Maple Ridge, B.C., Dec. 13, 2024 – As 2024 draws to close, Mayor Ruimy, on behalf of Council reflected at this week’s Council on a year marked by significant accomplishments aligned with Council’s Strategic Plan and year of celebrating the City’s 150th Anniversary.
“2024 has been a transformative year for Maple Ridge,” said Mayor Ruimy. “Your Council has made substantial investments in park improvements and critical infrastructure upgrades, including the expansion of Abernethy Way. We've also witnessed remarkable growth in our film industry and implemented significant efficiencies in our building processes, laying the groundwork for the long-term sustainability of our city. These achievements reflect the dedication of Council, our staff's hard work, and our volunteers' passion, all working together to create a thriving, future-focused community.”
150th Anniversary Milestones
The City marked its 150th Anniversary with events that brought the community together and showcased Maple Ridge to the region. From hosting the BC Summer Games to the largest event in the City’s history—the Our Neck of the Woods Festival, the City welcomed close to 15,000 attendees. This signature event featured live music from Aaron Pritchett and The Strumbellas and family-friendly activities that showcased Maple Ridge’s vibrancy to visitors across the region.
Throughout the year, the City celebrated its 150th anniversary with neighbourhood events, street banners, the unveiling of new community signage, and activations at major festivals – honouring the stewardship of Katzie First Nation and Kwantlen First Nation since time immemorial.
Highlights of Achievements Aligned with Council Strategic Priorities
Livable Community
- Housing: Updated Housing Strategy and Housing Needs Assessment to address community growth. Approved housing legislation amendments for Small Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) and transit-oriented areas, supporting diverse housing options to meet provincial requirements. Rolled out new Urban Infill Locator tool, for prospective builders and developers to determine eligibility.
- Building: Issued building permits for 538 new housing units, with 548 net new units receiving occupancy.
- Transportation: Launched the expansion of the Abernethy Way Corridor from 224 to 230 Street, a key component of the City’s ambitious Maple Ridge Moves plan that will help to unlock new opportunities for affordable housing and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). Installed safety enhancements at 29 crosswalk locations, improving connectivity and pedestrian safety.
- Infrastructure: Key projects completed to accommodate growth included a new water line on 203 Street, a reservoir on Dewdney Trunk Road, and an upgraded pump station in Silver Valley. Paved 23 lane km of new roads, installed 10 secure bike lock stations and put a new vacuum truck into action, clearing catch basins and waterways to prevent flooding.
- Parks: Upgrades to the playground at Maple Ridge Park completed, and improvements to the spray park and washrooms started. Construction at Pazarena Place Park is underway, and public engagement has begun on additional park upgrades for 2025.
- Community Safety: Hired 19 full-time firefighters to enhance public safety and responses, created a new Fire Prevention Division, and launched a new electric response vehicle. Brought Emergency Support Services in-house and tripled the number of volunteers and delivered a number of emergency readinessCoC workshops. Partnered with Ridge Meadows RCMP on the ‘RISE’ program to prevent youth gun and gang violence.
Climate Leadership & Environmental Stewardship
- Adopted the City’s first Urban Forest Management Strategy, outlining measures to protect and expand green spaces while mitigating urban heat and climate impacts.
- Undertook phase two of engagement on City’s Climate Action Plan and advanced the Plan with a GHG inventory and climate risk framework, setting a foundation for long-term climate resiliency.
- Deployed an electric service van, reducing fleet emissions and operational costs.
- Completed the convergence of all city streetlights to LED, cutting power consumption by half.
Engaged, Healthy Community
- Increased community engagement on the Engage MR platform by 20%, giving residents opportunities to have a say on city initiatives. Over 13,575 people took surveys in 2024 - an 83% Increase from 2023. Started work on City’s new Community Engagement Framework.
- Hosted 150th Anniversary events and three Rock the Block celebrations, providing over 68,000 residents access to a free community event within a 15-minute walk from home.
- Enhanced recreational offerings, including upgraded playgrounds and over 240,000 visits to City recreation facilities, promoting active lifestyles.
- Brought fitness services in-house to expand and improve our recreation services.
- Undertook extensive community engagement or the proposed multi-use recreational facility at the Hammond Community Park with several open houses and over 3000 comments.
- Launched a Heritage Grant Pilot Program, supporting projects that preserve the City’s cultural and built heritage.
Diversified, Thriving Economy
- Supported 100 productions, 303 permits, 427 shoot days - generating $613K in revenue, and $8.54 M in estimated economic impact
- Enabled 1,024 new business licences.
- Launched digital tools to streamline commercial tenant improvement permits and introduce online applications, reducing processing times and improving service.
- Approved Certified Professional Program, an alternative route to streamline the approval process to meet the BC Building Code requirements.
- Launched a dedicated new state-of-the-art 800-amp Electrified Film Kiosk which has the capacity to power entire film productions using clean, quiet energy.
- Launched a Tourism marketing campaign.
- Installed six bold gateway signs and outdoor branding, enhancing the City’s appeal to visitors, residents, and businesses.
- Launched ‘Be Downtown’ in partnership with the RCMP and engaged with the community at outreach pop-up tents over the summer.
Governance & Corporate Excellence
- Recognized as one of BC’s Top Employers, reflecting the City’s inclusive, collaborative, and innovative workplace culture.
- Launched a new mobile-responsive website, doubling traffic to over 1 million sessions and improving accessibility for residents.
- Introduced interactive dashboards for tracking progress on Council’s Strategic Plan, fostering transparency and accountability.
- Undertook community engagement on a Customer Experience Strategy to create a consistent, high-quality service delivery model across all City departments.
- Won multiple international awards, including four MarCom Awards for City’s rebranding strategy and four Viddy Awards for brand and tourism and event marketing, showcasing municipal leadership in communication.
For more information on the progress on Council’s Strategic Plan, visit MapleRidge.ca/CouncilStratPlan.
Watch our Year In Review Video on the City’s YouTube channel.
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Media Contact
Pardeep Purewal, Senior Manager, Corporate Communications & Public Engagement
T 604 466 4319 E ppurewal@mapleridge.ca
