Quick Answer
How do I find the right Tri-Cities school catchment for my family?
All Tri-Cities public schools belong to School District 43 (SD43), covering 76+ elementary, middle, and secondary schools across Coquitlam, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Anmore, and Belcarra. Catchments are address-based — verify your exact address on the SD43 boundary locator before any home decision. The district has 9 French Immersion entry points, 1 IB Diploma hub (Port Moody Secondary, district-wide since 1986), 3 Late FI middle-school hosts, and 1 Mandarin Bilingual program. Craig Johnston, 47+ year Tri-Cities resident and Top 1% Team Member — Greater Vancouver REALTORS®, runs catchment-first home searches — meaning the school comes before the home, not after. Free Strategy Call ends with a written one-page plan.
At a glance
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School District 43
Specialty programs spotlight
SD43 has 5 Coquitlam-side FI elementaries (Nestor, Panorama Heights, Rochester, Porter Street), feeding École Banting Middle then Dr. Charles Best Secondary. Apply through SD43 Programs of Choice in early January.
School District 43
International Baccalaureate
Port Moody Secondary has run the full IB Diploma Programme continuously since October 13, 1986 — one of the longest-running IB programmes in BC. Students apply district-wide; the seat travels with the application, not the address.
School District 43
Provincial-elite athletics
Football, boys' basketball, lacrosse, and soccer have all reached BC provincial-elite status at Terry Fox. Plus a Pacific Rim Hockey Academy partnership for grades 9-12 in Semester 1.
School District 43
School District 43
Frequently asked
All Tri-Cities public schools are in School District 43 (SD43). Catchments are address-specific — the same street can have different elementary catchments depending on the block. Verify your exact address using SD43's official catchment locator at sd43.bc.ca. Catchment boundaries can also be redrawn periodically as new schools open (e.g., the upcoming Burke Mountain Middle Secondary opens fall 2027, which will change feeder patterns for parts of Burke).
SD43 has 9 French Immersion entry points across the district — 5 on the Coquitlam side, 1 in Port Moody (Glenayre Elementary), and 5 in Port Coquitlam (Mary Hill, Irvine, Kilmer, Westwood, Coquitlam River). Late FI (Grade 6 entry) is offered at three middle schools: Citadel, Moody, and Montgomery. Early FI registration runs annually and is district-wide, not catchment-based — demand often exceeds spots, so register on time.
Port Moody Secondary School (PMSS) is the district-wide IB Diploma hub and has been since 1986. The IB program is district-wide, meaning students from any SD43 catchment can apply (admission is competitive and academic-based). Families considering a move primarily for IB access can buy outside the immediate PMSS catchment and still attend, though daily logistics (transit, parking) factor into the decision.
Burke Mountain elementary catchments rotate through Smiling Creek, Coast Salish (opened 2023), and Leigh Elementary — depending on your specific address. Minnekhada Middle serves grades 6–8, then Terry Fox Secondary for grades 9–12. The new Burke Mountain Middle Secondary School is under construction with a planned fall 2027 opening, which will change middle/secondary feeder patterns for some Burke addresses. Always verify with the SD43 locator for your specific home.
Westwood Plateau primarily feeds Panorama Heights Elementary or Heights Elementary at K–5, Summit Middle for grades 6–8, then Gleneagle Secondary or Dr. Charles Best Secondary depending on the specific address. Heritage Mountain (Port Moody) feeds Aspenwood Elementary or Heritage Mountain Elementary at K–5, Eagle Mountain Middle for grades 6–8, then Heritage Woods Secondary — consistently one of BC's top-ranked public secondaries. Heritage Woods is a major driver of the Heritage Mountain price premium.
Cross-boundary applications are accepted by SD43 each year, but admission is not guaranteed — catchment students always have priority, and cross-boundary spots depend on capacity. Application windows are seasonal and typically open in late winter/early spring for the following September. For move-decision purposes, never assume your child will get into a non-catchment school. If the school matters, buy in the catchment.
In the Tri-Cities, the school-catchment premium is real and measurable — particularly for high-demand secondaries like Heritage Woods, Gleneagle, and Dr. Charles Best. The same physical home a block inside a top catchment vs a block outside it can carry a 5–12% price differential, depending on the catchment and price tier. Catchment value also feeds resale stability — homes in strong catchments hold value through softer markets better than homes in weaker ones.
The Tri-Cities have several independent and faith-based options including Archbishop Carney Secondary, BC Christian Academy, Our Lady of the Assumption, Our Lady of Fatima Bilingual, Children of Integrity Montessori, and others. Most accept out-of-catchment students and have their own application processes and tuition structures. For families wanting private-school access, you have more flexibility on which Tri-Cities neighbourhood to buy in.
Other Tri-Cities school hubs
Master hub
Every Tri-Cities school in one master index.
City hub
Heritage Mountain, Moody Centre, Glenayre, Pleasantside.
City hub
Citadel, Birchland, Mary Hill, Riverwood, FI hub.
Village hub
The Anmore village school + Heritage Woods pipeline.
Targeting a specific catchment?
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