The 'Fox Fiver': Port Coquitlam wants Terry Fox to be the new face of the $5 bill

The City of PortCoquitlamis encouraging residentsto nominate Terry Fox as the new face of the$5 bill.

Thecity's website now features alink to a Bank of Canada voting pagewhichasks peopleto nominatethe next "bank NOTE-able Canadian."

"This is Terry's town, this is where he grew up," said Coun.Steve Darling.

"Weencourage all of our citizens to go online and nominate Terry for the $5 bill," he said.

In January, the Bank of Canada announced it would let the public have a say aboutwho would replace Sir Wilfred Laurier who has been the face ofthe $5 bill since 1972.

Port CoquitlamMayor Brad West has written letters to Stephen Poloz, governor of the Bank of Canada, andfederal finance minister Bill Morneau in support of Terry Fox's nomination, according to Darling.

Fox, considered a national hero, spent his formative years in Port Coquitlam.

Terry's legacy

In 1980, the 21-year-old athlete who had already lost a leg to cancer started his ambitious Marathon of Hope to raise money and awareness for cancer research.

He died before he could complete his journey, but in the process raised over $24 million.

The foundation created in his name has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for cancer research in the four decades since Fox's death.

Dave Teixeira, the organizer of the Terry Fox Hometown Run in Port Coquitlam wants to see Fox named in timeto coincide with the 40th anniversary of his historic fundraising journey,September 20, 2020.

"The 'Fox Fiver'would be a great way to honour him," saidTeixeira. "And also remindus that maybe it's time again for us to dip into our pockets to give a little bit more to help bring an end to cancer."

Close to 300 Canadiansare in the running to be the face of the next $5 bill, including:

• Frederick Banting, the co-discoverer of insulin
• Billy Bishop, First World War flying ace
• John Candy, comedian
• Emily Carr, artist and writer
• Jane Constance Cook, First Nations activist

"It's our turn to help the Terry Fox family foundation by getting him on the $5 bill," said Darling."He deserves to be there."

A short list will be developed from among the nominated candidates when the contest closes March 11. That list will be submitted to the minister of finance, who will makethe final decision.

The Bank of Canada saidit expects the new $5 note to be in circulation "in a few years."