Workforce & Sectors

Coquitlam is home to one of Canada’s top film locations - Riverview Hospital on the səmiq̓wəʔelə (Riverview Lands). Our green spaces, heritage buildings and facilities are also in high demand for feature film, TV series, commercials and student-led productions.

In addition, nearly 1,700 people who work in the industry live here in Coquitlam. Our diverse landscape, readily available labour force, long list of reputable suppliers, in-demand facilities and easy access to downtown Vancouver create a blockbuster combination.

Visit our Filming page for further details.

The City of Coquitlam issues more than 7,000 business licences each year. This number is steadily growing by about 2% each year. About 98% are small businesses, with strong growth in Home-Based Businesses (PDF).

Coquitlam is home to several manufacturing and food processing companies. A cluster of concrete and asphalt manufacturers also carry out operations here. Sand and gravel producers have a long history of building our community.

Many of these companies export their products worldwide. They enjoy the advantage of Coquitlam’s easy access to:

• International airports
• Port of Vancouver
• United States border crossings

Our central location makes Coquitlam an ideal choice for manufacturers.

The arrival of SkyTrain led to transit-oriented development in Coquitlam. This has supported businesses and workers by making it easier to commute and do business throughout Metro Vancouver.

This group includes:

• Accounting
• Education
• Finance
• Health care
• Legal
• Real estate
• And more

The Retail / Wholesale Sector (PDF) is the largest employer in British Columbia. Our retail and wholesale businesses serve Coquitlam and the surrounding region.

Use our digital tool to analyze the labour workforce ready for employment in this sector.

Coquitlam businesses in the technology sector include:

• Clean Technology
• Digital Media
• Health and Life Sciences
• Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
• Wireless

Many local tech companies benefit from Coquitlam’s 90-kilometer fibre optic network, QNet.

Our goal is to encourage local spend, boost the number of visitors to our community and increase the tourism dollars spent here.

Coquitlam’s Tourism Office promotes local businesses, events, activities and amenities through various means, including:

• Coquitlam Tourism Website
• Coquitlam Travel and Experiences Guide
• Posters, Events, Outreach and More
• Specialized Social Media Channels (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram)