77-479: Coquitlam ( / k oʊ ˈ k w ɪ t l ə m / koh- KWIT -ləm ) is a city in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia , Canada. Mainly suburban , Coquitlam is the sixth-largest city in the province , with a population of 148,625 in 2021, and one of the 21 municipalities comprising Metro Vancouver . The mayor is Richard Stewart . Simon Fraser explored the region in 1808, encountering
154-562: A Canada Day Celebration at Town Centre Park, the BC Dumpling Festival (mid-August), and the Blue Mountain Music Festival (mid-July). Coquitlam has a considerable number of open green spaces, with the total area of over 890 hectares (2,200 acres). There are over 80 municipal parks and natural areas, with Mundy Park located roughly in the centre of the city being the biggest, and Ridge Park located in
231-785: A bedroom community , the majority of Coquitlam residents commute to work in Vancouver, Burnaby, and other Metro Vancouver suburbs. Coquitlam's main industrial area lies in the southern Maillardville/Fraser Mills area near the Fraser River. Among the largest employers within Coquitlam are the City of Coquitlam with approximately 850 employees, Art in Motion with approximately 750 employees, and Hard Rock Casino with approximately 600 employees. Other major employers include Coca-Cola , Sony , and
308-679: A branch of the Coquitlam Public Library , an R.C.M.P. station, Coquitlam's main fire hall, the David Lam Campus of Douglas College , the Evergreen Cultural Centre , City Centre Aquatic Complex , Town Centre Park and Percy Perry Stadium . In 1989, the provincial government sold 570 hectares (1,409 acres) of second-growth forested land on the south slope of Eagle Mountain, known locally as Eagle Ridge , to developer Wesbild. This resulted in
385-582: A mental health facility. In May 2021, the Government of British Columbia announced that the Riverview lands had been renamed səmiq̓wəʔelə (pronounced suh-MEE-kwuh-EL-uh), meaning "The Place of the Great Blue Heron". The kʷikʷəƛ̓əm Nation and BC Housing are working on a long-term master plan for development of the site. Coquitlam Town Centre , was designated as a "Regional Town Centre" under
462-571: A mountain-fed water source, while the city maintains its own sewage management system. The nearest Supreme Court of British Columbia venue is the New Westminster Law Courts. Provincial Court of British Columbia cases were formerly handled through the Coquitlam Provincial Court, but this was closed in 1996 and moved to the new Port Coquitlam Provincial Court. Coquitlam is served by TransLink , which
539-634: A similar-sized flood occurring in the next 50 years. In the second quarter of 2007, the Lower Mainland was on high alert for flooding. Higher than normal snow packs in the British Columbia Interior prompted municipal governments to start taking emergency measures in the region. Dikes along the Fraser River are regulated to handle approximately 8.5 metres (28 ft) at the Mission Gauge (the height above sea level of
616-533: A wealth of historic sites, gardens, a bike path, and an outdoor amphitheatre; it is also home to the Mackin Heritage Home & Toy Museum. The city is responsible for the maintenance of numerous sports and recreation fields, including 40 grass/sand/soil sports fields, five FieldTurf fields, 35 ball diamonds, several all-weather surfaces, a bowling green, a croquet / bocce court, and a cricket pitch. The city also operates Percy Perry Stadium and
693-479: Is a geographic and cultural region of the mainland coast of British Columbia that generally comprises the regional districts of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley . Home to approximately 3.05 million people as of the 2021 Canadian census , the Lower Mainland contains sixteen of the province's 30 most populous municipalities and approximately 60% of the province's total population. The region
770-522: Is a large city park located in the central area of the city, it provides city residents with many recreational activities. Como Lake Park and Glen Park are also popular with local residents. Place des Arts is a non-profit teaching arts centre in Maillardville founded in 1972, offering programs in visual arts, music, acting, and dance. It features specialized programs for school students and home learners, and presents concerts and exhibitions for
847-533: Is among the most multicultural and diverse regions in Canada. As of 2021, Europeans form a plurality with 1,337,105 persons or 45.7 percent of the total population, followed by East Asians with 614,860 persons or 21.0 percent and South Asians with 422,880 persons or 14.5 percent. Religion in the Lower Mainland (2021) The Lower Mainland includes large irreligious, Christian, and Sikh communities. The Sikh population, numbering over 265,000 persons or 9.1 percent of
