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Headlines from the past: A housing crisis is nothing new in the Tri-Cities

In 1993, Coquitlam commissioned a survey of developers to determine how it could improve and hasten the procession of development applications.
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Construction workers build new homes in Coquitlam that was feeling the pressure to keep pace with an annual growth rate of five per cent in 1993.

Stories from Tri-City News headlines of decades past is a recurring feature as the publication approaches its 40th anniversary in 2024.


Coping with a housing crisis and a pace of development that can't keep up is nothing new in the Tri-Cities.

In 1993, developers were complaining about the length of time it was taking their applications for new projects in Coquitlam to work their way through city hall.

In fact, more than half the respondents to a survey of the building industry commissioned by the city expressed dissatisfaction.

Don Buchanan, Coquitlam's director of planning, told the Tri-City News staff is simply overwhelmed by the number of applications they're having to process.

"One thing we're looking at is if there are any redundancies in the process, things that can be removed," he said.

One councillor said the city's annual growth rate of about five per cent is putting pressure on staff trying to keep up. But relieving that pressure would only come at a price.

"In order to provide the same service level, you have to increase your support… or decide on a lower service level because you want to lower taxes."

Buchanan said improvements to technology might be one way to speed things up, suggesting the implementation of an integrated database in its computer network would allow more efficient communication between departments.

"We're relying on papers, phone calls and meetings," he said.


The Tri-City News has covered civic affairs, local crime, festivals, events, personalities, sports and arts in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody since 1983. Bound back issues of the paper are available at the Coquitlam Archives, while digital versions of several past years can be found at issuu.com.