BC's Top Employers (2025) Magazine - Flipbook - Page 42
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BC’S TOP EMPLOYERS (2025)
Balance helps drive the City of Coquitlam’s success
J
eff Salazar’s job at the City
of Coquitlam is to keep the
wheels turning and the civic
engine running smoothly.
When you’re the fleet services
superintendent in charge of
everything on wheels, from fire
engines to the City’s lawn mowers,
that’s all part of the service. But it
helps that everyone is steering in
the same direction.
“The biggest thing for me is
the willingness to collaborate – it
makes us unique,” says Salazar.
“Fleet services works with
every department in the City
and without exception, we all
work together right across the
organization. There’s a culture
of respect, and nobody feels like
they’re alone.”
Coquitlam is the sixth-largest
city in B.C., with a growing,
culturally-diverse population.
Nearly half its residents are
first-generation Canadians. The
city’s 1,000 full-time employees
deliver services ranging from
maintaining the municipal parks
to ensuring the streets are clear.
Salazar and his team are at the
hub of operations that include
keeping the City’s lawns cut
and fire and emergency services
rolling. Raised in Coquitlam, he
loves the short commute that
gives him more quality time with
his family. He also enjoys the
Jeff Salazar, fleet services superintendent, at the City of Coquitlam.
challenge of working with other
departments to reduce the carbon
footprint of Coquitlam’s fleet
of 400 plated vehicles to meet
emissions targets.
“The last thing you want to do
when you come to work is feel like
you’re not making a difference,”
says Salazar. “My work aligns with
my personal values, which makes
it that much more rewarding.”
Salazar has benefited from
Coquitlam’s career development
program, which encourages
employees to grow in the organization. He started as a mechanic
before progressing to his current
position. Many of the City’s
employees grow from within.
“When you join the City of
Coquitlam, you become part of
our future,” says Nikki Caulfield,
general manager, corporate
services.
“We do a lot of different things
across a wide geographic area.
That allows people to explore new
opportunities within the area they
joined, move between different
spaces and try on new hats.”
When you join the City of
Coquitlam, you become part
of our future.
— Nikki Caulfield
General Manager,
Corporate Services
Employee wellness is also woven
into the fabric of Coquitlam’s work
culture. Salazar says it’s especially
satisfying that when he goes on
vacation with his family, he’s told
to turn his cellphone off, forget
checking email and enjoy his time
away.
“We look at the whole person
and understand that when people
are balanced, they’re going to
perform better,” says Caulfield.
“That balance looks different
for everybody and it’s important
to acknowledge that people at
different stages of their life are
managing different types of
careers and opportunities. We give
them the space to set that up for
success.”
Employees also enjoy positive
relationships with the city’s
residents. Because of its multitude
of different cultures, Coquitlam
has equity, diversity and inclusion