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#1732764779776924-833: Is bordered on the west by the Strait of Georgia, to the north by the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District , on the east by the Fraser Valley Regional District, and to the south by Whatcom County, Washington , in the United States . The Fraser Valley Regional District lies east of the Metro Vancouver Regional District, and comprises the cities of Abbotsford and Chilliwack , the district municipalities of Mission , Kent , and Hope , and
1001-534: Is generically called the Pacific Time Zone. Specifically, time in this zone is referred to as Pacific Standard Time (PST) when standard time is being observed (early November to mid-March), and Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) when daylight saving time (mid-March to early November) is being observed. In Mexico , the corresponding time zone is known as the Zona Noroeste (Northwest Zone) and observes
1078-515: Is regular bus service on numerous lines running throughout the city and connecting it to other municipalities in Metro Vancouver, with a major exchange at Coquitlam Central Station. The West Coast Express , with a stop at Coquitlam Central Station, provides commuter rail service west to downtown Vancouver and east as far as Mission . WCE operates Monday to Friday only (excluding holidays), with five trains per day running to Vancouver in
1155-956: Is represented by three provincial MLAs in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia . Rick Glumac ( British Columbia NDP ) represents the Port Moody-Coquitlam riding, while Joan Isaacs ( BC Liberals ) represents Coquitlam-Burke Mountain , and Selina Robinson (BC NDP) represents Coquitlam-Maillardville . In the 2018 civic election , Richard Stewart was reelected as mayor of Coquitlam, and Craig Hodge, Chris Wilson, Teri Towner, Bonita Zarillo, Brent Asmundson, Dennis Marsden, Trish Mandewo and Steve Kim were all elected to Coquitlam City Council . Coquitlam contracts out garbage and recycling services to International Paper Industries for city residents, but local businesses are responsible for their own garbage and recycling arrangements. Coquitlam Lake provides residents with
1232-595: Is responsible for both public transit and major roads. The city has four SkyTrain stations on the Millennium Line that are a part of the 10.9 km (6.8 mi) long Evergreen Extension. With a project cost of $ 1.4 billion, the line runs from the Coquitlam City Centre area, through Coquitlam Central Station and into Port Moody, re-entering Coquitlam on North Road and finally joining the existing Millennium Line at Lougheed Town Centre . There
1309-612: Is the traditional territory of the Sto:lo , a Halkomelem -speaking people of the Coast Salish linguistic and cultural grouping. Although the term Lower Mainland has been recorded from the earliest period of colonization in British Columbia, it has never been officially defined in legal terms. The term has historically been in popular usage for over a century to describe a region that extends from Horseshoe Bay south to
1386-625: The Canada–United States border and east to Hope at the eastern end of the Fraser Valley . This definition makes the term Lower Mainland almost synonymous with the regional districts of Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley . However, the British Columbia Geographical Names Information System (BCGNIS) comments that most residents of Vancouver might consider it to be only areas west of Mission and Abbotsford , while residents in
1463-625: The Eastern Time Zone , and four hours behind the Atlantic Time Zone . One Canadian province is split between the Pacific Time Zone and the Mountain Time Zone: The border between time zones in British Columbia was decided in a 1972 plebiscite held in northeastern and southeastern electoral districts due to their ties to neighboring Alberta . As of September 24, 2020, Yukon officially switched from
1540-634: The Energy Policy Act of 2005 , which moved the local time changes from PST to PDT to the second Sunday in March and the reversal from PDT to PST to the first Sunday in November. Like other Canadian provinces that observe daylight time , British Columbia adopted the same dates in April 2006, to take effect in March 2007 alongside the U.S. Several Mexican states, including Baja California, implemented
1617-889: The Evergreen Extension of the Millennium Line of the SkyTrain rapid transit system which began operation in December 2016, Coquitlam's urban development area has again shifted to Burquitlam and secondly Burke Mountain. The Burke Mountain area plan is now divided into 4 new neighbourhood plans: Lower Hyde Creek Neighbourhood, Upper Hyde Creek Neighbourhood, Partington Creek, and Smiling Creek. Like much of Metro Vancouver, Coquitlam has an oceanic climate ( Köppen climate type Cfb ), experiencing mild temperatures and high precipitation ; warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. However, compared to most other cities in
