The Tri-City News sent questionnaires to each candidate in the 2022 civic election to learn more about who they are, why they are campaigning and what are the issues that matter most to them.
Candidates are being published to our website in alphabetical order.
Phillip Buchan
- Age: 57
- Years as a Coquitlam resident: Nine
- Occupation: Teacher and package handler
- Most recent civic/volunteer work? Poppy seller before Remembrance Day every year for Royal Canadian Legion 263.
- Website: philbuchan.ca
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram/Twitter/Facebook: @philbuchan
Why are you running for public office?
"I am running for office to bring a fresh perspective to council and to listen to all Coquitlam citizens concerns and help them with problems they have in their daily lives. If elected, I want to put forward a motion to include 20 per cent below-market housing and rentals in all new developments. I also want to put pressure on TransLink to increase the frequency of bus service in all of Coquitlam so people will not have to wait long periods of time to return home from work and school."
What’s your No. 1 issue and why?
"My No. 1 issue is the byelection that was not called. It is a disservice to Coquitlam citizens that a vacant city council seat has not been filled as required by law. A number of other municipalities, including Lytton (which was devastated by a wildfire) complied with provincial law and held byelections following the September 2021 federal election. Coquitlam has ample funds in its Election Reserve Fund for a possible byelection so the cost would not have negatively affected any other city programs and services. Required elections should not be declared unnecessary or inconvenient by our elected representatives."
