About the Candidate
A Port Coquitlam Resident Who Listens and Advocates
Across six campaigns for Port Coquitlam City Council—from 1999 through 2022—I have listened closely to residents, investigated the issues they raised and persistently advocated for practical improvements across our community. Many of those issues began with conversations with residents, and in a number of cases Council later took action.
My record reflects the approach I would bring to Council: strong community perspective, practical judgment, persistence and a focus on results that improve quality of life in Port Coquitlam. In 2026, I am asking for the opportunity to bring that experience and approach to City Council and to earn your confidence to serve.
My Approach
Listening, Preparation and Action
I listen carefully to residents, research the issues they raise and identify practical solutions. I believe public consultation must lead to responsible decisions—and that once residents have been heard and the facts are clear, Council should move forward and get the job done.
A Record of Persistence
Throughout those years, I reached out to residents, listened to their concerns and turned what I heard into practical proposals. Many of those priorities were later advanced by Mayor Brad West and City Council. I do not claim credit for Council’s accomplishments. My record demonstrates that I recognized community priorities and persistently advocated for action—often years before Council acted.
From Listening to Action
My approach is straightforward: listen carefully, do the homework, focus on practical solutions and persistently advocate for action. I believe a Councillor's job is to protect what residents value, speak up clearly on issues that matter, and work hard to get things done in a reasonable period of time.
Rooted in Port Coquitlam
My family’s connection to Port Coquitlam goes back more than 60 years. My grandfather built a family home here in 1962, and this is where I began my life. I returned to Port Coquitlam in 1988 to raise my family. For the past 26 years, I have lived in the Birchland neighbourhood—just two blocks from the home my grandfather built. My children have grown up participating in local soccer, lacrosse, hockey, softball, karate and baseball. I have volunteered in community sports as a coach and as a member of hockey and baseball executives. These experiences gave me a firsthand appreciation for the importance of recreation facilities, sports fields and community programs to local families. Over the years, I have watched Port Coquitlam grow and change while retaining the strong sense of community that makes residents proud to call it home. My roots are here, my children have grown up here, and this is where Carla and I intend to remain. I want to help protect the qualities residents value while continuing to advocate for thoughtful, practical improvements that respond to our community’s changing needs.
Why I First Ran for Council
I first ran for Port Coquitlam City Council in 1999 because I believed important community needs were not always being heard or addressed in a timely manner. Those early experiences shaped the approach I have followed ever since: listen to residents, understand the issues, identify practical needs and persistently advocate for action.
What Residents Raised. What I Advocated For.
My advocacy has been shaped by listening to residents—while knocking on doors, attending sporting events, visiting parks and trails, and participating in conversations on social media.
Those conversations led me to advocate for practical improvements across our community.
Recreation, Families and Community Life
- • A third sheet of ice
- • A covered lacrosse box
- • Improved sports fields
- • Enclosed playgrounds
- • More dog parks
- • A north-side picnic shelter
Neighbourhood Safety and Maintenance
- • Flashing beacons at dangerous crosswalks
- • More sidewalks
- • Safer school zones
- • Prompt pothole repairs
- • Regular repainting of road lines
- • Clearly maintained crosswalk markings
Environmental Protection and City Services
- • Curbside glass recycling
- • Additional recycling pickup during the holidays
- • A ban on plastic bags
- • A 30% tree-canopy target
Affordability, Growth and the Local Economy
- • Keeping property taxes low
- • Responsible City spending
- • More affordable housing options
- d housing options• Support for local businesses
- • Action on longstanding transportation projects
- • Infrastructure and services that keep pace with growth
These priorities did not begin as campaign slogans. They began with residents identifying problems, sharing ideas and asking for practical improvements. My role has been to listen, investigate and persistently advocate for action.
A Practical, Community-Focused Approach
Listening Comes First
Over the years, I have listened to Port Coquitlam residents on their doorsteps, at sporting events, in parks, along community trails and through social media. Those conversations have helped me understand what residents value, where improvements are needed and which priorities require action.
A Legacy of Service
My commitment to turning listening into results was also shaped by my father. Drawing on his experience as both a British Columbia cabinet minister and a Peachland councillor, he taught me that public service means listening to people, focusing on their priorities and getting the job done.
I dedicated my 2018 Council campaign to my father's memory. His advice had guided my approach since my first campaign in 1999, and it continues to guide me today.
What Matters to You?
Port Coquitlam's future should be shaped by the people who call it home. As our community grows, I will keep listening, remain focused on residents' priorities and advocate for practical action.
What is working? What needs attention? What idea could improve your neighbourhood or our community? I want to hear from you.
Share Your IdeasFamily Came First
Compassionate and Effective Leadership
I grew up in a family of nine, with five of my siblings joining our family through adoption. My parents were my earliest role models for compassion, responsibility and putting people first.
In 2014, my wife and I welcomed three young siblings into our family through adoption. That experience deepened my understanding of the values my parents had demonstrated throughout my childhood.
Compassion strengthens leadership. It means listening carefully, treating people with dignity and recognizing that residents may be facing circumstances that are not immediately visible. It must also be matched by responsible decisions, practical solutions and follow-through.
Why I’m Running in 2026
Community Support
Over more than 25 years of community involvement and Council campaigns, thousands of Port Coquitlam residents have placed their confidence in me. I came within 196 votes of being elected in 2008 and within 207 votes in 2022. I remain sincerely grateful for that support.
A Record of Persistence
Throughout those years, I listened to residents and turned their concerns into practical proposals. Several priorities I raised were later advanced by Mayor Brad West and City Council. I do not claim credit for Council’s accomplishments. My record demonstrates that I recognized genuine community needs and persistently advocated for action—sometimes years before Council acted.
From Listening to Action
I’m asking for your vote so I can bring that same preparation, persistence and community-focused approach to City Council: listen carefully, do the homework, speak up and work constructively to move decisions forward.
Public consultation matters, but it must lead to decisions. Once residents have been heard and the facts are clear, Council should act—particularly on concerns about speeding and pedestrian safety, including the need for additional speed humps or installing new ones to calm traffic and flashing crosswalk beacons on main roads such as Prairie Avenue, Shaughnessy Street, Cedar Drive and Citadel Drive.
Proud of Port Coquitlam. Focused on what still needs to get done.
Learn more about Darin's platform
See the full Record of Advocacy or read the 2026 Priorities.