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#17327647797761694-745: The Fraser River . Other major floods in the Lower Mainland ;– including June 1972, November 1990, and November 2021 – have been more localized, primarily impacting areas in the Fraser Valley like the Sumas Prairie , with comparatively minor impacts to Metro Vancouver. Prior to the 2021 flood, according to the Fraser Basin Council, scientists predicted a one-in-three chance of
1771-589: The Georgia Strait region also frequented the lower Fraser, including those from Vancouver Island and what is now Whatcom County, Washington . Sto:lo traditional territory, known as Solh Temexw in Halkomelem , more or less coincides with the traditional conception of the Lower Mainland, except for the inclusion of Port Douglas at the head of Harrison Lake, which is in In-SHUCK-ch territory, and
1848-707: The Mountain Time Zone : One state is split between the Pacific Time Zone (unofficially), the Alaska Time Zone , and the Hawaii–Aleutian Time Zone : Through 2006, the local time (PST, UTC−08:00) changed to daylight time (PDT, UTC−07:00) at 02:00 LST (local standard time) to 03:00 LDT (local daylight time) on the first Sunday in April, and returned at 02:00 LDT to 01:00 LST on the last Sunday in October. The United States Congress passed
1925-676: The Pacific Maritime Ecozone . Coquitlam's geographic shape can be thought of as a tilted hourglass , with two larger parcels of land with a smaller central section connecting them. Southwest Coquitlam comprises the original core of the city, with Maillardville and Fraser River industrial sector giving way to the large, elevated, flat-plateaued residential areas of Austin Heights. These older residences, with larger property dimensions, are increasingly being torn down and replaced with newer and larger homes. The Poirier Street area
2002-450: The 2016 Census, 47% of households contained a married couple with children, 30% contained a married couple without children, and 22% were one-person households. Of the 40,085 reported families : 76% were married couples with an average of 3.0 persons per family, 15% were lone-parents with an average of 2.5 persons per family, and 9% were common-law couples with an average of 2.6 persons per family. The median age of Coquitlam's population
2079-490: The Austin Heights and North Road sectors. The Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce has over 900 members including businesses, professionals, residents and other community groups, governed by a 14-person volunteer Board of Directors. Being in close proximity to Vancouver and surrounded by the rest of the Lower Mainland, Coquitlam residents have access to virtually unlimited choice in cultural and leisure activities. Within
2156-583: The Boulder Creek Fault. Scientists now believe this fault is active and capable of producing earthquakes in the 6.8 magnitude range. Much of the Lower Mainland is vulnerable to explosive eruptions from the Garibaldi Volcanic Belt . Volcanoes in this zone are capable of producing large quantities of volcanic ash that may cause short and long term water supply problems for Lower Mainland communities. All airports covered by
2233-492: The Coquitlam Centre area and heads directly east through Port Moody and on to Burnaby and downtown Vancouver. Coquitlam has 60 km of bike routes, including dedicated bike lanes on Guildford Way, David Avenue, United Boulevard, Mariner Way, Chilko Drive and others, plus additional routes through city parks. Coquitlam is served by two international airports. Vancouver International Airport , located on Sea Island in
2310-954: The Coquitlam Youth Orchestra, and the Stage 43 Theatrical Society . Nearby proscenium theatres include the 336-seat Terry Fox Theatre in Port Coquitlam, and the 206-seat Inlet Theatre in Port Moody. Numerous yearly festivals are staged at various locations throughout Coquitlam, including Festival du Bois (first full weekend in March), the Water's Edge Festival (third full weekend in March), Como Lake Fishing Derby (last Sunday in May), BC Highland Games (last Saturday in June),
2387-534: The Francophone education system and French immersion programs, French-language Girl Guides and scouts , and celebrations such as Festival du Bois . Following World War II , Coquitlam and the rest of the Lower Mainland experienced substantial population growth that continues today. The opening of Lougheed Highway in 1953 made the city more accessible and set the stage for residential growth. In 1971, Coquitlam and Fraser Mills were amalgamated , which gave
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2464-486: The Indigenous Coast Salish peoples. Europeans started settling in the 1860s. Fraser Mills, a lumber mill on the north bank of the Fraser River was constructed in 1889, and by 1908 there were 20 houses, a store, post office, hospital, office block, barber shop, pool hall, and a Sikh temple . The Coast Salish people were the first to live in this area, and archaeology confirms continuous occupation of
