Matt Djonlic, talks with Brad Nickason from We’ve Got Issues about his run for Coquitlam City Council. Matt has been a Library Board Trustee for the last eight years, working closely with the City in terms of governing, advocacy, and budgeting Coquitlam’s library system. Libraries serve as community centres and offer programs such as Book Buses to encourage literacies in neighbourhoods not serviced by a library. Matt also served on the Arts and Culture Committee for two years.

Matt says experience such as forwarding items on an agenda will benefit him in being a respectful City Councillor. Toxicity may have contributed to lower number of people running for office; Matt feels a respectful workplace starts with the Councillors not ‘stoking the flames’.

Matt sees exciting opportunities for Coquitlam, along with challenges of a growing population of young families and newcomers. He supports ‘complete communities’ including housing options, rec centres, schools, improved transit and walkable communities. It’s important to include amenity spaces as the City grows and develops. He would encourage more Business Improvement Associations (BIAs) to attract and support small businesses.

More park space is needed due to an increased number of people working from home; we are seeing an explosion of park use. Matt sees potential for hiking and camping in Pinecone-Burke Park with Provincial funds and increased access to Minnekhada Park.

Matt worked in the Provincial Mental Health ministry and sees great potential for state of the art mental health care and also opportunities for reconciliation with kʷikʷəƛ̓əm First Nation on the səmiq̓ʷəʔelə (Riverview) lands. Matt says Coquitlam residents should be proud of the desire to have complex mental health care in their own backyard. He also recognizes the importance of protecting some of the incredible green-space on the lands and highly recommends going on a Tree Walk with the Riverview Hort Society