Face to Face with Councillor Nancy McCurrah: Practical Leadership for a Growing Port Coquitlam

On the Face to Face, Geneviève Kyle-Lefebvre talks with Nancy McCurrach, City Councillor for Port Coquitlam.

The conversation traced a civic journey that began with a backyard incident and a first appearance at a council chamber, and has since grown into results that have made a difference that residents can experience in civic facilities, and beyond, along with collective council decisions, with the budget always in mind. McCurrach’s lens is relentlessly practical.

She points to the city’s upcoming Climate Action Plan and recent flood-mitigation investments, including new pump stations at Cedar Drive and Maple Creek, as examples of collective planning for the weather realities now shaping the region. “We are building for resilience, not just for the next season but for the next generation,” she said. “If we do the work beneath the surface, people feel the benefits every day.”

Housing and affordability remain front and center. Port Coquitlam has set targets that align with Provincially mandated targets to add hundreds of homes over the next five years, and recorded a recent high in annual permits, along with delivering below markets rental homes. The approach, McCurrah noted, is to add supply while preserving the city’s long-standing reputation for fiscal discipline. “Residents expect us to keep taxes low and deliver value,” she said. “That means sequencing projects, securing grants, and sourcing materials locally whenever we can.”

Transportation is the other pillar. From multi-use paths to continued advocacy for a SkyTrain connection, the city is aligning daily mobility with population growth. “People should be able to get to work, to school, and to the rink without losing an hour in traffic.” McCurrach said. “Smart links and safer streets are essential city services.”

McCurrach’s record also includes community-level policies with immediate human impact. She championed free menstrual products in civic facilities, as these products are a basic necessity items similar to toilet paper, thereby removing barriers that promote gender equity”. Later going on to make policy changes Provincially & Federally on this topic. She also brought forth super seniors getting free gym passes, a rain-garden pilot project, a rain barrel program to name a few, and has more ideas, she encourages residents to submit feedback that supports an accessibility action plan that invites residents to flag barriers. “Rising to overcome adversity made me stronger,” she reflected. “It is why I keep fighting for a future where services are accessible, families feel supported, and everyone can participate.”

Asked what keeps her motivated as 2026 approaches, McCurrach did not hesitate. “Encouraging letters from students, conversations on doorsteps there is more work to do! When people feel heard, cities get better.”