Full inaugural speech: Mayor Brad West to build on Port Coquitlam's focus on basics | Daily Hive

Full inaugural speech: Mayor Brad West vows to build on Port Coquitlam's focus on the basics

Inauguration of Brad West for his third term as the Mayor of Port Coquitlam on Nov. 9, 2026. (City of Port Coquitlam)

Brad West has begun his third consecutive term as Mayor of Port Coquitlam with a promise to keep the municipal government’s costs affordable while improving recreation facilities, strengthening core infrastructure, and tackling vehicle traffic congestion.

In his inaugural address last week, West said residents of the City of Port Coquitlam wanted practical results from their municipal government and that their trust had to be earned throughout the term.

“They want a government that listens, works hard, tells them the truth, and delivers results,” he said.

“Not political theatre, not endless excuses, not promises that sound impressive but never become reality. They want competence, they want accountability, and they want results.”

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Among his most specific commitments was an urgent push for an agreement with the neighbouring City of Coquitlam on construction of the Fremont Connector — a new two-lane road extension linking northeast Coquitlam with northern Port Coquitlam, which is intended to ease congestion on existing routes such as Coast Meridian Road.

West said City Council would seek a fair agreement to ease the effects of regional growth, particularly on Port Coquitlam’s Northside neighbourhoods.

He also promised to consult residents about a future expansion of Hyde Creek Recreation Centre to meet growing demand for swimming and recreation, while continuing downtown revitalization efforts, improvements to parks and public spaces, and investments in roads, drainage, and flood protection.

During the campaign, West’s platform pledged to keep taxes and utility fees among the lowest in Metro Vancouver through spending reviews, more efficient operations, reduced waste, and funding from outside the municipal government.

On public safety, he committed to supporting first responders, tackling litter and vandalism, and pressing senior governments for stronger responses to crime, mental health, and addiction challenges.

For the local economy, West pledged to make it easier to start and operate businesses, and attract investment. His housing commitments centred on ensuring new homes meet residents’ needs and locating growth appropriately, with the infrastructure and amenities required to support it.

In his speech, which emphasized on “getting the basics right,” West argued that careful financial management and better public services could go together. He pointed to investments in Gates Park, construction of a new multi-sport facility, and curbside glass collection, while recalling a single mother’s account of how free admission to the City’s outdoor pools had given her son a memorable summer.

“At the end of the day, the measure of our success isn’t how many motions we pass, how many projects we announce, how much money gets spent. It’s whether we’re making life better for the people we serve.

“It’s whether a family has a little more breathing room at the end of the month. Whether a senior feels secure in the home that they’ve lived in for decades. Whether a child gets to enjoy the simple experiences that make growing up in this community so special. And if we never lose sight of that, if we remember that behind every decision we make are real people, real families, and real lives, then I believe we’ll continue to make Port Coquitlam a better place for everyone.”

West won a landslide victory in the 2026 civic election, securing 12,907 votes — far ahead of his only two opponents, Connor Fesenmaier and Pasquale Zampieri, who received 1,087 and 245 votes, respectively. Although he is beginning his third term as mayor, this was only his second contested mayoral election, as he was re-elected by acclamation (default) in the 2022 civic election after running unopposed.

West’s wife, Blaire West, is also entering office for the first time, as she was elected to the Coquitlam School Board, which has a jurisdiction spanning not only Coquitlam, but also Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore, and Belcarra. Port Coquitlam has two trustee seats on the school board, with Blaire winning the most votes among all six Port Coquitlam school trustee candidates.

West has also served as the chair of TransLink’s Mayors’ Council since 2022. Later this week, the new makeup of the Mayors’ Council will convene for the first time since the civic election and decide on its chair for the new term.

Below is the full transcript of Mayor West’s inauguration speech:

Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West’s inaugural speech

Welcome to our distinguished guests, City staff, friends, neighbours, and my fellow residents of Port Coquitlam.

It’s an extraordinary honour to begin my third term as the mayor of this great city. I approach this responsibility with humility, seriousness, and the utmost respect for the trust that the people of this community have placed in me.

I believe that trust between elected representatives and the people they serve must never be taken for granted. It must be earned, and it’s earned not just on election day, but on every single day that follows. And I know that our Council will work each and every day to be worthy of your continued support and confidence.

Having the opportunity to serve as the mayor of the city I grew up in, the city I love, the city where Blaire and I are raising our two boys, means more to me than words will ever be able to convey.

Port Coquitlam is so much more than a place on a map. It’s our home. It’s where we raise our families, build our friendships, start our businesses, and make our memories.

It’s where our children learn to ride their bikes, put on their first hockey jerseys, and begin to discover who they are and who they might become.

