kids encyclopedia robot

Port Coquitlam facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Port Coquitlam
The Corporation of the City of Port Coquitlam
Flag of Port Coquitlam
Flag
Coat of arms of Port Coquitlam
Coat of arms
Official logo of Port Coquitlam
Logo
Nickname(s): 
"PoCo"
Motto(s): 
"Working Together For The Future"
Location of Port Coquitlam in Metro Vancouver
Location of Port Coquitlam in Metro Vancouver
Port Coquitlam is located in British Columbia
Port Coquitlam
Port Coquitlam
Location in British Columbia
Country Canada
Province British Columbia
Regional district Metro Vancouver
Incorporated 1913; 111 years ago (1913)
Area
 • Total 29.17 km2 (11.26 sq mi)
Elevation
30 m (100 ft)
Population
 (2016)
 • Total 58,612
 • Density 2,009.4/km2 (5,204/sq mi)
Time zone UTC-8 (Pacific Time Zone)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-7 (Pacific Daylight Time)
Forward sortation area
V3B - V3C
Area code(s) 604, 778, 236, 672

Port Coquitlam ( koh-KWIT-ləm) is a city in British Columbia, Canada. Located 27 km (17 mi) east of Vancouver, it is on the north bank of the confluence of the Fraser River and the Pitt River. Coquitlam borders it on the north, the Coquitlam River borders it on the west, and the city of Pitt Meadows lies across the Pitt River from it. Port Coquitlam is almost entirely bisected by Lougheed Highway. Port Coquitlam is often referred to as "PoCo". It is Canada's 88th-largest city by population.

History

The area was first inhabited by the Coast Salish people, including the Kwikwetl'em people. The first European settlers began farming beside the Pitt River in 1859. A major impetus to the creation of a municipality was when the Canadian Pacific Railway moved its freight terminus from Vancouver to "Westminster Junction", where a spur line branched off to the Fraser River port of New Westminster in 1911. Port Coquitlam was first incorporated as a municipality on March 7, 1913. Port Coquitlam was originally mostly farmland; however, because of the densification and expansion of Vancouver, it has now become mostly suburban housing, especially in the northern and southwestern areas of the city. The economy has diversified with a variety of industrial and commercial developments, including metal fabrication, high technology industries, and transportation.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Port Coquitlam had a population of 61,498 living in 22,884 of its 23,671 total private dwellings, a change of 4.9% from its 2016 population of 58,612. With a land area of 29.16 km2 (11.26 sq mi), it had a population density of 2,109.0/km2 (5,462/sq mi) in 2021.

During the second half of the 1990s, the population grew at a rate of 9.8%, spurred by numerous immigrants. By 2001 they comprised 25% of the population. English was the first language for 76% of the inhabitants. Religions practiced were Catholic 36%, Protestant 32%, Other 14%, and No Religion 18%.

Historical populations
Year Pop. ±%
1921 2,148 —    
1931 1,312 −38.9%
1941 1,539 +17.3%
1951 3,232 +110.0%
1961 8,111 +151.0%
1981 27,535 +239.5%
1991 36,773 +33.6%
1996 46,682 +26.9%
2001 51,257 +9.8%
2006 52,687 +2.8%
2011 55,958 +6.2%
2016 58,612 +4.7%
Canada 2016 Census Population  % of total population
Ethnic minority group
South Asian 2,790 4.8%
Chinese 6,430 11.1%
African 885 1.5%
Filipino 2,515 4.3%
Latin American 925 1.6%
Arab 330 0.6%
Southeast Asian 575 1%
West Asian 1,415 2.4%
Korean 1,395 2.4%
Japanese 595 1%
Other Ethnic minority 170 0.3%
Mixed visible minority 770 1.3%
Total Ethnic minority population 18,785 32.4%
Aboriginal group
First Nations 1,885 3.3%
Métis 745 1.3%
Inuit 10 0%
Total Aboriginal population 2,530 4.4%
European 36,860 63.7%
Total population 57,895 100%

Languages

The 2016 census found that English was spoken as mother tongue by 66.31% of the population. The next most common language was Cantonese, spoken by 4.37% of the population, followed by Mandarin at 2.86%.

Rank Mother tongue Population Percentage
1 English 38,665 66.31%
2 Cantonese 2,550 4.37%
3 Mandarin 1,670 2.86%
4 Tagalog 1,315 2.26%
5 Korean 1,310 2.25%
6 Persian 1,235 2.12%
7 Spanish 955 1.64%
8 Punjabi 855 1.47%

Transportation

Because of its primarily suburban nature, Port Coquitlam relies heavily on its vehicular roads to move people and goods. For example, two of its major arterial roads, Shaughnessy Street and Lougheed Highway bisect Port Coquitlam north to south and east to west, respectively.

TransLink provides a number of bus routes throughout the city. The most used bus routes in this section of the Greater Vancouver Regional District are the 159, which connects southern Port Coquitlam to SkyTrain at Braid Station. Other bus routes in the city include the 160, which links Port Coquitlam with Vancouver via Coquitlam Central Station and Moody Centre Station, and the 173/174, which runs a loop through the northern half of the city, linking it with regional buses at Coquitlam Central and Port Coquitlam Station. Two major stops in the city include Port Coquitlam Centre and Port Coquitlam Station. The remainder of Port Coquitlam is served by a network of Community Shuttles.

Port Coquitlam is the only one of the Tri-Cities to not have SkyTrain. However, this may change in the future with a Millennium Line extension into the downtown area. When the Evergreen Extension was built, the first few metres of track and a track switch to allow for an eventual eastward extension to Port Coquitlam were built at Coquitlam Central station. This would create two branches where trains would alternate between going north to Lafarge Lake–Douglas or east to downtown Port Coquitlam. A feasibility study was conducted, started during early 2020 and running for about six months. Both Mayor Brad West, the Port Coquitlam City Council, and the Coquitlam City Council have voiced support for the extension. However, as of 2022, no funding had been secured nor a formal plan created.

The Lougheed Highway passes through Port Coquitlam, running from Coquitlam in the west to the Pitt River Bridge in the east. Although this highway has made much of Port Coquitlam a very congested area, it is one of the few major arterial highways in the area.

The Mary Hill Bypass, officially known as Highway 7B, runs adjacent to the Fraser River from the Pitt River Bridge on the east to the Port Mann Bridge on the west.

Canadian Pacific Railway has a major rail yard in the central sector of the city.

In October 2009 the new Pitt River Bridge, a new seven-lane cable-stayed bridge, opened to the public replacing the existing crossing. The previous crossing was made up of 2 swing bridges, which were removed upon completion of the new bridge. The Pitt River Bridge crosses the Pitt River, connecting Port Coquitlam to neighbouring Pitt Meadows.

In March 2010 the Coast Meridian Overpass, a new four-lane cable-stayed bridge, opened to give a new option for traveling north to south over the Canadian Pacific Railway Oxford Street rail yard.

A 25 km (16 mi) hiking and biking trail, known as the Traboulay PoCo Trail, completely surrounds the city.

In August 2018, U-bicycle launched a dockless bicycle sharing system in the city.

Surrounding municipalities

Notable residents

  • Rene Tosoni, Former Major League Baseball Player Minnesota Twins
  • Sukh Chungh, Canadian football player
  • Zach Hamill, professional hockey player, drafted 8th overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins
  • Betty Fox, cancer research activist, mother of Terry Fox
  • Terry Fox, athlete and cancer treatment activist
  • Ian Tracey, Leo and Gemini Award-winning actor

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Port Coquitlam (Columbia Británica) para niños

kids search engine
Port Coquitlam Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.