Financial Planning & Reporting

2024 Budget Invests in Housing, Safety and Infrastructure

Maple Ridge is moving forward with a 2024 budget that both addresses long-time needs and sets up the fast-growing community for success in the future.

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Budget Highlights

Development of Maple Ridge’s 2024 budget and 2024-2028 Financial Plan took place from fall 2023 to spring 2024. Council adopted the budget and the 2024 tax rates on April 23.

Learn more about the budget below.
Download the four-page Budget Highlights.

Activities included priority-setting, business planning, and two rounds of public engagement on the 2024 budget priorities from Jan. 16 to 28 and from Feb. 16 to Mar. 22 on the proposed Financial Plan. Thank you to everyone who provided their input.

Comments on the budget or other financial matters may also be provided year-round to budget@mapleridge.ca or 604-467-7484 (voicemail).  

Cities are required to adopt a budget each year to identify the costs related to the wide variety of services they provide and how they intend to pay for them. Local governments are not permitted to adopt budgets with a deficit.

Each year's budget is also part of a five-year financial plan that includes forecasting for future expenditures and revenue. Learn more about how Maple Ridge develops its annual budget.

The process to create the 2024 budget included an additional step: the development of the 2023-2026 Council Strategic Plan that was adopted in May 2023 following public consultation.

Based on the Strategic Plan, the City developed a set of performance measures known as Objectives and Key Results (OKR), which enable the organization to deliver on the Strategic Priorities with clear outcomes the City is aiming to achieve over the next 18 months.

The OKR framework guided the development of the proposed 2024 Strategic Work Plan, which was also informed by presentations made by the City's service areas to Council in December, celebrating the accomplishments of the past year.

Public Engagement

Development of the 2024 budget includes several opportunities for public engagement.

From January 16 to 28, the City invited public feedback on the 2024 budget priorities through a guided survey, which was available online and in print and promoted through social media and three pop-up events. More than 2,500 people were reached, about 1,250 took the opportunity to learn more, and 460 people completed the survey. Read the Budget Priorities Engagement Summary report.

During a second round of public engagement from February 16 to March 22, 2024, the community has the opportunity to learn about and provide feedback on the proposed Financial Plan.  

Public comments or questions about City finances can also be submitted at any time of the year using the contact information at the bottom of this page. 

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Spring to Fall 2023 | Corporate priority-setting
Fall 2023 | Department business planning
January 16-28, 2024 | Public engagement on budget priorities
February 6, 2024 | Budget deliberations and consideration of input
February 16 - March 22, 2024 | Public engagement on proposed financial plan
April 2024 | Bylaws for the financial plan and tax rates scheduled for adoption

Please note that this schedule may change.

A banner with the facade of a Maple Ridge building.

The City's $160M operating budget for 2024 is framed around maintaining core municipal services and delivering on key community priorities and needs reflected in the 2023-2026 Council Strategic Plan, public feedback (see below), and new legislation. Two crucial issues the City is acting on:

Housing: Facilitating housing for all income levels is critical for people to afford to live and participate in their community, for businesses to grow and create jobs, and for attracting skilled workers and investment. Additionally, new provincial legislation requirements for local governments have brought significant costs that have been incorporated in the budget.
Public Safety: The City's Fire Services planning has identified a critical need for investment in fire services to meet current demands and keep pace with population growth and the evolving needs of the community. Additional investment in police services is also required as Maple Ridge prepares for the de-integration of the Ridge Meadows RCMP as the City of Pitt Meadows transitions to its own RCMP detachment.

