Dehara Thompson lays out Port Coquitlam vision in new campaign magazine

ASM, Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 15, 2026

Photo courtesy: Dehara Thompson

PORT COQUITLAM, British Columbia — Port Coquitlam city council candidate Dehara Thompson has rolled out a campaign magazine outlining her policy priorities, community work and personal background ahead of the city’s Oct. 17 municipal election.

Titled “THOMPSON: A Vision for Port Coquitlam,” the Fall 2026 publication presents Thompson’s campaign around housing, community safety, complete communities and fiscal responsibility, while also highlighting her involvement in sport, local organizations and youth development.

The magazine opens with a letter to Port Coquitlam residents in which Thompson says she is seeking a council seat because decisions over the next four years will shape housing, safety and community spaces for local families and future generations.

Housing and community safety

Housing forms one of the central pieces of Thompson’s platform.

Her campaign calls for what she describes as smart density near transit and along the West Coast Express corridor, with growth paced alongside the capacity of schools, roads and municipal services. The magazine also stresses protecting established neighbourhoods while creating additional housing opportunities for families and young adults.

Her official campaign platform further calls for a wider mix of housing options, faster approval timelines for projects that meet community needs, partnerships with non-profit housing providers and cooperation with the provincial government on locally driven housing solutions.

On community safety, Thompson’s campaign supports adequately resourced frontline services while placing additional emphasis on mental health, addiction outreach, traffic safety, maintained public spaces and prevention programs.

The magazine specifically points to cooperation between RCMP services and Fraser Health outreach, alongside clean streets, parks and responsive bylaw enforcement.

Recreation, green spaces and city infrastructure

A second section of the platform focuses on what Thompson calls “complete communities.”

Her campaign argues that sport, recreation, parks and infrastructure should be considered core community needs. Proposals include keeping recreation facilities accessible to families, supporting after-school and youth programs, expanding services for seniors, protecting green spaces and investing in aging roads, sidewalks, water and sewer infrastructure.

Thompson pairs those proposals with a fiscal responsibility platform calling for careful municipal spending, greater pursuit of provincial and federal grants, transparent reporting and less reliance on property taxes to fund community needs. Her campaign website also says she wants to protect Port Coquitlam’s record of relatively restrained tax increases while maintaining city services.

From sport to community leadership

The publication also serves as an introduction to Thompson beyond her council platform.

Thompson describes herself as a former professional soccer player, business owner and executive director of She Plays Sports Society, an organization focused on creating opportunities for women and girls in sport. Her campaign website also lists experience with the BC Summer Games, school and community organizations, coaching and sport development.

One section of the magazine, “Community Connections,” highlights organizations and spaces tied to Thompson’s community involvement, including She Plays Sports Society, the ASCA African Soccer Tournament, Masagana Filipino Store, Riverside Community Church, Team Chosen and PoCoMo Pickleball Club.

Another section focuses on her work supporting girls and young women in soccer through the Super Feminil Program, reflecting sport and female participation as recurring themes throughout the publication.

Her campaign biography also emphasizes the intersection of sport, business and community service, presenting those experiences as part of the perspective she wants to bring to city council.

Support ahead of October vote

The magazine includes an endorsement from Mable Elmore, the MLA for Vancouver-Kensington and Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. In the campaign publication, Elmore backs Thompson’s council bid and points to her experience in sport and community-building. Elmore’s position as Deputy Speaker is confirmed by the B.C. legislature.

A separate page also features a congratulatory message from Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West recognizing Thompson for putting her name forward for public office. The message is presented separately from Elmore’s formal endorsement.

Thompson is among the candidates seeking one of six council seats in the October 17, 2026 Port Coquitlam municipal election. The City of Port Coquitlam has confirmed that residents will elect a mayor, six councillors and two school trustees.

With the campaign magazine, Thompson is putting her policy positions and community record into a single pitch to voters as the race for Port Coquitlam council moves closer to election day.