2541-609: The Lower Mainland includes two regional districts: the Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD) and the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD). Both regional districts, however, include areas outside the traditional limits of the Lower Mainland. Metro Vancouver includes areas like Surrey and Langley that are geographically in the Fraser Valley . The Metro Vancouver Regional District is made up of 21 municipalities. The MVRD
2618-503: The Lower Mainland was largely spared, although northern regions of the province, along the Skeena and Nechako Rivers, experienced floods. Climate scientists predict that increasing temperatures will mean wetter winters and more snow at the high elevations. This will increase the likelihood of snowmelt floods. The provincial government maintains an integrated flood hazard management program and extensive flood protection infrastructure in
2695-490: The Lower Mainland. Based on geological evidence, however, stronger earthquakes appear to have occurred at approximately 600-year intervals. Therefore, there is a probability that there will be a major earthquake in the region within the next 200 years. In April 2008, the United States Geological Survey released information concerning a newly found fault south of downtown Abbotsford , called
2772-409: The Lower Mainland. The infrastructure consists of dikes, pump stations , floodboxes, riprap , and relief wells . While earthquakes are common in British Columbia and adjacent coastal waters, most are minor in energy release or are sufficiently remote to have little effect on populated areas. Nevertheless, earthquakes with a magnitude of up to 7.3 have occurred within 150 kilometres (93 mi) of
2849-605: The Marine Propulsion division of Rolls-Royce . In 2007, there were 610 retail businesses in Coquitlam, and these provided 8,765 jobs (27% of all jobs) within the city. Most retail businesses are concentrated around Coquitlam Centre in the Town Centre area, and big-box retailers such as IKEA and The Home Depot in the Pacific Reach areas, with the remainder of the city's retail outlets centered around
2926-407: The Metro Vancouver's Livable Region Strategic Plan. The concept of a town centre for the area dates back to 1975, and is intended to have a high concentration of high-density housing, offices, cultural, entertainment and education facilities to serve major growth areas of the region, served by rapid transit service. It is in the town centre that many public buildings can be found, including City Hall,
3003-539: The Pacific Time Zone to a time zone "to be reckoned as seven hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC−7)" after deciding to stop observing daylight saving time. In Mexico , the Zona Noroeste , which corresponds to Pacific Time in the United States and Canada, includes: Two states are fully contained in the Pacific Time Zone: Three states are split between the Pacific Time Zone and
3080-787: The Poirier Sport & Leisure Complex. Privately owned Planet Ice features 4 additional ice rinks, and more rinks are found throughout the Tri-Cities. There exists many opportunities for a wide variety of activities in Coquitlam: Coquitlam is represented by two federal MPs in the Parliament of Canada . Bonita Zarillo ( NDP ) represents the Port Moody—Coquitlam riding, while Ron McKinnon ( Liberal Party ) represents Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam . Coquitlam
3157-471: The Tri-Cities that supports wild stocks of coho salmon as well as other species at risk such as coastal cutthroat trout (both sea-run and resident) and bird species such as the great blue heron and green heron . It also contains Mundy Park , one of the largest urban parks in the Metro Vancouver area. In 1984, the provincial government sold 57 hectares (141 acres) formerly attached to Riverview Hospital to Molnar Developments. Shortly afterward, this land
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3234-437: The accompanying eruption column would be closed, heavy ash falls would damage electrical equipment and weak structures could collapse under the weight of the ash. The Lower Mainland's communities includes large cities in Metro Vancouver, and smaller cities, towns and villages along both banks of the Fraser River. Neighbourhoods within cities are not listed unless historically or otherwise notable and/or separate. Only some of
3311-626: The area, precipitation is especially heavy in Coquitlam due to its proximity to the mountain slopes. With westward air moving off the Pacific Ocean , the air is forced to flow up the Coast Mountains causing it to cool and condense and fall as precipitation, this process is known as orographic precipitation . The orographic effect is mainly responsible for the massive 1,969 mm (77.5 in) annual average precipitation that Coquitlam receives each year, with most falling as rainfall in
