Maple Ridge, B.C., February 22, 2024 – As one of the fastest growing municipalities in the Metro Vancouver region, the City of Maple Ridge welcomes the provincial government's focus on housing initiatives in Budget 2024 such as the launch of BC Builds and the First Time Home Buyers Program. Targeted measures such as these are critical to address the affordability challenges facing our residents.
We are keen to tap into the $15.3 billion for transportation operating and capital investments over the next three years. We look forward to exploring partnership opportunities to support projects that have been identified as priorities in our Maple Ridge Moves strategy. These projects include the expansion of Abernethy Way, a critical route for the movement of goods and people and the 240 Street Bridge project ensuring better connectivity to Silver Valley and Golden Ears Park, B.C.'s most visited Park.
It is essential that municipalities can partner with the provincial and federal governments to address the infrastructure and housing pressures we face in our rapidly growing communities. This means ensuring we have complete and livable communities with the roads and public transportation needed to support rapid growth and connected communities.
Bus Rapid Transit has also been at the forefront of what we have been advocating for and we will continue to support the Mayors' Council and their discussions with the Province on Translink’s Access for Everyone Plan.
Finally, as we look towards diversifying our tax base, attracting major investments to generate economic activity and create jobs is important at all levels of government. Budget 2024 references the hundreds of people that will be working at the new E-One Moli battery facility in Maple Ridge. The Province’s capital investment of $36 billion in B.C.’s electrical grid will generate work for over 10,000 people a year in the next decade and will no doubt service the $1B dollar E-One Moli investment made last fall 2023. These are the kinds of supports that we need alongside strategic investments.
We look forward to collaborating with our provincial and federal government partners to provide much needed investments in our community. For more information, visit www.mapleridge.ca/moves
Media Contact:
Pardeep Purewal, Senior Manager
Corporate Communications and Public Engagement
T 604 467 4319 E ppurewal@mapleridge.ca