The City of Maple Ridge has adopted an updated Development Cost Charges (DCC) Bylaw as of September 24, 2024, marking the first revision of DCC rates since 2017.
These changes aim to address increased development and infrastructure costs, ensuring that the City can continue to fund the new or expanded infrastructure required to meet growth demands. This includes essential services like sewer, water, drainage, parks, and roads.
What Is a Development Cost Charge?
Per the Local Government Act, DCCs are levied on new development to pay for the costs expanding and upgrading infrastructure to meet the needs of growth. The can be used for roads, sewers, drainage and water works as well as parkland acquisition and park development. DCCs allow the City to fairly distribute growth related costs across development.
Who Pays DCCS?
DCCs are paid by applicants for:
- Subdivision approval to create single family lots; and
- Building permits to construct multi-family, commercial, industrial, and institutional development
Note: developments are exempt from DCCs when the value of work authorized at building permit does not exceed $50,000 as per the DCC Bylaw. The Local Government Act specifies additional provisions for DCC exemptions. See the Planning and Development front counter staff for details.
What Kind of Projects Are DCCs Used to Fund?
DCCs are used to fund growth-related infrastructure:
- Transportation: new roads and bridges, road widening, capacity improvements, bridge replacement, pedestrian/bike overpasses, sidewalk and street improvements, turning bays and signalization;
- Water: new and upgraded water mains, new water pump stations and new reservoirs;
- Sewer: new trunk sewer mains, new sanitary pump stations and sewer upgrades;
- Drainage: water quality ponds, culvert upgrades, new storm pump stations, stream erosion control works and storm sewer upgrades; and,
- Parks: acquiring parkland for neighbourhood parks, community parks, city parks, linear parks, trails and greenways throughout the City and completing park improvements
What Are DCCs Not Used For?
DCCs do not fund infrastructure that services existing residents and businesses, nor do they fund operation and maintenance costs for roads, water, sanitary and storm infrastructure, and parks. DCCs cannot be used to fund ice sheets or arenas, pools or recreation centres, civic facilities or parking lots. Some types of park improvements, such as tennis courts, basketball courts and synthetic fields are not eligible.
New DCC Rates
The revised DCC rates will apply at the stages of subdivision approval or when a Building Permit is issued. These fees are crucial for the City to ensure that new developments contribute to the infrastructure required for future growth.
Protection for In-Stream Applications
Under provincial legislation, in-stream protection applies to development applications that were submitted to the City prior to the effective date of the new DCC bylaw (September 24, 2024). To qualify for protection under the previous (2017) DCC rates, the following conditions must be met:
- Building Permit applications: The Building Permit must be granted within one year of the effective date (by September 23, 2025)
- Rezoning and Development Permit applications: These applications must result in a Building Permit being issued within one year of the effective date (by September 23, 2025)
- Subdivision applications: The subdivision must be granted within one year of the effective date (by September 23, 2025)
Applications submitted after September 24, 2024, or that do not meet the conditions outlined within the 12-month grace period will be subject to the new DCC rates.
Payment of Development Cost Charges
- Subdivisions: DCCs must be paid upon subdivision approval
- Building Permits: DCCs must be paid when the Building Permit is issued
Next Steps for Applicants
The City recommends that developers and applicants review their current applications to ensure they are aware of what DCC rates apply. For any questions or further assistance, applicants are advised to contact their file manager or reach out to the City's Planning Department at Planning@MapleRidge.ca.
Future DCC changes
The City is working on additional DCC Bylaw amendments, which will consider updated development and infrastructure requirements due to Provincial housing legislation and other capital projects.
Regional DCC Rate Increases
In addition to the City's updated DCC rates, the City is required to collect DCC’s on behalf of TransLink and Metro Vancouver, who have also increased their rates. In-stream application protection will also apply to regional rates. Please refer to:
- Metro Vancouver: Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District Development Cost Charge Bylaw / GVS and DD Bylaw
- Metro Vancouver: Greater Vancouver Water District Development Cost Charge Bylaw / GVWD Bylaw
- South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Development Cost Charges Bylaw/Translink DCC Bylaw
- School Site Acquisition Charge / SSAC
How Are DCC Projects and Growth Projections Determined?
Using the following tools:
- Growth statistics and projections based on the Metro Vancouver Regional Growth Strategy and the City of Ridge's Official Community Plan;
- Capital projects from existing infrastructure Master Plans such as the Strategic Transportation Plan and the Parks, Recreation & Culture Master Plan;
- Capital costs from existing studies and costs from recent capital project tenders; and
- The portion of the capital cost related to servicing growth is used in the DCC calculation
How Are DCCs Calculated?
The following steps outline the basic DCC calculation:
- Land use and growth projections are established by the City planning documents; growth statistics and various growth rates are reviewed;
- Capital infrastructure plans are costed;
- The cost of works that benefit growth (DCC Recoverable Costs) are then divided by the projected growth
View the Current DCC Project Listing
What Are the Updated DCCs?
Contact us
For more information and any comments, please contact the Finance Department at 604-467-7472 or email Budget@MapleRidge.ca.