Each new term, City Council selects priorities to guide the City’s budget and service-delivery. These priorities translate into budgeted activities with tangible results.
The six priorities selected for 2023-2026 are described below. Overall, the focus continues to be getting the basics right – planning and providing core municipal services (such as roads, utilities and other infrastructure, safety and recreation) that matter to residents and businesses.
These core services – and the priorities that deliver them – are the building blocks for a safe, family-friendly community with affordable places to live at all stages of life, good-paying jobs, thriving businesses, and desired amenities and services.
Here are the principles guiding the work of Council and staff:
- Spending Responsibly: We strive to make every dollar count, with the taxpayer in mind at all times. We maximize our resources and continually look for ways to be more efficient and effective.
- Engaging our Community: We regularly engage the community and seek their input and feedback to make sure our work reflects our citizens’ priorities.
- Building a Strong Organization: We see ourselves as a team, working together across the organization to serve the community. We provide opportunities for staff to grow and challenge themselves, and provide a welcoming work environment for all.
- Taking Action: After completing our due diligence, we work hard to follow through with timely and efficient delivery of projects and services.
Council priorities are informed by a variety of information sources, including:
- Community feedback received throughout the year, through the annual budget survey and other public consultation, as well as the Mayor’s Citizen Advisory Roundtable.
- Research including a review of promising practices in other municipalities, and environmental scans to identify emerging issues locally, regionally and globally.
- Annual budgets (capital and operating) and annual departmental business plans.
- A variety of planning documents, such as:
- Official Community Plan – guides long-term land use.
- Master Transportation Plan – guides future transportation investments
- Asset Management Plan [PDF/1.4MB] – ensures proper management of City assets
- Climate Action Plan – manages the impact of climate change on services and the community
- Accessibility Action Plan – works to identify, prevent and remove barriers to accessibility
- Urban Forestry Plan – under development, to protect and manage City’s tree canopy
2023-2026 Priorities
The Council priorities below are presented in no particular order and may be adjusted over time to address emerging issues or changing circumstances.
Please note that these Council Priorities are in addition to the City’s day-to-day work providing a range of core municipal services to the community.
Goal: A safe, clean and fun city that meets community needs, keeps residents safe, enriches quality of life and provides opportunities to connect and celebrate.
How will we get there:
• Community planning: A holistic and thoughtful planning approach that addresses community needs and priorities, including urban design that prioritizes walkability, green spaces, efficient public transportation, access to services, and welcoming, lively public spaces that encourage social interaction. It also includes housing that meets people’s needs at all stages of life, and at all income levels.
• Arts, culture and festivals: Animating the City’s public spaces and supporting a vibrant cultural scene including arts, entertainment, festivals and other activities that contribute to a dynamic atmosphere and create community pride, spirit and a sense of belonging.
• Including everybody: Ensuring City programs, services, facilities and amenities consider the diverse needs of our residents and are inclusive and accessible to all.
• Sport and recreation amenities: Working to make Port Coquitlam a leading city in B.C. for amenities and services related to sports, recreation, parks and trails.
• Public safety: Protecting the public and enhancing citizens’ feeling of safety at home and around the community.
What we will do — sample actions:
• Promote arts, music festivals and other events to animate the City’s public spaces.
• Construct infrastructure to support events.
• Making strategic upgrades to sports and recreation facilities and amenities.
• Consider accessibility and inclusion in City service-delivery.
• Continue to enhance policing services and emergency management planning.
• Update bylaws and policies and promoting bylaw compliance, including securing and addressing unsafe vacant properties.
• Update the Official Community Plan to support diverse housing options, and advocating for more affordable and supportive housing.
GOAL: A healthy environment and sustainable service-delivery amid a changing climate.
How will we get there:
- Planning for sustainability: Incorporating environmental sustainability in City planning, and making conscious and strategic choices to shape a resilient and thriving future. This includes energy-efficient civic buildings and vehicles, and public amenities that promote sustainable transportation options.
- Adapting to climate change: Identifying the impacts of climate change and mitigating the impact on City services and the community.
- Stewardship: Protecting the City’s natural areas, watercourses and trees.
What we will do – sample actions:
- Adopt a climate change mitigation and adaptation plan.
- Assess and improve local watercourse health, including developing and implementing Integrated Watershed Management Plans.
