It's one of the biggest employers in Port Moody, and now Pacific Coast Terminals wants to take the pulse of the community.

The company is looking for feedback from the public and has sent information pertaining to an online survey to every home in the city.

It's part of PCT's brochure "Channels," which it distributes three times a year.

Diana Dilworth, PCT's administration and community-relations coordinator, said the survey is meant for the company to hear concerns from residents and to learn more about its perception in the community.

"It's just helping us get some baseline information on what our neighbours are thinking in Port Moody and where we might want to focus our community engagement efforts," she said, noting the information gleaned from the survey will likely remain internal.

Dilworth noted PCT has responded to some aspects of the results of past surveys.

PCT has been conducting periodic surveys since 1999, with the last one offered in 2009.

However, Dilworth pointed out the format this year is different.

PCT formerly conducted surveys sampling 500 residents by phone.

But with fewer people having land lines, the company has opted for an online survey instead.

Dilworth acknowledged the new format will make it harder for the company to get a truly random sampling, but the hope is the survey will reach a broader audience.

The survey is open until June 15 and can be accessed through PCT's website at www.pct.ca.

In March, PCT's operations were at the centre of a debate over a then proposed bylaw requiring public consultation when the city's industrial property owners make major changes in excess of their baseline operations.

When Coun. Zoe Royer brought the original motion forward, she mentioned her concern with PCT.

Following a tour of PCT's operations in April, the councillor said she wasn't criticizing the company, instead pointing out "concerns."

Royer called PCT a "great corporate citizen," adding the bylaw isn't just meant for PCT.

jdeutsch@thenownews.com