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Saturday, Oct
Notice of Elec tion By Voting
Port Coquitlam V t e s
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PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY given to the electors of the City of Port Coquitlam that an election by voting is necessary to elect six Councillors for a four-year term commencing November, 2022. The persons nominated as candidates, and for whom votes will be received, are:
Mayor
SURNAME, Usual name
WEST, Brad School Trustee
SURNAME, Usual name ACCLAIMED POLLOCK, Christine
Councillors - six (6) to be elected
SURNAME, Usual name BECKER, Dawn CARKNER, Cindy CULJAK, Ivanka DARLING, Steve HARBORD, Sarah JEFFERY, Derek Residential Jurisdiction
Port Coquitlam, BC Port Coquitlam, BC KARNIK, Mithila McCURRACH, Nancy MINTY, Erik MISERA, Kevin NIELSEN, Darin PENNER, Darrell PETRIW, Paige POLLOCK, Glenn SMITH, Justin Alexander WASHINGTON, Dean WATSON, Jami ZHOU, Jenny
When and where can I vote? Advance Voting Day
• Sat, October 8 l 8 am to 8 pm: Hyde Creek Recreation Centre, 1379 Laurier Ave. General Voting Day - October 15, 2022 | 8 am to 8 pm - Vote at ONE of these polls: • Blakeburn Elementary, 1040 Riverside Dr. • Castle Park Elementary, 1144 Confederation Dr. • Cedar Drive Elementary, 3150 Cedar Dr. • Central Elementary, 2260 Central Ave. • Hyde Creek Recreation Centre, 1379 Laurier Ave. • Kilmer Elementary School, 1575 Knappen St. • Kwayhquitlum Middle School, 3280 Flint St. • Westwood Elementary School, 3610 Hastings St. • The Outlet, 2248 Leigh Square Mail-in Ballot Voting Mail ballot voting is available to all qualified electors. From now until noon on Oct. 15, you can apply for a mail ballot online at portcoquitlam.ca/election. Voters can also pick up a mail ballot application in-person at City Hall – Elections Office. After Oct. 3 residents will need to pick up their ballot at the Elections Office once their application has been approved. Elector Registration Resident Property Electors To register as a resident elector on General Voting Day or Advance Voting, you must have two pieces of Identification (one with a signature) and you will be required to make a declaration that you meet the following requirements. • Age 18 or older • A Canadian citizen • A B.C. resident for at least six months • A Port Coquitlam resident at the time of voting • Not disqualified from voting by any enactment or law
Non-Resident Property Electors (same as resident except for): • A registered owner of real property in the City of Port Coquitlam for at least 30 days immediately before the day of registration • Not entitled to register as a resident elector • Not disqualified by any enactment from voting in an election or otherwise disqualified by law • If there is more than one registered owner of the property, only one of those individuals may, with the written consent of the majority of the other owners, register as a non-resident property elector • Produce proof of entitlement to register, such as a recent Certificate of Title.
PORT COQUITLAM NEWS
Call 604-472-3040.
M U N I C I P A L E L E C T I O N
Affordability is top topic at candidates' forum
Some suggest city can take a bigger role in housing cost
DIANE STRANDBERG dstrandberg@tricitynews.com
How can young people afford to live in Port Coquitlam?
Should the city purchase and rent apartments, build co-ops, encourage rent-toown developments and permit more density?
Those were among the solutions to PoCo's housing crisis as affordability topped the list of issues at an all candidates meeting on Monday (Oct. 3).
The event sponsored by the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce — and available for viewing online — saw 17 candidates share their views of what would make the city better.
Justin Smith, the youngest candidate on the hustings, said he wants to be able to live and represent the community in Port Coquitlam.
But "I could not find a place in my budget," said Smith, who said he has a degree and a full-time job. "We may not be able to make the choice to live in the community; that decision is being made for us," he added.
Another candidate, Jami Watson, who lives in Langley because of affordability, but works and is involved in PoCo schools and sports, said the city can do more. "PoCo is where I call home," she said.
Smith, meanwhile, suggested the city could get more involved in promoting different forms of housing, such as co-op housing, while incumbent Coun. Glenn Pollock said the city has a good track record of bringing in 500 affordable housing units to the city.
Among those are 140 units at Prairie Avenue and Flint, The Alex, which Pollock said should be ready for occupancy "any day." "Homelessness and housing are related.
Poverty, criminalizing poverty are all related and community safety. They are all related to affordability," Pollock said.
Coun. Nancy McCurrach suggested engaging people who are homeless in finding solutions and increasing the requirement for affordable housing in new developments.
But most seemed to agree that affordability is such a concern that young people aren't able to find a place to live in the city while unhoused people can't even find shelter.
At one point, two candidates sparred over how to make housing affordable.
Candidate Ivanka Culjak, a realtor, said a shortage of land contributes to the challenges, but the city could possibly buy an apartment and get involved in rental housing. The City of Vancouver, which operates under its own charter, does manage rental housing.
However, that idea was quickly shot down by Coun. Dean Washington, who said it's not the city's job to be a landlord. "I’m not in favour of that. That’s not the business we're in," Washington said.
Instead, Port Coquitlam council should advocate for more funding for housing from the federal and provincial governments. "We need to keep putting the heat on provincial and federal government to help us with that," Washington said.
Encouraging business to locate to Port Coquitlam was another idea touted by candidates to improve the economy and generate more taxes.
Noted candidate Cindy Carkner: "We have to continue talking, looking for business that want to come into our community."
Lack of government openness was another issue raised at the all-candidates' meeting, via questions sent in via online platform Slido.
The topic resonated with several candidates.
Erik Minty said the lack of transparency with PoCo council decisions leads to a lack of trust. He cited the Gates Park soccer hub, which the city is planning to build with the help of a $6.7-million provincial grant.
Minty said it was never raised in the community as an idea before it was announced and finding information about the plans have been difficult. "Too many decisions are being made behind closed doors without public engagement," Minty said.
Candidate Mithila Kamik said city hall should be more accessible, especially to people whose first language isn't English.
Port Coquitlam candidates faced off at a Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce meeting on Monday, Oct. 3. SCREENGRAB
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