Help flatten the curve – please follow safety measures as directed by health authorities:

• Physical distancing: Stay at least 2 metres (six feet or two arm lengths) away from anyone not from your household.
• Regularly and thoroughly wash hands with soap and water (use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available).
• Avoid touching your face.
• Cover your cough or sneeze.
• Discard tissues and disposable masks into a waste container.
• Avoid gathering in large groups.
• Wear a mask if you cannot physically distance.

Port Coquitlam is actively monitoring updates from local, provincial and federal health authorities and is taking immediate action as directed to protect the safety of residents.

To help prevent the spread of the virus, the city has:

• Posted signage at facilities and public spaces reminding the public and staff of proper hygiene and social distancing requirements.
• Assigned bylaw enforcement officers to help ensure compliance with provincial health orders.
• Activated the City’s Emergency Operations Centre.
• Activated the City’s business continuity plan to ensure we can maintain our core services such as water, sewer, police and fire.
• Provided remote access tools for key staff to work from home.
• Kept the public informed.

The City has begun to partially reopen select facilities and reintroduce some modified programs. See other sections on this page for more information.

Essential services continue to be provided, including fire and police protection, water and sewer services, garbage collection and critical infrastructure maintenance and operations. 

A variety of services are also still being provided by phone, email and online. Click here to view department contact information.

Business and Development Services

• Business and development online one-stop-shop
• Development Services: available by phone and email for assistance with proposed and existing applications:
  • Planning Division: planning@portcoquitlam.ca or 927.5442.
  • Building Division: building@portcoquitlam.ca or 927.5444.
  • Development Engineering: developmentengineering@portcoquitlam.ca or 927.5420.
• Building, plumbing, fire or other permits – information and application forms
• Appointments for building inspections
• Business licences – information and application forms

Seniors Services

• Seniors check-ins, mailing list and online programming: sign up at portcoquitlam.ca/wilsonseniors, wilsonseniors@portcoquitlam.ca or call 604-927-7974.

Additional Services

• Online services
• Report a problem with a City service: 604-927-5311 or the PoCo Waste-line app
• Bylaw complaints: 604-927-5440 or bylawservices@portcoquitlam.ca.
• Property taxes and utilities: taxes@portcoquitlam.ca or 604.927.5425.
• Purchasing: purchasing@portcoquitlam.ca or 927.5232
• Terry Fox Library Open with limited hours  – Mon – Sat | 10 am – 5 pm

Council Meetings and Public Hearings

• In person Council meetings and public hearings resume on Sept. 8 at the Gathering Place with limited capacity.
• Meetings will comply with the current Provincial Health Officer Orders, and all attendees will be required to provide contact information for potential contact tracing.
• Council and Committee meeting recordings will continue to be posted to portcoquitlam.ca/council within 48 hours.

All events and programs in City facilities and parks have been cancelled, postponed or modified to comply with direction from the Provincial Health Officer to physically distance and to limit public gatherings to 50 people.

Full refunds are being provided for activities or rentals affected by the closures.

City Events

• Virtual versions of some popular City events are taking place. Watch this website or follow the City of Port Coquitlam on social media for updates.
• The Port Coquitlam Farmers Market will continue outdoors in the parking lot next to Leigh Square on Thursday afternoons, from 3 to 7 pm until Oct. 8. Curbside pick-up from the Gathering Place will also continue to be available at farmersandmore.org.

Membership / One City Passes

Monthly and annual membership passes continue to be suspended. Passholders will be contacted when passes are reinstated.

Questions about recreation programs: recreation@portcoquitlam.ca or 604.927.7529.

Recreation Programs

• Some modified programs have been reintroduced. Visit portcoquitlam.ca/register for information.
• Information about virtual and outdoor fitness classes is available portcoquitlam.ca/fitness.

The City has begun to reopen select facilities with enhanced public health measures in place. Strict adherence to public health directives will be in effect at all facilities as they reopen. Measures will include:

• Hand sanitizing stations,
• Signs, physical barriers, floor markings and one way traffic to ensure physical distancing and to direct traffic flow,
• One way entrance to and exiting from facilities,
• Masks worn by all staff when physical distancing requirement cannot be maintained,
• Signs encouraging visitors to wear masks, and
• Enhanced cleaning, particularly of common touchpoints such as door handles and countertops.

City Hall

• City Hall will reopen Sept, 8 primarily for property tax and utility payments, with public access limited to the first floor.
• Property owners are encouraged to avoid the lineups at City Hall and pay online – options are noted at portcoquitlam.ca/taxes.

Port Coquitlam Community Centre

• Two arenas open Sept. 8 for bookings by user groups with approved COVID-19 safety plans. User groups must comply with the City’s COVID-19 Facility Safety Plan for Port Coquitlam Community Centre.
• Public skating, fitness and weight training areas will open in late September.
• All services will require advanced pre-registration.

Hyde Creek Recreation Centre

• Indoor swimming, fitness and weight training areas will open later in the fall once key maintenance activities are completed. Advanced registration will be required. Details will be available at ca/recreationin early September.