- Implement an urban forestry roadmap, and set and meet annual tree planting targets.
- Implement a flood mitigation strategy, including drainage infrastructure upgrades.
GOAL: A community that helps businesses thrive, encourages job creation and attracts investment.
How will we get there:
- Helping businesses thrive: Creating an environment that supports existing businesses, including reducing red tape and seeking opportunities to showcase what local businesses have to offer.
- Supporting job creation: Attracting new businesses and jobs by streamlining approval processes, ensuring access to affordable commercial and industrial spaces, supporting digital infrastructure, and facilitating services that attract skilled workers and employers, such as child care.
- Investing in the community: Making strategic improvements to civic infrastructure that not only enhance services to existing residents, but also attract new investment and encourage people to visit, shop and gather.
What we will do – sample actions:
- Continue to implement the downtown revitalization plan, including investments in public spaces and strategic redevelopment.
- Implement a downtown parking strategy that supports visits for shopping, dining and other services provided by downtown businesses.
- Leverage technology to increase efficiency for application processes.
- Take steps to preserve and intensify industrial land uses through updates to the Official Community Plan and other plans and policies.
- Work with community partners to create more child care spaces and advance efforts to improve access to child care.
GOAL: A resilient, welcoming organization providing services that meet current and future community needs.
How will we get there:
- Resilience: Being adaptable, encouraging innovation, developing partnerships and strengthening the City workforce to help navigate unforeseen circumstances and ensure our services can continually address the community’s evolving needs, both today and tomorrow.
- Welcoming culture: Striving to be an open, inclusive entity that values diversity, hears every voice and welcomes different perspectives, while fostering a culture of learning and growth.
- Continual improvement: Continuously working to be more responsive, efficient and effective in our operations and delivery of services to the community.
What we will do – sample actions:
- Update online tools to increase public input and engagement, including a new City website.
- Actively promote careers with the City through publicity campaigns, booths at public events and other means.
- Promote staff development and actively foster a positive and inclusive work environment to attract and retain talented employees.
- Build on the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) First Nation relationship.
- Provide staff engagement opportunities such as town halls and encouraging employee suggestions for operational efficiencies.
GOAL: A transportation network that provides safe, effective options for getting around the City.
How will we get there:
- Transportation planning: Planning for a vibrant and accessible community with a comprehensive network that facilitates seamless movement of people and goods and prioritizes safety, efficiency and sustainability. This includes working with partners on cross-jurisdictional issues.
- Sustainable travel: Encouraging active transportation, including walking, cycling, transit and e-mobility, including investments in pedestrian safety, traffic calming and the trail and multi-use path network.
- Infrastructure investments: Maintaining existing transportation infrastructure such as roads, lanes and sidewalks, and investing in new intersections and other improvements to maintain safety and function.
What we will do – sample actions:
- Make continued investments in neighbourhood road rehabilitation, the City trail network and in school zone, pedestrian and cycling safety.
- Plan and advocate for SkyTrain to come to Port Coquitlam.
- Adopt a new Master Transportation Plan to guide future transportation investments.
- Continue to advocate for railway separation projects.
- Build Fremont Connector in collaboration with the City of Coquitlam.
- Advocate for replacement and upgrade of the Coquitlam River Bridge.
GOAL: Long-term-value for tax dollars through sound management of finances and assets.
How will we get there:
- Focus on affordability: Continually seeking out alternative revenue sources, grants, cost-sharing opportunities and operational efficiencies to reduce the burden on taxpayers.
- Leverage land assets: Acquiring and leveraging strategic City land holdings for the maximum community benefit.
- Long-term planning: Developing plans to anticipate long-term future operating and capital needs and account for them in the budget process.
- Asset management: Maintaining and upgrading City infrastructure and other assets to ensure continual function and safety.
- Accountability: Keeping the public updated with budget and financial information and seeking input during each budget process.
What we will do – sample actions:
- Take actions to achieve an affordable property tax rate, including annual service-level reviews during the budget process.
- Seek opportunities to leverage City land assets for community benefit.
- Update the Development Cost Charges bylaw to ensure appropriate levels of development revenue.
- Implement plans based on the Asset Management Strategy and continue to develop a long-term asset management approach.
- Develop long-term capital and financial plans.
- Evaluate management of investments, cash, debts, land and reserves use.