3388-587: The city a larger industrial base. The mill closed in 2001, and is now currently the subject of a proposed waterfront community. Coquitlam is situated some 10 to 15 km (6.2 to 9.3 mi) east of Vancouver , where the Coquitlam River connects with the Fraser River and extends northeast along the Pitt River toward the Coquitlam and Pitt lakes. Coquitlam borders Burnaby and Port Moody to
3465-521: The city itself are numerous venues that bring these choices closer to home. Coquitlam was designated as a Cultural Capital of Canada in 2009 by the Department of Canadian Heritage . The Molson Canadian Theatre , a 1,074-seat multi-purpose venue, opened as part of a $ 30 million expansion to Coquitlam's Hard Rock Casino in 2006, while Cineplex Entertainment operates the 4,475-seat SilverCity Coquitlam movie complex with 20 screens. A partnership of
3542-421: The city of Richmond to the west, is the second busiest in Canada and provides most of the air access to the region. Abbotsford International Airport , located to the east, is the seventeenth busiest airport in Canada. Nearby Pitt Meadows Airport provides services for smaller aircraft and there are also Boundary Bay Airport and Langley Airport for small aircraft. Lower Mainland The Lower Mainland
3619-676: The city, the arts community, private business and senior governments, the Evergreen Cultural Centre in the Town Centre area is a venue for arts and culture, a civic facility designed to host a wide variety of community events. It features a 264-seat black box theatre , rehearsal hall, art studios and art gallery . Evergreen serves as the home venue for the Pacific Symphonic Wind Ensemble , the Coastal Sound Music Academy ,
3696-412: The closure of Westwood Motorsport Park in 1990, and the creation of Westwood Plateau , which was developed into 4,525 upscale homes, as well as two golf courses. With development on Westwood Plateau completed and the opening of the David Avenue Connector in 2006, Coquitlam's primary urban development has now shifted to Burke Mountain in the northeastern portion of the city. With new development of
3773-478: The dykes at Mission). Warmer than normal weather in the province's Interior region caused large amounts of snow to melt prematurely, resulting in higher-than-normal water levels, which, nevertheless, remained well below flood levels. Flooding can cover much of the Lower Mainland. Cloverdale , Barnston Island , low-lying areas of Maple Ridge , areas west of Hope , White Rock , Richmond , parts of Vancouver , and parts of Surrey are potentially at risk. In 2007,
3850-434: The eastern part of the Georgia Depression and extends from Powell River on the Sunshine Coast to Hope at the eastern end of the Fraser Valley. One of the mildest climates in Canada, the region has a mean annual temperature of 9 °C (48 °F) with a summer mean of 15 °C (59 °F) and a winter mean of 3.5 °C (38.3 °F). Annual precipitation ranges from an annual mean of 850 millimetres (33 in) in
3927-467: The fall and winter months, with 316 mm (12.4 in) in November; the summer is usually sunny with minimal precipitation with 60.7 mm (2.39 in) in July. Although the mild temperatures allow for mostly rain to fall during the winter months, occasionally snow will fall. With a slightly higher elevation compared to the rest of Metro Vancouver, Coquitlam receives an average of 64.4 cm (25.4 in) of snow each year, with it rarely staying on
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#17327647797764004-399: The ground for a few days, adding to a very intermittent snow cover during the winter season. Coquitlam is also located in one of the warmest regions in Canada where average mean annual temperature is 10.2 °C (50.4 °F). Temperatures are warm during the summer months with an average high of 22.7 °C (72.9 °F), and an average low of 13.4 °C (56.1 °F) in August. During
4081-457: The highlands near the city's northern edge. Pinecone Burke Provincial Park , Minnekhada Regional Park, and Pitt Addington Marsh are on the northern and eastern border of the city, while the restricted area of the Metro Vancouver's Coquitlam watershed border Coquitlam to the north. Colony Farm is a 404-hectare park that straddles the Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam boundaries, offering walking trails rich with wildlife and gardens. Town Centre Park
4158-404: The inclusion of areas within the regional districts which are not normally considered to be part of the Lower Mainland, notably the lower Fraser Canyon and the heads of Harrison and Pitt Lakes , which are within the FVRD, and Lions Bay and Bowen Island , which are within the Metro Vancouver Regional District. Panethnic breakdown of the Lower Mainland ( 2021 census ) The Lower Mainland
