Anmore and Belcarra: A Guide to the Villages Next to Port Moody

In the forest behind Port Moody, the villages of Anmore and Belcarra offer something rare in Metro Vancouver: large lots, lakes and trails on your doorstep, and a small-community feel, a short drive from Tri-Cities shops and SkyTrain. Here is what buyers should know about each.

The short version

At a glance

Anmore

Anmore was incorporated in 1987 and covers about 27.5 square kilometres. Most homes are single-detached, and many sit on lots of about an acre: the main single-family zone has a minimum parcel size of 4,047 square metres, with smaller lots in some areas, such as the Anmore Green neighbourhood. Many properties also allow a secondary suite or coach house.

Anmore's water comes from Metro Vancouver via Port Moody, but the majority of properties use septic systems, and the Village's plan does not call for a municipal-wide sewer system. There is very little commercial space, so most shopping and services are in Port Moody and Coquitlam.

Anmore Elementary is in the village, and the main entrance of Eagle Mountain Middle School is in Anmore too.

Buntzen Lake, a BC Hydro reservoir and recreation area, is the village's best-known spot. BC Hydro calls it its busiest public use area, with more than 700,000 visitors a year. To manage traffic, BC Hydro has run a free, mandatory parking reservation system each summer since 2022, from mid-May to Labour Day in 2026.

Anmore South, a proposal by icona Properties for the former IOCO lands in the southern part of the village, has been under study. A 2025 preferred plan called for about 2,200 homes over 20 years, and it would need regional approvals and new water and sewer servicing. If you are buying nearby, check its current status with the Village.

Belcarra

Belcarra was incorporated in 1979 and sits on the eastern shore of Indian Arm, on the Belcarra Peninsula. The area has been home to the Tsleil-Waututh Nation since time immemorial, and Belcarra is the site of an ancestral Tsleil-Waututh village.

Most homes are single-detached, many around Belcarra Bay and Bedwell Bay, and the village also has between 30 and 40 lots that can only be reached by water. The village itself is reached by a single winding road or by water, and TransLink's 182 bus connects it with Moody Centre Station.

Next door, təmtəmíxʷtən/Belcarra Regional Park covers about 1,100 hectares and includes Jug Island. The Tsleil-Waututh Nation gave the park its name in 2021; it means "biggest place for all the people". The park also takes in White Pine Beach on Sasamat Lake.

Belcarra's water comes mainly from the regional system, and most properties are connected, although some remote or water-access-only homes use private wells. There is no sewer, so every home uses a septic system. Belcarra has no school of its own.

What the two villages share

• Schools. Both are in School District 43, which also serves Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody. Check catchments with the district before you buy.
• Services. Coquitlam RCMP polices both villages, and the Sasamat Volunteer Fire Department provides fire protection to both.
• Rural character. Both are small members of Metro Vancouver and are designated rural in the regional growth strategy.
• Few listings. Between them, the two villages had just over 1,000 private dwellings in the 2021 Census, so homes for sale come up rarely.

What to check before you buy

• Septic system. Ask for its age, permits and maintenance records, and consider an inspection by a qualified septic professional.
• Water. Confirm whether the home is on municipal water or a private well, and if it is a well, test the water and check the flow.
• Access. For water-access-only homes, ask how you would move in, get supplies and get help in an emergency.
• Daily life. Drive your commute, school run and grocery trip at the times you would make them.

Questions buyers often ask me

Is Anmore part of Port Moody?

No. Anmore is a separate village municipality, incorporated in 1987, although residents rely on Port Moody and Coquitlam for most shopping and services, and its water comes from Metro Vancouver via Port Moody.

Do homes in Anmore and Belcarra have sewer service?

Mostly no. The majority of Anmore properties use septic systems, and every home in Belcarra uses a septic system.

What school district serves Anmore and Belcarra?

School District 43, which also serves Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody. Anmore Elementary is in Anmore, and Belcarra has no school of its own.

Do you need a reservation to park at Buntzen Lake?

In summer, yes. BC Hydro has run a free, mandatory parking reservation system each summer since 2022; in 2026 it ran from mid-May to Labour Day.

Comparing the wider area? See Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam or Port Moody?, browse homes for sale in Port Moody, and get pre-approved before you start viewing.

Population figures are from the 2021 Census. For more about each village, see the Village of Anmore and the Village of Belcarra.