Port Coquitlam nearly 200 homes behind provincial target called a ‘colossal waste of time’

Port Coquitlam is nearly 200 homes behind the pace set by a provincial housing target order issued two years ago. The city has added 527 net new units, below the interim goal of 724 homes.

Coun. Steve Darling told council Tuesday that much of the shortfall is beyond the city’s control. He said the housing market is in turmoil and, after speaking with local builders over recent months, he did not expect any municipality to meet a provincial housing target because builders are not constructing homes.

The province set a target in 2024 for Port Coquitlam to add 2,279 net new units by July 31, 2029. The city added 336 net new units over the past year, including 170 studio and one-bedroom units.

High interest rates and rising construction costs have affected the pace of building, while the city also recorded an unusually high number of demolitions. A total of 131 homes were demolished in the past 12 months. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation data show housing starts fell about 42 per cent between July 2025 and July 2026.

Mayor Brad West criticized what he described as the province’s inflexible approach to the legislation. He said the province has not adjusted anything despite saying it is listening, and argued that decades, if not generations, of community planning had been discarded.

West reiterated the need for family-oriented housing and said council should make decisions in the community’s best interests, even if that places the city on a “naughty list” or displeases the province.

The target is based on a provincial estimate of projected population growth. A city staff report says the province can appoint an advisor or intervene in a municipality’s authority over bylaws and permit issuance if it does not meet the target.

Couns. Dean Washington and Paige Petriw dismissed the idea of Port Coquitlam submitting a progress report to the province. Petriw called it a make-work project, while Washington called the obligation a “colossal waste of time.” Washington also criticized legislation allowing four housing units on one lot, calling it a disastrous way to create more homes.

The staff report says that, with 636 units under construction, Port Coquitlam is well positioned to meet the provincial housing target in 2027.