And it’s where generations of people have worked hard, looked out for their neighbours, and built a community we are all fortunate to call home.

Tonight, as we begin a new chapter in our City’s history, I want to reflect on what we’ve accomplished together, the challenges and opportunities ahead, and the responsibility we share to build an even better future for Port Coquitlam.

A few weeks ago, the people of our city went to the polls, and I want to begin by thanking everyone who participated in our democratic process. Whether you voted for me or someone else, volunteered on a campaign, put your name forward as a candidate, or simply took the time to cast your ballot, you helped strengthen our democracy.

Throughout the campaign, I had the opportunity to hear directly from people all across Port Coquitlam — on doorsteps, at hockey rinks, in our parks, at community events, at Costco, and in conversations on the street.

People shared their concerns, their frustrations, and their hopes and their ideas. And while those conversations covered many different issues, I believe there was a common message running through them: people want a government that is focused on what matters in their daily lives.

They want a government that understands the pressures families are facing, respects the hard-earned money taxpayers contribute, and takes seriously its responsibility to deliver services people depend on.

They want safe neighbourhoods, good roads, well-maintained parks, high-quality recreation facilities, a community where children can grow up, and where their parents can grow old.

They want a government that listens, works hard, tells them the truth, and delivers results. Not political theatre, not endless excuses, not promises that sound impressive but never become reality. They want competence, they want accountability, and they want results.

That has been our Council’s approach to public service.

And I believe the people of Port Coquitlam have spoken clearly through the ballot box about their desire for us to continue this work. And that is exactly what we intend to do. But continuing our work does not mean standing still.

It means building upon the tremendous progress we’ve made, confronting new challenges, and never losing our determination to make Port Coquitlam an even better place to live.

And as we look forward to the future, I think there’s something important that we can learn from our past.

In 1913, a group of people looked at the community they called home and they imagined something more. They had a vision for a new city and for what Port Coquitlam could become. Now, the easy decision might have been to remain part of Coquitlam, right? But the people who founded Port Coquitlam believed in the future of this community, and they were prepared to work for it.

The years that followed were anything but easy. Just seven years after our City was founded, a devastating fire swept through much of our downtown. Businesses were destroyed, livelihoods were lost. The future of this young city was thrown into uncertainty.

And the very next year, the Coquitlam River flooded, bringing further destruction to a community already struggling to recover. Imagine what it must have felt to be one of those families who had been impacted.

To have worked so hard to build a home, establish a business, create a better life, only to see so much of it threatened or swept away.

But the people of Port Coquitlam did not give up. They rebuilt, they persevered. They refused to allow the challenges of the moment to determine the future of this community.

And that, to me, is the true story of Port Coquitlam. The people who founded this city didn’t have the luxury of knowing how the story would turn out. They simply believed in what Port Coquitlam could become and they were prepared to do the work to make it happen.

More than a century later, the responsibility now belongs to us. That spirit of determination, of perseverance, that’s part of our city’s identity.

And perhaps no one has demonstrated it more powerfully than our hometown hero, Terry Fox. A young man from Port Coquitlam who refused to allow extraordinary adversity to extinguish his determination to make a difference. Terry showed the world what courage, compassion, and an unwavering belief in something bigger than ourselves can accomplish.

And while his example was extraordinary, I see that same spirit reflected in the everyday lives of people throughout this community. People who get up each morning, work hard, care for their families, help their neighbours, and do their part to make tomorrow a little better than today. That is the character of Port Coquitlam and that is something worth fighting for.

When I look back over the past eight years, I’m incredibly proud of what this Council, our City staff, and our community have accomplished together. We’ve demonstrated that responsible financial management and excellent public services are not competing objectives. They can, and in fact, they must go hand in hand.

As has been mentioned, and you may have heard me say it once or twice before, Port Coquitlam has the lowest average combined property taxes and utility fees of any municipality in Metro Vancouver.

And I can tell you that did not happen by accident. It happened because we have made fiscal responsibility a fundamental priority. Because we examine our budgets carefully, question expenditures, challenge assumptions, and recognise that every dollar we spend belongs to the people who worked so hard to earn it.

But for us, keeping taxes affordable has never meant sacrificing the quality of our services or the investments we make to strengthen our city. In fact, we’ve demonstrated that it’s possible to hold the line on costs while making significant investments in Port Coquitlam.

We’ve invested in Gates Park. We’ve begun construction of our new multi-sport facility. We’ve improved our roads and transportation infrastructure, strengthened flood protection, and expanded services like curbside glass collection.

We’ve invested in the things that make a real difference in people’s lives while remaining disciplined and responsible with their money. That’s something that we can all be proud of.