4235-549: The lands around Burrard Inlet. Health system services and governance in the Lower Mainland are provided by Vancouver Coastal Health , serving Vancouver, Richmond and the North Shore, and the mainland coast as far north as the Central Coast region, and Fraser Health , which serves the area of the Lower Mainland east of Vancouver and Richmond. The Lower Mainland is considered to have a high vulnerability to flood risk. There have been two major region-wide floods in 1894 and 1948 , both associated with an extreme spring freshet of
4312-426: The legislature to use year-round daylight time, pending Congressional approval. The Washington State Legislature passed a bill in May 2019 that would move the state to permanent daylight time, subject to Congressional approval; the Oregon Legislative Assembly passed a similar bill a month later, while California's attempt failed. The provincial government of British Columbia announced in 2019 that they would follow
4389-439: The many Indian Reserves are listed. Pacific Time Zone The Pacific Time Zone ( PT ) is a time zone encompassing parts of western Canada, the western United States, and western Mexico. Places in this zone observe standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time ( UTC−08:00 ). During daylight saving time , a time offset of UTC−07:00 is used. In the United States and Canada, this time zone
4466-403: The mill. A mill manager's residence was built that would later become Place des Arts . Over the next two years, several contingents of French Canadian mill workers arrived from Quebec , and Maillardville was born. Named for Father Edmond Maillard, a young Oblate from France, it became the largest Francophone centre west of Manitoba. Maillardville's past is recognized today in street names,
4543-469: The morning peak hours and returning through Coquitlam in the evening peak hours. For motorists, the Trans-Canada Highway provides freeway access to Burnaby, Vancouver, Surrey , and other municipalities in the Lower Mainland. Lougheed Highway is an alternative route to the Trans-Canada, entering Coquitlam through Maillardville, past the Riverview Hospital area, up to Coquitlam Centre where it turns sharply east to Port Coquitlam. Barnet Highway begins at
4620-427: The new dates for the daylight time changes in 2010, ending a three-year period where cities across the Mexico–United States border had a one-hour difference for two months a year. Proposals to abolish the bi-annual time change and adopt year-round standard time or daylight time gained popularity among U.S. states in the 2010s. 59 percent of voters in California approved a 2018 ballot proposition that authorizes
4697-419: The previous record of 37.0 °C (98.6 °F). In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Coquitlam had a population of 148,625 living in 55,949 of its 58,683 total private dwellings, a change of 6.7% from its 2016 population of 139,284. With a land area of 122.15 km (47.16 sq mi), it had a population density of 1,216.7/km (3,151.3/sq mi) in 2021. According to
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#17327647797764774-431: The provincial average of 22.4%. The 2016 census found that English was spoken as the mother tongue of 50.47% of the population. The next most common mother tongue language was Mandarin , spoken by 9.66% of the population, followed by Cantonese at 6.43%. The south slope of Coquitlam, which includes Maillardville, has a pocket of French speakers. According to the 2021 census , religious groups in Coquitlam included: As
4851-467: The public. Studios are offered for pottery , fibre arts , yoga , ballet , drama , piano , drawing and painting . Place des Arts offers four faculty concerts throughout the year, as well as numerous recitals and presentations by students on an ongoing basis. Place Maillardville is a community centre providing leisure activities for all age groups, with programs on French language, culture, as well as physical activities. Heritage Square offers visitors
4928-407: The region; the southern portion of Squamish traditional territory is also in the region. Its claims overlap those of the Tsleil-waututh, Musqueam, and Kwikwetlem. Other peoples whose territories lie within the region are the Sto:lo , Chehalis , Katzie , Kwantlen , Tsawwassen , and Semiahmoo ; many of their territories overlap with those of the Musqueam, and with each other. Many other peoples of
5005-452: The rest of the province consider it to be the Sea-to-Sky Corridor south of Whistler and west of Hope . The region is bounded to the north by the Pacific Ranges and to the southeast by the Cascade Mountains , and is traversed from east to west by the Fraser River . Due to its consistency of climate , flora and fauna , geology and land use , "Lower Mainland" is also the name of an ecoregion —a biogeoclimatic region—that comprises
5082-402: The same daylight saving schedule as the United States and Canada. The largest city in the Pacific Time Zone is Los Angeles , whose metropolitan area is also the largest in the time zone. The zone is two hours ahead of the Hawaii–Aleutian Time Zone , one hour ahead of the Alaska Time Zone , one hour behind the Mountain Time Zone , two hours behind the Central Time Zone , three hours behind