Additional economic factors affecting the budget include:

Increasing costs related to labour agreements, including the RCMP wage settlement, CUPE (City staff) and IAFF (firefighters)
Increasing costs for contracted services such as E-Comm 911, Fraser Valley Regional Library and the SPCA
New unfunded responsibilities related to provincial legislation for housing
Inflationary cost increases for existing services (base budget)
Continuing economic uncertainty

In addition to funding core civic services, some of the key investments in the budget include:

To enhance public safety and meet growing demand: 16 front line fire firefighters to increase the department's ability to provide core services, emergency response, community safety and prevention services, 12 RCMP officers to increase police services, an additional Victim Services Case Worker, increased downtown overnight security services to support downtown businesses.
To address the requirements of new provincial housing legislation: Additional staff to support housing creation, develop pre-approved site plans, update Official Community Plan, Zoning Bylaw and Density Bonusing Program.
To address climate change: A countertop food waste pilot to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, a management strategy to protect the health of the McKenney Creek System and developing an inventory of local biodiversity and green infrastructure.
To enhance community engagement and livability: A toolkit to increase public engagement, a participatory budget initiative, and multiple live performance activations on the City's mobile stage for Maple Ridge's 150th birthday celebrations.
To support local employment, tourism and business growth: Plans to retain and grow local businesses, attract new businesses, promote employment, attract events focused on tourists and residents, conduct a local labour market analysis and undertake an Albion Industrial lands analysis to help ensure that the City is investment-ready for attracting new industrial businesses to the community.
To protect and enhance City assets, services and governance: Additional cybersecurity funding, strategies and technology to enhance customer experience and intergovernmental relations, an archeological management plan to meet provincial regulations, and a new continuous improvement program that will continue to enhance operational efficiency and citizen-focused service-delivery.

The approved 2024–2028 capital plan will invest $112 million in 2024 in the buildings, roads, equipment and other assets that are critical to the delivery of services in Maple Ridge.

Projects are funded through the provincial Growing Communities Grant and other grants, development fees and reserve accounts, and include:

Widening Abernethy Way to four lanes with a multi-use path between 224 and 230 Streets.
Continue the process to plan and design a new recreation facility.
Rehabilitating 128 Avenue between 232 and 235A Streets.
Planning a second access to Silver Valley, a 240 Street bridge and multi-use path.
Increasing capacity of Lower Hammond Drainage Pump Station to improve flood protection.
Adding multi-use paths on Thorne Avenue.
Upgrading Port Haney Waterfront Park and Maple Ridge Park.
Paving 12 kms of two-lane roads.
Improving technology to enhance efficiency, cybersecurity and service-delivery.

Impact on taxpayers was a key consideration in developing the draft budget. The proposed increase is in the lower half of reported increases in the region.

Strategies have been built into the budget to smooth the tax impact, including spreading out the cost of additional firefighting and policing resources over multiple years, and actively seeking grant funding to offset costs. For example, the City is awaiting approval on its application to the federal Housing Accelerator Fund that would pay for costs related to actions that the City will be undertaking to enable acceleration of new housing.

Each year's property tax bill also includes utility charges – flat user fees for recycling, water and sewer services that vary based on property type and service received.

A matrix chart depicting property tax and utility fee changes.

A property's assessed value affects the tax increase it will pay. Each year, B.C. Assessment establishes an assessed value for every property on July 1.

Property owners receive their assessments in January, which includes the average assessment change. If the change in your property's value was different from the average, your tax increase will be different than this year's proposed residential tax increase:

If your change in assessment was lower than average, your tax increase will be less than the proposed increase.
If your change in assessment was higher than average, your tax increase will be more than the proposed tax increase.

A green icon depicting changes in property values and taxes.

Priorities Guiding the Budget

Priorities from the 2023-2026 Council Strategic Plan provide the framework for the 2024 budget.

Overhead shot of residential rooftops in dim lighting.

Vision

We continue to build Maple Ridge into a liveable community that meets the needs of our diverse residents, businesses and other stakeholders through community planning, transportation and infrastructure services that benefit and strengthen our City today and in the future.

Housing Acceleration

As is the case across B.C., the lack of affordable housing options is an increasing challenge in Maple Ridge, resulting in unprecedented home prices and rental rates. A significant number of residents have difficulty finding secure and affordable housing, leading to homelessness, social inequality and other issues.

Facilitating housing for all income levels is critical for people to afford to live and participate in their community, for businesses to grow and create jobs, and for attracting skilled workers and investment.

New provincial legislation outlines new requirements and responsibilities for local governments to take steps to increase housing supply. These new responsibilities come with significant related costs that the City must incorporate in its financial planning.