And while budgets and infrastructure and major projects are important, I’ve learned in this role that sometimes, the greatest impact of the decisions we make can be found in the smallest moments.

I’ve had many, many special moments during my time as mayor. But there’s one conversation I come back to time and time again.

I was leaving City Hall one day and a woman approached me. She explained that she was a single mom raising her seven-year-old son and they were living in a suite in Mary Hill. She told me that she was working as hard as she could picking up every extra shift that she could manage and doing everything in her power to give her son a good life. But by the time she paid the rent, bought the groceries and covered all of life’s necessities, there just wasn’t much left.

It was the end of September when we spoke and she told me about the summer that she and her son had just enjoyed. He spent three, sometimes four days a week swimming at Robert Hope Pool and then they discovered Centennial. And she told me how much he loved it. The swimming, the splashing, the other kids that he met, the excitement of waking up in the morning knowing he was going to spend another afternoon at the pool.

And she told me that her little boy had just had the most wonderful summer and that we had made it possible because Council decided to make our outdoor pools free.

I felt the emotion listening to her because as a parent, I knew that for her, this meant so much more than swimming.

She was doing everything she could to give her son the childhood that he deserved. And here was something that she could give him, something that didn’t cost her a dollar. A whole summer of fun, of laughter, of making friends and memories.

And she got to sit there and watch her little boy experience the simple, wonderful joy of being seven years old. No worries about the rent, no worries about bills, no worries about what they couldn’t afford. Just her little boy splashing around in the swimming pool, having the time of his life.

And a mother watching him, knowing that despite all the challenges that she was facing, she had been able to give her son a summer that he would remember. All because of a decision made at Port Coquitlam City Hall. I’ve never forgotten that conversation and I want us all to remember it.

Because at the end of the day, the measure of our success isn’t how many motions we pass, how many projects we announce, how much money gets spent. It’s whether we’re making life better for the people we serve.

It’s whether a family has a little more breathing room at the end of the month.

Whether a senior feels secure in the home that they’ve lived in for decades.

Whether a child gets to enjoy the simple experiences that make growing up in this community so special.

And if we never lose sight of that, if we remember that behind every decision we make are real people, real families, and real lives, then I believe we’ll continue to make Port Coquitlam a better place for everyone.

Tonight’s also an opportunity for us to look forward to the future. Our region is growing. The cost of living is putting tremendous pressure on families.

Our infrastructure across Metro Vancouver is ageing. Traffic congestion is affecting people’s quality of life. And the demands that are being placed on local government are greater than ever.

We cannot meet these challenges by pretending they don’t exist. Nor can we meet them by abandoning the principles that have made Port Coquitlam successful. We must approach the next four years with ambition, with discipline, and a clear understanding of what matters most.

And our priorities are clear. We will protect what makes Port Coquitlam affordable. We will invest in what makes it livable.

And we will strengthen what makes it special. Affordability and fiscal responsibility will remain the foundation of everything we do.

We’ll protect the progress we’ve made in keeping taxes and utility fees affordable.

We’ll continue to scrutinise expenditures, seek efficiencies, and ensure that residents receive excellent value for their money.

Affordability is not an abstract economic concept. It’s about whether people can afford to live in the community that they love.

It’s about whether young families can make ends meet, whether seniors can remain in their homes, and whether people who work hard every day can enjoy a good quality of life. We take that responsibility seriously. We have placed it at the core of how we do our work, and we will continue to do so.

We’ll also continue investing in the facilities, the infrastructure, and the public spaces that make Port Coquitlam such an amazing place to live. That means improving our parks, playgrounds, trails, sports fields, and recreation amenities. It means engaging with our residents on the future expansion of Hyde Creek Recreation Centre so we can meet the growing demand for aquatics and recreation.

It means maintaining our roads, strengthening drainage and flood protection systems, and investing responsibly in the infrastructure our community depends on.

As has become our mantra, getting the basics right, delivering on our municipal responsibilities, the things that you send your tax dollars to City Hall for, that’s what will guide us.

It also means tackling the traffic congestion that is affecting people’s quality of life.

Our Council will seek as an urgent priority a fair agreement with the City of Coquitlam on the construction of the Fremont Connector to relieve the impact of regional growth that is impacting our community and being felt most significantly in our Northside neighbourhoods.

We’ll also continue our work to revitalise our downtown, support local businesses, and create welcoming public spaces that bring people together.

We are creating a downtown that is the beating heart of this community, where longstanding businesses thrive alongside new ones, where families gather in our public spaces, where people can enjoy dinner on a sidewalk patio, listen to live music, or simply spend time together. A downtown that is welcoming, lively, safe, and unmistakably Port Coquitlam.

