zoning bylaw by June 30, 2026.

The City’s current rental incentive program has been successful – with nearly 10,000 market rental units and more than 3,000 below-market or non-market homes approved since 2018. The updated zoning approach is designed to carry that track record forward under the new rules.

What’s Changing?

The City is proposing to replace existing high-density zones with four new zones:

•  RA-3 High-Density Residential
• MU-2 High-Density Mixed-Use
• MU-3 Transit-Oriented Mixed-Use
• MU-4 Urban Centre Mixed-Use

These new zones are designed to align with provincial requirements and continue to encourage the development of dedicated rental and affordable housing in high-density developments.  

The proposed approach is designed to:

• Continue to achieve funding for growth-related infrastructure and community amenities
• Continue to deliver rental housing at levels similar to the previous system 
• Support development viability across market cycles 
• Provide clear and consistent rules for applicants and the public

Supporting More Housing Options

The updated zones will continue to encourage purpose-built rental housing, which provides more stable, long-term housing options compared to secondary suites or individually owned rental units.

Developers can continue to access additional density in exchange for providing secured rental housing, maintaining a key incentive that has supported diverse housing in Coquitlam. 

Developers will still be required to contribute to affordable housing when accessing bonus density – either by building below-market rental or non-market housing units or contributing cash-in-lieu to the City’s Affordable Housing Reserve Fund – which supports non-market housing projects across Coquitlam.

The City will continue to collect funds from development to support roads, utilities, parks and community amenities, helping services keep up with population growth.

Have Your Say

The City is inviting feedback on the proposed changes. While some of these changes are required by provincial legislation, there is an opportunity for the public to ask questions and provide feedback before May 20, 2026. Input will help refine the zoning approach before it is brought forward to Council for consideration.

Learn more and share your feedback at LetsTalkCoquitlam.ca/HighDensity.

Media contact:Renée de St. CroixDirector Urban Planning and Design604-927-3430devinfo@coquitlam.ca 

We acknowledge with gratitude and respect that the name Coquitlam was derived from the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ (HUN-kuh-MEE-num) word kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (kwee-KWET-lum) meaning “Red Fish Up the River”. The City is honoured to be located on the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm traditional and ancestral lands, including those parts that were historically shared with the q̓ic̓əy̓ (kat-zee), and other Coast Salish Peoples.

City crews will be completing underground utility work on Como Lake Avenue between Baker Drive and Seymour Drive. Work will take place on May 11 and 12, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Single-lane traffic will be maintained in each direction on Como Lake Avenue.

What: Underground Utility Work 

Where: Como Lake Avenue between Baker Drive and Seymour Drive (Location Map)

When: Monday, May 11 and Tuesday, May 12. Work will take place between the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (weather dependent)  

Traffic Impacts: During active construction, single-lane traffic will be maintained in each direction on Como Lake Avenue.  Please plan an alternate route to avoid delays or plan extra time when using this route. 

Travel with caution through construction zones, watch for work crews and equipment, and obey all traffic personnel and signs, including construction speed limits. Thank you for your patience.

For more information, please contact:Engineering and Public Works - Customer Service604-927-3500epw@coquitlam.ca

The City's contractor will be completing safety improvements at the intersection of Clarke Road and Como Lake Avenue, starting the week of May 11. Work will take place Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Traffic flow will be impacted.

What: Intersection Safety Improvements

Where: Intersection of Clarke Road and Como Lake Avenue (Location Map)

When: Work is scheduled to begin the week of May 11 and will take approximately one month to complete (weather dependent). Work will take place Monday to Friday between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Impacts: Traffic flow will be impacted during active construction and some traffic delays are to be expected. Signage and traffic control personnel will be in place to direct pedestrians during construction hours, and pedestrian access will be restored daily outside of those hours. Please plan an alternate route to avoid delays or plan extra time when using this route.

Travel with caution through construction zones, watch for work crews and equipment, and obey all traffic personnel and signs, including construction speed limits. Thank you for your patience.

For more information, please contact:Public Works Liaison604-927-3550pwl@coquitlam.ca