Port Moody—Coquitlam

Port Moody—Coquitlam was a closely contested swing riding that the BC Liberals had held by just 437 votes in 2013, when Linda Reimer defeated the NDP candidate to take the seat. The riding encompassed the city of Port Moody, the villages of Anmore and Belcarra, and parts of western Coquitlam. The opening of the Evergreen Extension of the SkyTrain in December 2016 had transformed the area, bringing rapid transit access and triggering a wave of development proposals that divided residents on questions of density and neighbourhood character.

Candidates

Rick Glumac (BC NDP) — Glumac held a degree in electronics engineering from Simon Fraser University and had built a career in computer graphics and visual effects. He worked as a software developer, visual effects artist, and computer graphics supervisor, contributing to productions including the pioneering computer-animated television show ReBoot, and later working for DreamWorks and Electronic Arts on films such as Shrek 2 and Madagascar. He was first elected to Port Moody city council in 2011 and re-elected in 2014 with the highest vote total of any council candidate. During his time on council, he chaired the city's Economic Development, Environmental Protection, Heritage, Arts and Culture, and Community Care committees.

Linda Reimer (BC Liberal Party) — Reimer was the incumbent MLA, having won the seat in 2013. She was a graduate of Simon Fraser University who had previously served two terms as a Coquitlam city councillor. During her term as MLA, she served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development.

Don Barthel (BC Green Party) — Barthel was an entrepreneur who founded two high-technology businesses, including Softline Systems and UsedEverywhere.com, a network of city-based online classified platforms.

Local Issues

The Evergreen Extension SkyTrain line, which opened in December 2016, was both an achievement and a flashpoint. While it connected Port Moody and Coquitlam to the broader rapid transit network for the first time, the arrival of SkyTrain spurred aggressive development proposals around station areas. Residents were divided over the pace and scale of densification, with some welcoming new housing supply and transit-oriented development, while others worried about the loss of neighbourhood character in what had been a quieter, more suburban community.

Housing affordability was a central concern across the Tri-Cities. The BC Non-Profit Housing Association and Co-operative Housing Federation of BC produced a specific campaign guide for the Port Moody—Coquitlam riding, highlighting the gap between incomes and housing costs in the community. With Metro Vancouver's housing market among the most expensive in Canada, residents looked to the provincial government for action on foreign speculation, rental supply, and social housing. The riding's competitive electoral history meant that both major parties invested heavily in the contest, recognizing it as one of the seats that could determine which party formed government.