We’ll also continue working to ensure that Port Coquitlam is a community where everyone can feel secure, where every resident feels safe walking through their neighbourhood, visiting a park, operating a business, or raising a family. We’ll continue supporting the work of our police, firefighters, bylaw officers, and emergency personnel.

We’ll stand up for the victims of crime, advocate for meaningful improvements to our justice and mental health systems, and do everything within our authority to protect the safety and well-being of our community.

But perhaps most importantly, we will continue to strengthen the sense of community that makes Port Coquitlam unlike anywhere else in British Columbia. As our city grows and changes, we must never lose the strong sense of belonging that has defined Port Coquitlam for generations.

It’s the bond that keeps lifelong residents here, and the spirit that makes those who are new to our city feel like they finally found home.

Growth and change are inevitable, but losing what makes our community special is not.

We know that Port Coquitlam is special not simply because of our buildings, our parks, or our recreation facilities. It’s our people. Protecting that sense of belonging will remain one of our most important responsibilities.

I want to take a moment now to recognise some of the people who helped make all of this work possible.

To my colleagues on City Council, I want to express my sincere appreciation and congratulations to all of you. Over the years we’ve worked together, we’ve debated difficult issues, challenged one another, and shared more than a few laughs along the way. And I believe that we’ve all made one another better.

Each of you brings your own experience, judgement, and commitment to this work, and our community is stronger because of it. I am truly proud to call all of you friends.

I also want to recognise and thank your families who are here, who make sacrifices that are not always visible to the public.

But I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together, and I’m excited about what lies ahead too.

To our City staff, I want to express my sincere appreciation. No matter your role at the City, you are the people who turn the decisions made at Council into results that are felt by our residents.

Our City has distinguished itself in so many positive ways. We punch well above our weight, and that is in large part because of your efforts. I want all of you to know how much I value and appreciate what you do every single day for the people of this great community.

I’m proud of the organisation we have built, and I look forward to what we will accomplish together over the next four years.

And finally to my family, my mom Kelly, stepdad Brian who are here, thank you for all the love and support.

To my wife Blaire, or as she insists I’m being called at home now, trustee West, thank you for everything. You are the most incredible, kind, good-hearted person I’ve ever met. Thank you for your love, your patience, and your unwavering support. Public service asks a great deal of the people that we love, and no one understands that better than you.

I’m incredibly proud of you, not only for everything you do, for our family, but for your own commitment to serving this community. Our boys are so incredibly lucky to call you mom, and I am so lucky to live this life by your side.

To Liam and Owen, the boys are not here tonight, that’s what happens when you’re being sworn in for the third time. Liam is at lacrosse. He did tell me, “Dad, I’ve heard all your speeches before.”

But my two boys are the greatest joy of my life, and one of the things I love most about being mayor is getting to see Port Coquitlam through their eyes — at the hockey rink, at the lacrosse box, at the playground, walking through our neighbourhoods.

The boys remind me every day why this work matters, because when I think about the future of Port Coquitlam, I think about the kind of community I want them to inherit, and the kind of community that every child growing up here deserves.

I’ve lived in Port Coquitlam my entire life. I’ve watched this city grow and change. I’ve seen what we can accomplish when we work together, and I’ve come to understand that the greatest thing about this community isn’t something that you can find on a map, or measure in a budget, or build out of bricks and mortar. It’s the people who call it home, and that’s why despite the challenges ahead, I have never been more optimistic about our future.

I know the character of this community. I know its generosity. I know its resilience. I know its determination, and I know that when we set our minds to something, when we work together, when we stay focused on what matters, there is very little that we cannot accomplish.

There’s a tendency in politics to talk about the future as though it’s something that simply happens to us, something we wait for, something that we hope turns out well.

But the future of Port Coquitlam is not something that will be decided for us. It’s something that we have the responsibility and the opportunity to build together.

And now it’s our turn. Our turn to carry forward what others have begun. Our turn to meet the challenges of our time with the same courage, determination, and belief in this community that has characterised Port Coquitlam from its earliest days.

We’re going to build a city worthy of the generations who will come after us.

And if years from now, that next generation can say that we cared for this city, that we worked hard, that we made life better for the people who call it home, that we left Port Coquitlam a little better than we found it, then we will have done our job.

That is the responsibility we have been entrusted with. That is the opportunity before us.

And that is the promise we renew to the people of Port Coquitlam tonight.

Thank you for the extraordinary privilege of serving as your mayor. Please join us on Nov. 11 for our city’s Remembrance Day ceremony as we honour those whose sacrifice has given us this democracy that we celebrate this evening.

Thank you so much for being here.

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