About Port Moody
The City of Port Moody is a gorgeous city, approximately 30 minutes from the downtown Vancouver core, bordering Coquitlam and Burnaby. The city features great amenities, a growing community and access to beautiful parks that can be enjoyed year-round.
Port Moody, BC is a city located in the lower mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It makes up a part of the Metro Vancouver municipalities. It’s also considered a part of the Tri-Cities, which includes Port Moody, Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam.
The city has an approximate population of 33,535 according to the 2021 census, making it the smallest of the Tri-cities. And with a population decrease when compared to the 2016 census data. The area has a strong mix of townhouses and condos that is becoming very popular for young professionals and new families.
History of the City
Port Moody was first home to the Coast Salish people for thousands of years. After cocolonization of the area, it became an established town that connected to New Westminster with the Burrard Inlet. Ultimately, to protect against attack from the USA.
Around the 1870’s the town began to grow rapidly as the transcontinental railroad began construction and the city was declared the terminus station.
Appeal
Young professionals
Considered to be a part of the Tri-Cities area (Port Moody, Port Coquitlam and Coquitlam) average rent for a 1 bedroom apartment is $1,308 and only goes up to $1,809 for a 3+ bedroom apartment according to CMHC 2021. Single detached homes sell for an average of $1,697,767 and apartments for an average of $654,733 according to Greater Vancouver REALTORS®.
The attraction of new condo and townhouse developments, unique small businesses and a strong sense of community, Port Moody is a hot-spot for young professionals outside the city of Vancouver.
Amenities are also easier to access within walking distance when compared to some of the other Tri-cities or even areas in Burnaby and Richmond.
And if a drive is required, it’s usually quite short. Making it a great place for young people to live with easy to access transit.
Working families
Port Moody is also very attractive for working families. It offers quiet neighbourhoods with easy access to sprawling parks and other important amenities. It also offers access to waterfront through Rocky Point Park where several events are hosted each year, making it a great place to bring the family and develop community.
The city also has access to safe hiking and neighbouring lakes, making it perfect for taking the young ones or even just a quiet afternoon in the park. The city is also very safe, making it attractive for families.
Top Places to See
Moody Centre
Moody Centre is the centre of the action! It features the main Port Moody strip where there is a great mix of townhouses, low rise condos, retail businesses, and detached homes as you move outside the main roads.
This neighbourhood also features the famous Rocky Point Park and access to all the great local breweries and food trucks in the surrounding area. As well as easy access to other great trails and nature for outdoor activities. Perfect for the young professional and even families.
Inlet Centre
Inlet Centre offers beautiful views of the city with lots of condos and townhouses. What makes this area so desirable is the easy access to transit and skytrain station, as well as several different villages for restaurants, groceries and other shopping.
This area is also known as the high-density area for new residential and commercial developments, making it preferred for the young professionals, as detached homes are not as popular in this area.
Glenayre
This is a beautiful and tucked-away area of Port Moody that is very close to Burnaby and Coquitlam, sitting near the base of Burnaby Mountain. Since it’s so close to SFU, it’s a popular area for students or those interested in accessing Burnaby Mountain regularly for hiking. There is also close access to the beautiful Glenayre College Park.
In this neighbourhood, relying on a car or transit may be necessary as amenities are often more distanced than other neighbourhoods in Port Moody.
Ioco
Ioco is largely considered a commercial area as Imperial Oil owns a lot of real estate in the area. However, it also has great detached homes and is a part of the city’s plan for a large redevelopment and expansion of the city.
Watch out for this up-and-coming neighbourhood as development plans rollout.
Pleasantside
Looking for detached homes? This is a gorgeous neighbourhood mainly with single-family homes and a few townhouses along the main roads.
Pleasantside is popular for those families who like to access the parks and areas of Belcarra and Anmore, and for those who want to maintain a closer proximity to the other parts of Metro Vancouver.
Its development plans for the city mainly include an increase in detached homes to fit the current neighbourhood developments.
Heritage Woods
The Heritage Woods and surrounding neighbourhoods contain relatively new developments as it’s a growing area of Port Moody.
