Performing in more than 40 stage productions across the country, including two seasons at The Stratford Shakespeare Festival, North America's largest classical repertory theatre.

In 2003, he wrote, produced and directed a short film titled Dakota, and for several years, Coates was a drama teacher for Toronto's multi-discipline "SuiteLife Arts for Youth Program.

"[2] He has primarily been cast as bit parts, but has carried supporting character roles in several television series, including Kyle XY, The Zack Files, La Femme Nikita, and These Arms of Mine.

He appeared in Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief as Hephaestus, God of Craft and husband to Aphrodite, Unnatural History as Samuel Tolo and a guest appearance in the Fringe episode "What Lies Below" as Vincent Ames.

He had a recurring role in the third season of the Syfy series Defiance, playing T'evgin, an alien of the Omec race.