Related actions proposed in 2024:

Create criteria to prioritize development applications with the most benefit to the community.
Update the City's Housing Strategy.
Conduct a feasibility study on incentives for desired housing development.
Develop a concierge service to facilitate affordable housing development.
Explore the use of City-owned lands for affordable housing.
Update City housing plans and policies, including the Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaws, to include more housing types and better define where population growth will occur.
Speed up application processing, including developing pre-approved site plans.
Review the City's density bonusing program, a tool to encourage construction of more housing units on a property and to increase the supply of affordable housing.

Responsible City Asset Management

Maple Ridge's inventory of City-owned assets – including buildings, infrastructure, vehicles and equipment – exceed $2 billion in value and are essential to providing City services.

As the community continues to grow, it is crucial to plan for the delivery, maintenance and replacement of these assets to ensure reliable, sustainable and equitable City services throughout Maple Ridge, now and in the future.

Related actions proposed in 2024:

Improve coordination for the delivery of capital projects.
Enhance maintenance of parks and roads.
Enhance delivery of parks projects, including landscaping.
Review the Development Cost Charge bylaw to ensure fees collected from developers are adequate to fund growth-related infrastructure and services.
Develop a strategy for the development of a comprehensive Asset Management Plan.
Capital projects include:
Widen Abernethy Way from 224 to 230 Streets and extending it from 232 to 240 Street.
Upgrade the 225 Street forcemain and pump station to better serve Town Centre and East Maple Ridge
Twin the Grant Mountain reservoir to increase water capacity in Albion.

Rear view of three girls running towards a community event.

Vision

We provide dynamic public spaces for our residents to engage with their community and maintain an active lifestyle. Our citizens are proud to be from Maple Ridge and celebrate our history and culture. Residents feel safe and supported by their community and municipal services.

Public Safety

Maple Ridge residents are protected by a collaborative service model that includes firefighter, Community Safety Officers and RCMP officers. Rapid growth in the community, coupled with the impact of economic and societal issues, is putting increased pressure on these services to ensure the safety of all residents.

The Fire Protection Master Plan (formerly the Fire Services Strategic Plan) identified a critical need for investment in fire services both to meet current demands and keep pace with population growth and the evolving needs of the community.

Additional investment in police services is also required as Maple Ridge prepares for the de-integration of the Ridge Meadows RCMP as the City of Pitt Meadows transitions to its own RCMP detachment.

The City is also leveraging the use of Community Safety officers as a tool to bridge the gap between social services and law enforcement, and ensure a feeling of safety and wellbeing in the community.

Related actions proposed in 2024:

Increase fire suppression and prevention resources.
Increase police officer presence and victim support.
Provide one-time resources for required transition to a Maple Ridge RCMP detachment.
Ensure two-person Community Safety Officer patrol teams from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Develop a comprehensive community safety plan.

Active Transportation

Providing more safe and convenient options for active transportation (such as cycling or walking) helps to encourage healthy and active lifestyles.

Related actions proposed in 2024:

Add three kilometres to the length of Maple Ridge's cycling network.
Add key projects to the five-year Capital Program to complete an east-to-west AAA (all ages and abilities) bike route from 240 Street to the Maple Meadows West Coast Express station.

Community Activation & Engagement

This year, Maple Ridge is celebrating its 150th anniversary of being a vibrant and diverse community. To mark this milestone, the City is striving to engage residents with accessible events, expanded access to facilities and programs, and new opportunities to provide input and feedback.

Related actions proposed in 2024:

Activate a mobile stage bringing performances and entertainment to 16 events around the community.
Ensure at least 70% of households can access at least one free event within a 15-minute walk from home.
Support increased facility bookings and enhanced aquatics programming.
Develop a new public engagement framework and tools.
Conduct a budget pilot project that allows citizens to allocate one-time funds through an open, transparent public participation process.
Introduce a pilot heritage grant program to conserve historic amenities.
Audit recreation facilities for accessibility based on Rick Hansen Guideline standards.
Develop criteria for recreation access funding supports to increase participation in subsidized programs.
Implement new public art programming.
Work with interested parties to initiate a museum needs assessment.
Increase volunteerism by retaining those who volunteered at the BC Summer Games.