The area contains a great mix of condos, townhouses and detached homes, making it perfect for anyone who wants to live in a quieter neighbourhood than the Inlet Centre, but still have close access to the villages that the area offers. It also is close to schools in the area, making it ideal for families.
Things to do in Port Moody + Local Tips
Rocky Point Park
Rocky Point Park is an iconic park located in the main Moody Centre neighbourhood. It’s home to many events every year hosted by the city and other groups, making it a core spot for building community and showcasing the beautiful city of Port Moody.
There are several trails within Rocky Point Park that are both compact dirt or paved walkway, making it friendly for all, including dogs on a leash. There is also the pear at Rock Point Park, a great place to wander out to for a beautiful view of the water.
One of the most popular trails there, and a must see if it’s you’re first time at Rocky Point Park is the Shoreline trail. It takes you along the shoreline with tree-lined walkways and views of water and sprawling mountain backdrops.
Sasamat Lake and White Pine Beach
This place is a hotspot in the summer as White Pine Beach has amazing sandy beaches that ride the edge of the Sasamat Lake. Port Moody can get quite hot in the summer so having access to this beautiful lake is a great attraction for many in the city.
There is a regular swimming area, and it’s safe for children to enjoy the waters, too.
If you’re tired of hanging around on the beach, there is also a 2.5km long trail that goes along the shoreline. It features tree lined walkways and views of the water the entire way.
Port Moody Station Museum and Arts Centre
Another great rainy-day activity if the beach is closed or Rocky Point Park is too wet for a walk, check out the Port Moody Station Museum and Arts Centre to gain some understanding of the city’s history, its development and culture of the area.
It features interesting facts and information about the railway that helped develop the city into what it is today.
Port Moody Recreation Centre
The Port Moody Recreation Centre is a very popular centre for families and those participating in all kinds of sports. Whether it’s recreational hockey, curling, lifting weights or a place for amateur teams to play, this area has it all.
Leisure and Hobbies
Enjoy great local food and drinks
If you’re in the Rocky Point Park area, make sure to stop off at the local breweries like Yellow Dog, Parkside Brewing, Moody Ales or any of the others.
Then after a drink, check out the food trucks parked outside for a bite to eat. You can easily take your food over into the park to enjoy as well.
These local areas are a hotspot for young people as it offers a fun vibe with
Local Events
Port Moody also has many great local events that happen in the famous Rocky Point Park.
There is the CP Holiday Train celebration that commemorates the railway that established Port Moody as the city it is today with the growth in new people coming to the city.
There is also the Fingerling Festival which is geared for a family fun event that’s at the Noons Creek Hatchery. It involves the release of nearly 40,000 young chum salmon into the creek that eventually feeds in the Pacific Ocean. It’s a great way for the kids to experience nature first-hand, with many other companies, groups and people that get involved to make it an amazing event for all.
Hit the water
Want to hit the water? Go kayaking on the Burrard inlet that can be easily accessed from Rocky Point Park or Admiralty Point Park. Or head boating! If you own a boat or want to rent one, why not get out on the water, check out Indian Arm and other parts of the lower mainland oceans.
Education
While there are no post-secondary schools in Port Moody, there is close access to the colleges in the nearby cities like SFU and Coquitlam College. Because of the small size of the city, Port Moody consists of 2 secondary schools, 2 middle schools and 6 elementary schools, all of which are covered under SD43 for the Tri-Cities region.
Future of Port Moody
The future of Port Moody is bright! It’s a growing area that is becoming very popular to young people and new families. And with many new developments for both families that want space and younger people that want high-density, Port Moody is beginning to offer that all. With a strong sense of community and easy access to nature, this is definitely an area that will grow and appreciate in value.
The City of Port Moody, called the “City of the Arts,” focuses on land use and development in ways that embrace and encourage the unique sense of culture in vibrant and welcoming ways. The Official Community Plan is scheduled over a 30 year period (to 2041) and is ready to evolve to reflect the values of the community which currently focus on keeping a balance between environmental, social, economic and cultural sustainability in all decision making.
