Update from Coquitlam Councillor Steve Kim

Coquitlam City Councillor Steve Kim speaks with We’ve Got Issues hosts Brad Nickason and Nancy Furness about his background and what inspired him to run for Coquitlam City Council. He shares his role in Council committees and projects, his experiences as a first-term Councillor, his most significant accomplishments to date and what he still aspires to achieve during his first term.

Councillor Steve Kim’s parents were one of the first Koreans to immigrate to Canada in the early 1960’s. Steve was born in East Vancouver and his parents owned a Korean food store in Strathcona where Steve saw Mom & Pop businesses at work. In 1981 the family moved to Coquitlam near the Riverview Lands. Three generations of family now live, work and go to school in Coquitlam. In the mid-nineties Steve completed under- grad studies, followed by Grad School in Korea (Venture Technology and Start-up Industries). He worked in the ‘tech’ industries before moving back to the Lower Mainland at the end of 1999.

Volunteering and serving the community inspired him to run for City Council. When he moved back to Coquitlam he saved time and money by not having to commute and felt that sustainable growth in Coquitlam, enabling living and working here, would enhance quality of life. Steve’s first two years on City Council have been an amazing experience and the greatest honour of his life.

The first year was a life-changing period of learning. The second year was a roller-coaster dealing with the COVID 19 pandemic. Steve related how the City’s response ensured residents were safe and informed, and supportive of small businesses and how tremendous it was to see the community come together. Steve ‘learned the ropes’ on his own, through City training and additional education, training, and development through the Lower Mainland Local Government Association (LMLGA). Fellow Councillors provided insight and history to enable respect for work already carried out while allowing contribution of new ideas and perspectives. Council is committed to ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion. Steve has worked with Council and with several organizations to understand, denounce, and eradicate anti- Asian racism since the start of the pandemic. He worked with philanthropist Jack Chin on a message of unity and support of health care workers through donations and masks.

Steve works on the following committees: Cultural Services Advisory Committee (includes arts, culture and heritage organizations and artists), Riverview Lands Advisory Committee, Coquitlam River Watershed Roundtable and alternate for Tri-Cities Healthier Communities Partnership and the Tri-Cities Food Security Table. All have been great opportunities to learn more about what’s happening on the ground with the community.

Steve shared that there is an incredible relationship between Council and staff, great team building and organizational culture, and that the City has been very welcoming. Staff is very responsive and collaborative. Steve credited to the City Manager Mr Pete Steblin for bringing in the right people.

The most inspiring part of the job is the people, and Steve can’t think of a better way to serve and give back to the community at every level. His proudest achievement on Council is supporting small business, non-profits, and residents during COVID. Steve has also been involved in seniors’ weekly meal delivery, along with other dedicated people.

Over the next two years Steve feels we need to be beyond COVID for the sake of our economy and our health. He wants to make sure small businesses are not hurting and non-profits are able to get their work done. He feels there is more to be done with respect to housing, environmental stewardship, and walkable communities.

Steve’s final message was “Let’s be good to each other”. We are fortunate to have a strong public health office that’s setting the right guidelines. Elected officials are letting the experts do their job. Take a step back and realize that we have to sacrifice a little, stay home, support small and local businesses, and know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.