Content Guidelines

1. Article Requirements

• Word Count: Each article must be between 800 – 1,600 words. Articles significantly outside this range will be returned for revision.
• Photography: Include a minimum of 5 high-quality photos relevant to the article. Images must be at least 1200px wide and properly licensed or original.
• Originality & A.I. Use: Articles must be substantially written by the contributor. You may use A.I. tools to edit, refine, or elaborate on your writing, but articles deemed to be 100% A.I.-generated will be rejected.
• Tri-Cities Relevance: Articles must be relevant to the Tri-Cities community — Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, and Coquitlam.

2. Accepted Topics

• Local news & community stories
• Lifestyle & wellness
• Restaurant & food reviews
• Outdoor recreation & trails
• Local business spotlights
• Arts, culture & entertainment
• Family-friendly activities
• Seasonal events & festivals
• Neighbourhood guides
• Historical features

3. Formatting & Style

• Use clear, descriptive headlines and subheadings to break up content.
• Write in a conversational, engaging tone — avoid jargon or overly formal language.
• Include photo captions describing what is shown in each image.
• Proofread for grammar, spelling, and factual accuracy before submitting.

4. How It Works

• Step 1 — Apply for Contributor Status: Submit an application through your profile page. Once our team approves you, you can begin submitting articles.
• Step 2 — Write & Submit Your Article: Write your article following these guidelines. Include all photos, captions, and ensure the content is relevant to the Tri-Cities.
• Step 3 — Editorial Review: Our team reviews your submission. Articles that are on-topic and meet our guidelines are approved and published with your byline.
• Step 4 — Payment: Once published, payment of $150.00 CAD is issued within 14 business days.

5. Rejection & Revocation Policy

Submitted articles may be rejected if they are off-topic, do not meet the guidelines above, or are deemed to be entirely A.I.-generated. Repeated rejections may result in the revocation of your contributor status.

6. Content We Do Not Accept

• Articles that are 100% A.I.-generated with no genuine contributor effort
• Promotional or advertorial content disguised as articles
• Content that is defamatory, discriminatory, or hateful
• Content not relevant to the Tri-Cities area
• Plagiarized or previously published material
• Stock photos without proper licensing

7. Rights & Ownership

Articles we pay for are the property of TriCities Board. You keep the byline and you are welcome to share our published link anywhere, but a paid piece is not republished in full on another site, publication, or personal blog as your own work. If a paid article is republished elsewhere, TriCities Board reserves the right to demand full repayment of the compensation paid for it.

For unpaid submissions, you keep ownership of your work and grant TriCities Board a non-exclusive, perpetual license to publish, distribute, and promote it on our platform and social media channels. There is no exclusivity window — you may publish it elsewhere whenever you like.

Video works the same way. Video a business or member submits stays theirs to share and post wherever they choose, provided it is not edited in a way that damages the reputation or credibility of TriCities Board, its partners, employees, contractors, or affiliated organizations. Video that TriCities Board pays for and crews itself is our property: links and embeds may be shared freely, but our masters are not re-uploaded to channels outside our own.

8. Contact Us

If you have questions about these guidelines or need guidance on a topic, contact us at admin@tricitiesboard.org.