Dehara Thompson, a Port Coquitlam resident with a background in professional soccer and community sport leadership, formally launched her campaign for a seat on city council on July 31. Thompson is running in the Oct. 17 municipal election on a platform that highlights affordable housing, community safety, building complete communities and fiscal responsibility.
From the pitch to public office
Thompson’s sporting résumé includes time playing for Newcastle United Women’s in the FA Women’s Premier League. Locally, she serves as executive director of She Plays Sports Society, is a co-director of the ASCA annual African Soccer Tournament and is secretary of ARC Vancouver. She also worked as the technical operations manager for the Surrey United Soccer Club.
Her campaign launch framed municipal service as an extension of her work in sport and community building. In a news release issued on July 31 she said:
“I have spent my career building programs that strengthen community through sport. Running for Port Coquitlam city council is an extension of that work. PoCo can be the very best place to live in Canada, for families, for youth, for seniors and for young adults trying to build a life here. That is the city I want to help shape.”
Platform priorities and local implications
Thompson listed four central priorities for her campaign: affordable housing, community safety, complete communities and fiscal responsibility. Those themes echo commonly debated issues in the Tri-Cities and Metro Vancouver as elected councils wrestle with growth, housing supply and public services.
On housing, Thompson’s emphasis on affordability situates her in a crowded municipal conversation where councils weigh zoning, density and non-market housing supports. Her focus on community safety and complete communities connects to planning decisions — such as where amenities, transit and green spaces are located — and to municipal approaches to policing, social services and local bylaws.
By stressing fiscal responsibility, Thompson is signalling attention to municipal budgeting and the allocation of city resources. How that rhetoric translates into specific policy proposals will be a focal point for voters as the campaign progresses and as council incumbents and challengers detail positions on taxation, capital projects and service delivery.
Who else is running
Thompson is joining a field that already includes at least one sitting councillor. Other candidates for Port Coquitlam city council named in the campaign announcement are:
- Coun. Nancy McCurrach
- Mithila Karnik-Adarkar
- Soloman Etuk
Voters will see Thompson’s name on ballots for the Oct. 17 municipal election, which will determine Port Coquitlam’s next council. The announcement provided a campaign contact email and directed readers to Thompson’s campaign website for more information.
| Candidate | Noted role or status |
|---|---|
| Dehara Thompson | Former pro soccer player; community sport leader (candidate) |
| Nancy McCurrach | Councillor (seeking re-election) |
| Mithila Karnik-Adarkar | Candidate |
| Soloman Etuk | Candidate |
Municipal campaigns often hinge on local networks and community recognition. Thompson’s profile in regional soccer and non-profit activity gives her a base among families, youth sport participants and community organisations. How those connections translate into votes will depend on campaign organisation, outreach on the four named issues and debates with other candidates between now and October.
For Port Coquitlam residents, the election will shape policies on housing, public safety, local amenities and city finances. Thompson’s entry adds a candidate with direct experience building community programs and managing sport organisations — credentials she argues are transferable to municipal decision-making.
To learn more about Thompson’s campaign, the announcement provided her campaign website and an email for inquiries.
