Maple Ridge Business Improvement Area Establishment Bylaw No. 7767-2021 expires on December 31, 2026. Council intends to renew the local area service in relation to a Business Improvement Area in Downtown Maple Ridge. Commercial property owners in the designated area can read on to learn about the process and how to participate.
Public Notice
Download and review the Public Notice (as published in The Maple Ridge News), proposed Bylaw No. 8088-2026, and petition form.
Downtown Maple Ridge Business Improvement Area
The Downtown Business Improvement Area is a district designated by the City to receive a local area service to support the economic development and vitality of commercial property owners and businesses. Services are delivered by the Downtown Maple Ridge Business Improvement Association (DMRBIA), a member-driven not-for-profit organization funded by an annual levy on commercial properties within the Area.
The Downtown Business Improvement Area was established in 2006, with services officially launched in 2007. As of January 2026, the DMRBIA had approximately 735 property owners and businesses in its membership.
Funding is for the service is collected by the City through a local service tax levied on commercial properties in the catchment area and granted by the City to the DMRBIA. The local service tax is enabled by time-limited municipal bylaws. The current levy mechanism is enabled by Bylaw No. 7767-2021, which expires on December 31, 2026, and Council is considering a new bylaw to re-establish the levy and grant for a six-year period beginning January 1, 2027.
New BIA Bylaw (Bylaw No. 8088-2026)
Maple Ridge Downtown Business Improvement Establishment Bylaw No. 8088-2026 will continue the annual grant from the City of Maple Ridge to the DMRBIA for the provision of the business promotion scheme for a six-year period beginning January 1, 2027, through to December 31, 2032. All of the monies to be granted are collected through a local service tax levied on eligible commercial properties within the designated business improvement area.
As proposed, Bylaw No. 8088-2026 will:
- Renew the Downtown Business Improvement Area local area service
- Maintain the current Downtown Business Improvement Area catchment (as established in 2011)
- Increase the annual grant provided to the DMRBIA
- Expand the service to include properties assessed as Class 5 (Light Industry), in addition to those currently assessed as Class 6 (Business and Other)
- Have a term of six (6) years (2027-2032)
Downtown Business Improvement Area Catchment
The boundaries of the Downtown Business Improvement Area catchment are illustrated in the map below. Bylaw No. 8088-2026 proposes maintaining the current boundaries as established in 2021 (originally set in 2011).
Term and Annual Grant
The term of the service will be six (6) years, from January 1, 2027, to December 31, 2032.
Unless otherwise permitted or required by the Bylaw, the annual grant from the City for each fiscal year shall not exceed:
| Fiscal Year | Annual Grant Not to Exceed | Per $1,000 of assessed value (based on 2026 assessed values) |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | $475,000 | $0.52 |
| 2028 | $522,500 | $0.57 |
| 2029 | $574,750 | $0.63 |
| 2030 | $614,984 | $0.67 |
| 2031 | $658,032 | $0.72 |
| 2032 | $704,094 | $0.77 |
Cost Recovery
To fund the annual grant, the City will impose a local service tax each year based on the total assessed value of land and/or improvements on Class 5 (Light Industry) and Class 6 (Business and Other) properties within the Downtown Business Improvement Area at rate sufficient to fully recover that year's grant amount. This local service tax is commonly referred to as the BIA levy.
Only those Class 5 and Class 6 commercial properties within the Downtown Business Improvement Area will pay the BIA levy. The bylaw will not impose any additional taxes or levies on other classes of properties (e.g., Class 1 (Residential)) in the Downtown area or on properties of any class located elsewhere in the City of Maple Ridge.
The establishment bylaw sets the BIA Levy for each year, and the levy on individual properties is calculated on each owner’s share of the total assessed value of eligible properties in the Downtown Business Improvement Area. The amount payable for each property owner varies because of the difference in assessed values. Over the next six years, it is possible that your share of the total BIA levy may change, as each owner’s share is reapportioned annually according to the assessed value determined by the BC Assessment Authority.
Bylaw Process & Timeline
As permitted by Sections 213 and 215 of the Community Charter, Council is establishing the Downtown Business Improvement Area as a local area service on Council initiative, subject to a petition-against process.
- May 5, 2026 - Bylaw No. 8088-2026 presented at Committee of the Whole
- May 12, 2026 - Bylaw No. 8088-2026 receives First, Second, and Third Readings at Regular Council Meeting
- May 21, 2026 - Letters and petition forms mailed to affected property owners
- May 22 and 29, 2026 - Public notice published by the City in The Maple Ridge News (as required by Section 94 of the Community Charter)
- May 30, 2026 - Petition response period opens
- June 29, 2026 at 4:00 PM - Deadline for petition response forms to be received by the City of Maple Ridge
- July 7, 2026 - Petition results available by end of day (may be available earlier depending on number of petition forms received)
- July 14, 2026 - Council considers petition results. If Bylaw No. 8088-2026 has received owner approval, Council will consider adopting the bylaw
Petition Process
Council may adopt Maple Ridge Downtown Business Improvement Area Establishment Bylaw No. 8088-2026 unless 50% of the property owners that would be subject to the tax, and representing at least 50% of the assessed value of land and/or improvements that would be subject to the tax, submit valid petition forms opposing the Bylaw.
In the Downtown Business Improvement Area, there are 399 parcels with a total assessed value of land and/or improvements of $911,363,300. Therefore, a successful petition against the Bylaw would require at least 200 property owners, representing no less than $455,681,650 in total assessed value of land and/or improvements, to register their opposition.
If no successful petition against Bylaw No. 8088-2026 is received, Council intends to consider adoption of the Bylaw at the Regular Council meeting on July 14, 2026.
Additional Information
- Letter to Property Owners
- Petition Form
- Maple Ridge Downtown Business Improvement Area Establishment Bylaw No. 8088-2026
- May 5, 2026 Report to Council
- Public Notice - Downtown Business Improvement Area Establishment Bylaw (published in The Maple Ridge News on May 22 and May 29, 2026)
- Government of BC - Business Improvement Areas information
- Downtown Maple Ridge Business Improvement Association (DMRBIA)
For more information
For information about the petition process, contact:
Legislative Services
City of Maple Ridge
Email: Clerks@MapleRidge.ca
For more information about the BIA renewal, contact:
Jeff Baker
Business Retention & Expansion Advisor
City of Maple Ridge
Email: JBaker@MapleRidge.ca
Nicole Archer
Executive Director
Downtown Maple Ridge Business Improvement Association
Email: ExecutiveDirector@DowntownMapleRidge.ca