A person visible in a rear view through a thick stand of trees.

Vision

Climate change poses a tremendous risk to current and future generations. As stewards of our environmental assets, we value our natural infrastructure and seek to leverage its benefits to reduce our climate impact. We actively plan to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change as our community grows, pursue the growth of green industries, and adopt promising practices and innovation.

Taking Action

Maple Ridge has abundant natural resources that provide benefits to culture, recreation and infrastructure. As the City embarks on its first Climate Action Plan, it is important to understand the value provided by these natural assets and biodiversity.

We must also take immediate steps to reduce our impact on our resilient but vulnerable ecosystem, and to identify and mitigate the risk associated with climate change on City services, assets and residents.

Related Actions Proposed in 2024:

Develop a Climate Action Plan informed by risk assessments including hazards and extreme weather.
Upgrade the electrical service at the City Operations Centre to support electric vehicles.
Install more than 40 fleet electric vehicle charging stations.
Conduct an inventory of Maple Ridge's natural assets and assess their benefits to determine how to best preserve and manage them.
Conduct an inventory of the community's biodiversity and study its health to determine how to best preserve and manage them.
Create a strategy to ensure McKenney Creek system is preserved and managed during development in the Lougheed Transit Corridor Area.
Conduct a pilot project to reduce wildlife interactions and emissions from countertop food composter systems.

Vision

Our local economy is as diverse and vibrant as our community. We attract business investment to balance our tax base and provide employment opportunities across different sectors and our businesses are supported in their growth and innovation goals. Our community is a destination for seekers of arts, culture and outdoor adventure.

Taking Action

Maple Ridge thrives with a diverse economy and vibrant community spirit. Businesses that bring services, jobs and innovation are important for achieving community liveability and the long-term vision for Maple Ridge.

Businesses also contribute taxes that help fund municipal services. Promoting a strong local economy helps to broaden the City's tax base and reduce dependence on residential taxpayers.

Related actions proposed in 2024:

Develop a strategy to attract business and investment.
Promote local businesses with funding for seasonal promotions and other campaigns.
Develop an employment area.
Refresh the agricultural plan.
Enhance resources to process business licences, including for short-term rentals, as required by the Province of BC.
Analyze data to better promote business retention and expansion.
Take steps to establish a post-secondary institution in Maple Ridge in conjunction with a labour market analysis.
Review policies for eco, adventure and agri-tourism.
Host pilot “big top” events to attract agri-vendors.
Develop a strategy to attract visitors to events in Maple Ridge.
Raise awareness of Maple Ridge's brand and promote the City as a place to do business.

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Vision

Responsive and accessible government is paramount to building public trust. We build that trust through the City's communications, transparent engagement and customer-centric service experiences. We honour our service to our community through prudent financial management, effective public policy and transparent decision-making.

Taking Action

The launch of the new City brand in 2023 signifies a new chapter for Maple Ridge, with a commitment to innovation and community engagement and a continued dedication to meeting and exceeding the expectations of residents and partners. The journey going forward will be defined by growth, resilience and sustainability.

Related actions proposed in 2024:

Update the City's Financial Sustainability Policy and review the annual business planning process to ensure the City can continue to meet the changing needs of the community.
Develop an Archaeological Management Plan to ensure historical and Indigenous artifacts underground are identified, managed and preserved.
Develop an Indigenous Relations and Engagement Strategy to identify protocols for engaging with Indigenous partners.
Create a customer experience strategy and framework to deliver exceptional customer service.
Ensure the City maintains best governance practices for managing policies, records and risk.
Introduce a continuous improvement centre of excellence that empowers staff to create more efficient processes and streamline service delivery.
Prepare the City for the unexpected by developing a business continuity program and practice activations of the Emergency Operations Centre.
Introduce an online performance management system to support accountability and collaboration in City operations.

Want to get in touch? There are a few ways to contact our team.

1. Email the Budget Office | budget@mapleridge.ca
2. Call the Budget Hotline | 604-467-7484 (voicemail) 
3. Write to Our Team | Use the mailing details below:

Trevor Thompson
Director of Finance
City of Maple Ridge 
11995 Haney Place 
Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9