5159-439: The territory for at least 9,000 years. The name Kwikwetlem is said to be derived from a Coast Salish term "kʷikʷəƛ̓əm" meaning "red fish up the river". Explorer Simon Fraser came through the region in 1808, and in the 1860s Europeans gradually started settling the area. Coquitlam began as a "place-in-between" with the construction of North Road in the mid-19th century to provide Royal Engineers in New Westminster access to
5236-401: The total population is statistically significant across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley; proportionally, it is more than four times the national average of 2.1 percent. Regional districts were first created across British Columbia from 1966 to 1967 to form bodies for inter-municipal coordination and to extend municipal-level powers to areas outside existing municipalities. Today,
5313-438: The village of Harrison Hot Springs . It also includes many unincorporated areas in the Fraser Valley and along the west side of the Fraser Canyon (the Fraser Canyon is not in the Lower Mainland). Regional district powers are very limited and other localized provincial government services are delivered through other regionalization systems. The traditional territories of the Musqueam and Tsleil'waututh lie completely within
5390-412: The west end to 2,000 millimetres (79 in) in the eastern end of the Fraser Valley and at higher elevations. Maximum precipitation occurs as rain in winter. Less than ten percent falls as snow at sea level but the amount of snowfall increases significantly with elevation. As of the 2021 census, the population of the Lower Mainland core area totals 2,966,830: These figures are slightly inflated due to
5467-428: The west, New Westminster to the southwest, and Port Coquitlam to the southeast. Burke Mountain , Eagle Ridge , and 1,583 m (5,194 ft) tall Coquitlam Mountain form the northern boundary of the city. Coquitlam's area, 152.5 square kilometres (58.9 sq mi), is about six times larger than either Port Moody or Port Coquitlam. Coquitlam is in the Pacific Time Zone (winter UTC−8 , summer UTC−7 ), and
5544-485: The winter months, the average high is 5.6 °C (42.1 °F), and the average low is 0.9 °C (33.6 °F) in December. This relatively mild climate, by Canadian standards, is caused by the warm Alaska Current offshore and the many mountain ranges preventing the cold arctic air from the rest of Canada from reaching the southwest corner of British Columbia. On June 28, 2021, Coquitlam reached an all-time high temperature reading of 41 °C (106 °F), shattering
5621-586: The year-round port facilities in Port Moody . The young municipality got its first boost in 1889 when Frank Ross and James McLaren opened what would become Fraser Mills , a $ 350,000, then state-of-the-art lumber mill on the north bank of the Fraser River. The Corporation of the District of Coquitlam was incorporated in 1891. By 1908, a mill town of 20 houses, a store, post office, hospital, office block, barber shop, pool hall and Sikh temple had grown around
5698-531: Was $ 65,020, compared to the provincial average of $ 61,280. 58.2% of respondents 15 years of age and older claim to have a post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree, compared to 55% province-wide. Lastly, also as of the 2016 census, only 23.4% of Coquitlam residents who work outside the home work within the city of Coquitlam itself, just less than half the provincial average of 48.9% of residents who work within their own municipality, yet 22.2% of Coquitlam residents take public transit, bicycle or walk to work, close to
5775-413: Was 41.1 years, slightly younger than the British Columbia median of 43.0 years. Coquitlam had 85.6% of its residents 15 years of age or older, less than the provincial average of 87.5%. According to the 2016 census, about 44% of Coquitlam residents were foreign-born, much higher than the 28% foreign-born for the whole of British Columbia. The same census documented the median income in 2015 for all families
5852-446: Was subdivided and became Riverview Heights, with about 250 single-family homes. The remaining 240 acres (0.97 km) of this still-active mental health facility has been the subject of much controversy amongst developers, environmentalists, and conservationists. In 2005, the city's task force on the hospital lands rejected the idea of further housing on the lands and declared that the lands and buildings should be protected and remain as
5929-539: Was the city's original recreational centre with the Coquitlam Sports Centre , Chimo Aquatic and Fitness Centre , and sports fields located there, while City Hall was previously located further south in Maillardville. The Austin Heights area contains Como Lake , a renowned urban fishing and recreation area, and headwaters for the Como watershed. The watershed represents one of the last urban watersheds in
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