COQUITLAM, B.C., March 10, 2026 – The City of Coquitlam Council awarded Freedom of the City honours to two distinguished community leaders during a special ceremony on March 9, 2026.
John Cashore and Mary O’Neill were recognized for decades of dedication to public service, education, social justice, community well-being and environmental protection.
Freedom of the City reflects the values that define Coquitlam — service, compassion, leadership and stewardship — and is reserved for those whose contributions have shaped the City’s social, environmental and civic landscape.
Recognizing Lifetime Contributions
John Cashore was honoured for his extensive public service and advocacy in environmental protection, Indigenous relations, mental health and social justice. A former Member of the Legislative Assembly and provincial cabinet minister, his leadership contributed to the protection of significant natural areas, including Pinecone Burke Provincial Park and ƛ̓éxətəm Regional Park, while advancing human rights-based approaches in mental health care and affordable housing initiatives.
Mary O’Neill was honoured for her outstanding contributions to education, student well-being and community support. Over nearly four decades in School District 43, she played a pivotal role in crisis response programming, restorative justice initiatives and counselling supports for students and families. Since retiring, she has continued to support vulnerable populations and mentor future counsellors and educators, including serving as an instructor at City University of Seattle (Vancouver Campus), where she supervised teachers completing their Master’s Degrees in Counselling.
Coquitlam’s Freedom of the City Recognizes Outstanding Citizens
Freedom of the City is the highest honour Council can give to recognize distinguished service to the community. Recipients of this honour in Coquitlam have made outstanding, long-term contributions to the city and supported significant improvement in community life and culture.
To date, Coquitlam has awarded Freedom of the City on 12 individuals: Sandy Burpee, Fern Bouvier, Don Cunnings, Reverend John Davies, Dorothy Fleming, Larry Fleming, Rene Gamache, Dr. J. Crosby Johnston, Jean Lambert, Bob McNary, Eunice Parker, Leonore Peyton.
To learn more about the Freedom of the City award and past recipients, coquitlam.ca/Freedom.
Media Contact
Lindsey Grist
Director, Legislative Services
Legislative Services Division
604-927-3010
CommitteeClerk@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.