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Port Coquitlam council was paid a total of $473K in 2021

Including expenses, income and benefits, Port Coquitlam’s mayor and council took home $473,354 in 2021, according to the city’s recently released statement of financial information.

Port Coquitlam councillors were paid a base salary of $44,705 in 2021, with the exception of Coun. Laura Dupont, who was paid $40,482. Mayor Brad West was paid a base salary of $128,837.

Benefits, which include health and dental premiums, ranged from $2,420 paid to Dupont to $40,285 paid to West.

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Expenses on council ranged from $831 for Coun. Steve Darling to $3,301 for West. Expenses often cover items such as transportation and lodging costs for conferences and government panels outside the city.

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Port Coquitlam paid city staff $32.9 million in 2021.

Including benefits and compensation, there were 107 city employees who earned more than $100,000 in 2021. The city’s director of finance topped city salaries with $212,834.

Property taxes and where they go

The city collected a total of $116 million in property taxes in 2021. After paying $33.2 million in school taxes and putting $7.6 million toward improved transportation along with other expenses, the city held onto $73.3 million. Combined with $25.9 million in utilities as well as cash from permits, contributions and investments,, the city counted $121.5 in revenue in 2021.

The city spent $106.5 million in 2021.

In terms of expenses, Port Coquitlam spent the biggest chunk of change – $18.3 million – on engineering and public works. The second largest expense was policing, which cost the city $17.3 million in 2021.

Related: Coquitlam council was paid total of $800k in 2021

Port Moody council was paid total of $385k in 2021

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A chiropractor and a folk singer, after having one great kid, decided to push their luck and have one more, a boy they named Jeremy Shepherd.

Shepherd grew up around Blue Mountain Park in Coquitlam, following a basketball around and trying his best to get to the NBA (it didn’t work out, at least not yet).

With no career plans after graduating Porter Elementary school, Jeremy Shepherd pursued higher education at Como Lake Middle School and eventually, Centennial High School.

Approximately 1,000 movies and several beers later in life, Shepherd made a change.

Having done nothing worth writing, he decided to see if he could write something worth reading.

Since graduating journalism school at Langara College, Shepherd has been a reporter, editor and, reluctantly, a content provider for community newspapers around Metro Vancouver for more than 10 years.

He worked with dogged reporters, eloquently indignant curmudgeons and creative photographers, all of whom shared a little of what they knew.

Now, as he goes about the business of raising two fascinating humans alongside a wonderful partner, Shepherd is delighted to report news and tell stories in the Tri-Cities.

He runs, reads, and is intrigued by art, science, smart cities and new ideas. He is pleased to meet you.