New Westminster & District Labour Council

08/21/2026

Back in June, around 25 Nico Wynd Golf Course workers vote YES for strike action. We made it clear that we would protect our hard-won rights like seniority and critical protections that we fought years to achieve.

After a strong strike vote, then mediation that didn’t go anywhere, the employer disregarded the union by forcing another vote on the already-rejected offer.

Workers rejected it.

Let’s be clear: The Nico Wynd Strata Council doesn’t have workers’ backs.

That’s why we need to keep the pressure on. Stay tuned for an upcoming community meeting.

08/21/2026

Supporting Seniors in Coquitlam
My mom and I have lived in Coquitlam for 60 years, yesterday we went for our favourite outing- A visit to Rocky Point Ice Cream at Town Centre Park.

At the last census in 2021, 16% of Coquitlam’s population was aged 65 or older, while 38% of the population was 50+. These numbers demonstrate just how important senior-focused services, programs and housing are to our community.
Coquitlam is home to two community centres specifically dedicated to serving the 50+ population: Dogwood Pavilion and Glen Pine Pavilion. Together, these Pavilions welcomed nearly 350,000 visitors last year.

The Pavilions offer more than 410 City programs each season, delivered by City instructors. These include bus trips, instructional programs such as language education and photography, talks and lectures, fitness programs, and support with important life skills.

Last year, more than 400 seniors received support through the income tax program, 1,200 seniors registered for Pavilion fitness classes, and nearly 2,000 seniors attended special events, including dinner dances.
In addition to these two seniors’ centres, there are many adult-focused fitness and recreational drop-in opportunities and registered programs available at the City’s other community recreation facilities.
The City also produces a seasonal Seniors Guide highlighting programs and activities available to adults and seniors throughout Coquitlam.

Food Services and Meaningful Meals
As part of the City's senior food services, both Pavilions have cafes, and over 140,000 nutritious lunch entrees were served last year and subsidized by the city to be priced under $10.

For seniors who have difficulty getting out of their homes, the city, with the help of community volunteers, delivers 3500 meals annually under the Meaningful Meals program to people’s homes while also providing an important social visit.

Housing and Other Support
Council has supported below-market and non-market housing projects through the developer-funded Affordable Housing Reserve Fund (AHRF). This funding has helped create much-needed housing for residents in need, including seniors.
More recently, Council endorsed partnerships with non-profit housing societies for two new housing projects in Coquitlam specifically geared toward seniors—one on Sydney Avenue and another adjacent to the Maillardville Community Centre.
Council approved the Seniors Services Strategy (2018-28) with specific and targeted actions by Council intended to support seniors in our community, including increasing adapted recreation offerings, completing updates to the Get Connected/Get Active financial assistance program (now called Financial Assistance for Recreation)

Next Steps
I expect the Seniors Services Strategy will come back to Council for an update during the next term, and we will continue to advocate to other levels of government for increased support for seniors.
Council also unanimously supported my suggestion earlier this year to ask the Province to extend the current provincial seniors’ property tax deferral program to also include utility payments. This would provide additional financial relief for seniors and help address the growing cost pressures many are facing.
Coquitlam has a strong network of services, programs, facilities and partnerships supporting our seniors. There is always more that can be done, but I am proud of the work our community and Council have undertaken to ensure that seniors in Coquitlam have opportunities to stay active, connected, supported and engaged in the community they call home.

08/16/2026

08/14/2026

08/14/2026

Imagine the support that we could get. . . .
Well, we appreciate that the stats show that violence in our schools has increased by almost double since 2021, we know that the stats are not actually true. We know that there are violent incidents that are happening daily that are going undocumented.
A hit is a hit is a hit. We are paid to report and document in our job, but we are not paid to get hit.

08/14/2026

We’ve released a new working paper by Dr. Lorna Wanosts’a7 Williams and Dr. John Price in which they explore the roots and nuances of the colonial backlash that followed two recent landmark court decisions (Cowichan Tribes v. Canada and Gitxaala v. British Columbia) and the BC government’s threat to roll back DRIPA.

It’s a must-read!

The link to the paper is in the comments below.