BC areas to consider relocating toTri-cities area information

Tri-cities area

This term, seldom defined, refers to Port Moody, Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam.

The map below has the tri-cities circled and includes the major commuter routes.

Map of Greater Vancouver, showing major routes

Distances from Vancouver
Coquitlam 26 km 16 miles
Maple Ridge 45 km 28 miles
Port Coquitlam 31 km 19 miles
Port Moody 22 km 14 miles

Real Estate Prices

Below is a table showing the Benchmark prices for typical property in the Tri-Cities. This comes from the Vancouver Real Estate Board’s monthly statistics. More real estate information is available directly from us or our real estate site - gr8team.com:

Benchmark Prices as at August 2010
Coquitlam
CategoryBenchmark $1 Yr Change3 Yr Change
Attached$438,75510.60%7.40%
Apartment$288,3505.70%2.70%
Detached$671,5575.70%4.90%
Source:Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver - MLS ®

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Port Moody

Port Moody heritage shoppingPort Moody offers “heritage”
shopping experience.Port Moody occupies a 26.21 square kilometre area at the head of Burrard Inlet. Surrounded by mountains, water, and forested hillsides, the community is rapidly becoming a prime location for top quality housing. Its 24,000 inhabitants enjoy above average income and a relaxed lifestyle in vicinity of big city amenities.

Housing in Port MoodyNew houses are a feature of Port MoodyA car ride from Port Moody to downtown Vancouver takes 30-40 minutes. A major widening of the Barnet Highway has provided an additional lane in each direction to handle buses and car-pool vehicles during rush hour.

In addition to the TransLink public bus system, the West Coast Express commuter rail provides fast access from Port Moody to downtown Vancouver during rush hours. The future Sky Train extension will connect Port Moody to New Westminster, Coquitlam, Burnaby, and Vancouver.

Schools

In common with the other tri-cities, Port Moody has a middle school system. This means that progress through from elementary (K-5: ages 5-10), middle (Grades 6-8: ages 11-13) and on to secondary school (Grades 9-12: ages 14-17).

School district 43 covers the tri-cities.

Population

(As of July 1, 2005)

Year
Estimate

% change
over prev year
2000
24,292
-
2001
24,854
2.3
2002
25,264
1.6
2003
25,817
2.2
2004
26,613
3.1

Source: B.C. Stats

Age Distribution

age and gender 2001 census

Age
Male
Female
All ages
11,730
12,085
0-14
2,655
2,430
15-24
1,465
1,525
25-44
3,875
4,335
45-64
2,965
2,960
65+
760
835

Source: Statistics Canada

Building Permits
Year
No. of units
Residential
$,000
Non-residential
$,000
2000
140
21,285
8,948
2001
250
28,065
8,067
2002
293
38,207
1,895
2003
310
48,990
14,915
2004
913
106,487
7,485

Top election issues - November 2005

As an insight into Port Moody the Vancouver Sun featured the top three issues in the local elections in November of 2005.

1. QUALITY OF LIFE

The award-winning city needs to “catch it’s breath” after an unprecedented burst of civic and private development over the past three years. Council must ensure that Port Moody’s small-town feel is not lost as thousands of new residents move in, and pressure on roads, parks and other civic amenities increases.

2. TRAFFIC AND TRANSIT

Council needs to fast track plans for road transportation improvements so that the city can catch up to a huge wave of development in it’s new town centre. Planning issues loom with progress of a light rail rapid transit corridor (similar to the light rail service in San Diego) that must travel right through downtown Port Moody.

3. CIVIC FINANCES

Balancing capital and operational budgets in the wake of huge civic development and commercial/business growth (part of the newport Village development), and keeping taxes affordable while maintaining standards of service, will be steep challenges for council. The city must also attract new business and industry to offset residential tax base.

Courtesy of the Vancouver Sun - November 4th, 2005

Coquitlam

Coquitlam occupies 130 square kilometers in the northeast sector of the Greater Vancouver Regional District. Bounded by the wilderness of the Coastal Mountains to the north and the mighty Fraser River to the south, this attractive community abounding with parks and recreational facilities offers a relaxed suburban lifestyle 35 minutes from Downtown Vancouver.

Compared with other municipalities in the Region, Coquitlam has a higher growth rate, younger population, and above average income.

Recreational facilities include the Poirier Street Recreation Centre in the southwest, the Town Centre Stadium, the nearby Aquatic Centre in the city centre, and a dozen of smaller facilities such as community centres, outdoor pools and spray parks.

Schools

Port Coquitlam

Port Coquitlam is located in the Eastern sector of the Greater Vancouver Regional District. Bordered by the Pitt and Fraser Rivers to the East and South and mountains to the North, Port Coquitlam offers a small-town type of living and a wealth of recreational opportunities only 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver.

Port Coquitlam is located approximately 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver by vehicle, via three highways: TransCanada, Lougheed and Barnet. The highways also connect the city to other parts of the region and the rest of Canada.

Public transportation includes public buses and the West Coast Express, a comfortable, fast and reliable commuter train that operates during the rush hours taking only 39 minutes to reach downtown Vancouver.

Schools
Population

(As of July 1, 2005)

Year
Estimate

% change
over prev year
2000
15,018
-
2001
15,311
2
2002
15,638
2.1
2003
15,675
0.2
2004
16,001
2.1

Source: B.C. Stats

Age Distribution

age and gender 2001 census

Age Male Female
All ages 25,490 25,775
0-14 5,850 5,365
15-24 3,570 3,450
25-44 8,590 8,970
45-64 5,840 5,805
65+ 1,625 2,180

Source: Statistics Canada

Building Permits
Year
 No. of units
Residential
$,000
Non-residential
$,000
2000
 244
30,375
26,689
2001
 296
46,688
27,771
2002
 215
32,854
24,532
2003
 326
35,387
14,078
2004
 179
27,151
17,481

Source: Statistics Canada

Top election issues - November 2005

The Vancouver Sun’s snapshot of Port Coquitlam’s top three issues in the local elections in November of 2005, gives some idea of the communities concerns.

1. CIVIC AFFAIRS

Are residents happy with the civic politicians they now have? Mayor Scott Young and all six councillors are running again. Patrick Alambets is taking on Young, the mayor since 2001. The challengers trying to become councillors are Todd Delaurier, Eric Hirvonen, William Issa, Jeff Kennedy, Katrina Lennax and Anthony Yao.

2. CRIME

Drugs, crimes and suburbia. Have methamphetamine manufacturers felt the effects of a new meth-watch program that is supposed to curtail meth labs? Are marijuana growers fuming over the new city bylaws that target marijuana growing operations and derelict homes?

3. TRAFFIC JAMS

The city of Port Coquitlam is contributing $27.5 million towards a $87.5 million Coast Meridian Overpass across the CP Rail yards. That overpass, to be finished in 2007, is being touted as an engineering solution to the perennial Lougheed Highway traffic jams that divide Port Coquitlam into two halves.

Courtesy of the Vancouver Sun - November 1st, 2005

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