MLA’s Coronation Park letter surprising and ‘disappointing,’ responds developer

An MLA’s letter calling for the Coronation Park development to be reconfigured is a disappointment, according to a response letter from Wesgroup senior vice-president Brad Jones.

With the project’s public hearing set for Tuesday, Port Moody-Coquitlam MLA Rick Glumac suggested the developer could cut some of the project’s 2,845 parking stalls and use those savings to provide affordable housing.

The project is slated to include 2,857 units but no below-market rentals.

After making a dozen appearances in council chambers and responding to numerous suggestions and criticisms from two different Port Moody councils, Glumac’s letter came as a surprise, Jones stated.

“Given your expressed interest in providing affordable housing for the community, I would have expected this letter from you in January 2021, when the previous city council voted to eliminate 175 below-market rental units from an earlier version of this proposal,” he wrote.

The idea of trading parking for affordable housing is more complicated than it seems, Jones wrote, explaining that taking away parking stalls would mean Wesgroup would need to pay Port Moody more money to manage increased transportation demand.

Also, adding more density would mean the project would no longer comply with Port Moody’s Official Community Plan. That non-compliance would necessitate a new OCP amendment and further delays, Jones added.

Noting high interest rates, construction costs, and other costs, Jones emphasized the importance of avoiding further delays.

“The fact that the MLA for our community is stepping in at this late juncture to propose alterations to a plan that aligns with city policy, complies with the Official Community Plan, and is consistent with provincial policy is disappointing,” he wrote.

The city is set to work with Wesgroup on different ways to add below-market rentals to the development, explained Port Moody Mayor Meghan Lahti.

Reducing parking could be considered. However, that reduction may not lead to a better project, Lahti added.

“At this time there is not sufficient information to determine what the construction financial savings will be,” she wrote. “However it is believed [it] will not result in the financial advantage that is being referenced in [Glumac’s] letter.”

Wesgroup has committed to looking at options to add affordable housing, Lahti added.

“We will be looking at all options when considering how to add affordable to the project, after the rezoning is approved.,” Lahti wrote in an email to the Dispatch.