Leigh Square (Outlet and Gathering Place)

• Council meetings are taking place at the Gathering Place.
• Pre-registered programs at the Gathering Place and the Outlet will be available later in the fall.

Outdoor Pools

• Outdoor pool season has been extended at Robert Hope and Centennial Pools, weather permitting and based on demand. Visit portcoquitlam.ca/outdoorpools for updates.

Terry Fox Library

• Open with limited hours: Mon – Sat, 10 am – 5 pm

Council Meetings and Public Hearings

• In person Council meetings and public hearings will resume on Sept. 8 at the Gathering Place with limited capacity.
• Meetings will comply with the current Provincial Health Officer Orders, and all attendees will be required to provide contact information for potential contact tracing.
• Council and Committee meeting recordings will continue to be posted to portcoquitlam.ca/council within 48 hours.

Business and Development Services

The Annex will continue to be open on an appointment-only basis; this will be reassessed in mid-September based on the success of the City Hall partial reopening.

• Development Services staff continue to be available by phone and email during regular business hours for assistance with proposed and existing applications and projects:
  • Planning Division: planning@portcoquitlam.ca or 927.5442.
  • Building Division: building@portcoquitlam.ca or 927.5444.
  • Development Engineering: developmentengineering@portcoquitlam.ca or 927.5420.
• Information and application forms for building, plumbing, fire or other permits can be found at portcoquitlam.ca/building.
• Appointments for building inspections can be made atportcoquitlam.ca/building.
• Information and application forms for business licences is linked at portcoquitlam.ca/bizhub.

Residents are still encouraged to get outdoors for their mental and physical health, provided they avoid large groups and stay at least two metres (six feet) away from anyone not from their household. Please use safely and responsibly.

Open:

• All City parks and playgrounds
• Traboulay PoCo Trail and local trails
• Public washrooms in parks (with increased cleaning)
• Sports courts and sports fields
• Skate and bike skills parks
• Dog parks

Bookings for Sports Fields

User groups that have finalized safety plans may book fields.

Prior to booking a sports field, local sport organizations must have:

• A sport-specific COVID-19 Safety Plan that details precautions to be put in place to mitigate the risk of virus exposure or infection, and that has been approved by the group’s board of directors or provincial sport organization.

The City has waived penalties and extended the deadline for payment of 2020 utility and tax bills to Sept 30, 2020.

The city is offering more support to local businesses by opening up streets and sidewalks for patios, lineups or display space and offering in-kind services.

These changes were approved by City Council to help local businesses take advantage of B.C.’s phased restart plan, which will allow some businesses to reopen soon with appropriate public health protocols in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The changes include:

• Opening up public rights-of-way such as streets, sidewalks and parking lots around businesses for commercial activities such as patios, lineups and product displays,
• Supporting these uses by offering in-kind services such as construction of temporary platforms or mobile structures, reconfigured lane markings, revised parking restrictions or relocated infrastructure such as signs, planters, benches, waste containers, 
• Streamlining processes and provide a “one-stop shop” for right-of-way encroachment permits,
• Waiving the related application, security and other permit fees for 2020 and
• Temporarily eliminating late fees for business licences.

City staff will work with businesses to provide advice about how they can meet the regulatory and insurance requirements. Interested businesses should contact the City’s Property Use Coordinator at business@portcoquitlam.ca or by phone at 604-927-5266.

Resources for businesses:

• Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce COVID-19 support
• Downtown Port Coquitlam Business Association COVID-19 support
• Provincial government COVID-19 business continuity resources
• Port Coquitlam emergency preparedness business resiliency information and toolkit

• Kids Help Phone – Provides young people with the support during difficult times. As an e-mental health service.  Text CONNECT to 686868. You can also reach a Kids Help Phone counselor 24/7 at 1-800-668-6868.
• BC 211 – Provides free information and referral regarding community, government and social services in BC.  Call 2-1-1 or visit bc211.ca
• S.U.C.C.E.S.S. – Immigration Settlement and Integration Programs can assist newcomers and refugees in a number of languages:
  Arabic: 236-880-3048 |Korean: 236-880-3071 | Vietnamese: 236-880-3250 | Chinese: 604-889-2486 | Japanese: 236-880-3392 | Farsi: 236-880-3483
  Tagalog: 236-838-5782 | Punjabi: 604-362-0216
• Safe Seniors, Strong Communities Program – Matches seniors who need support with non-medical essentials, to volunteers in their community for services such as grocery shopping and delivery, meal preparation and delivery, prescription pickup and delivery, phone and/or virtual friendly visits. To register for services, or to offer help, call 211 or go to m.bc211.ca.
• BC Virtual Mental Health – Enhanced virtual services will help all British Columbians with mental health needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic with a focus on adults, youth and frontline healthcare workers. Find resources to help you navigate through this time here.

If you have any questions or need further resource information, please call or email the City of Port Coquitlam’s Access and Inclusion team at 604-927-7975 or accessinclusion@portcoquitlam.ca.