A Better Maple Ridge council has shown up for Maple Ridge youth, funding the programs and building the spaces kids actually use. Since 2023, RISE has brought the City, RCMP, schools, and local service agencies together to support thousands of young people and families. Federal partners just renewed their investment in RISE for another three years, a vote of confidence in work this council started. This council was the one that put real dollars behind the Maple Ridge Youth Strategy, a plan that had sat on the shelf for years without the funding or staff time to make it real. We didn't just inherit a strategy and let it collect dust. We backed it with budget, tied it to programs like RISE, and started turning it into things young people can see and feel. 

New Youth Space

We know families need real places to gather and play, close to home. That's why we've worked to open new spaces where you can do exactly that. We opened new spray parks and completed major renovations at Volker and Maple Ridge Park. We delivered a new spray park on the west side of town, creating even more spaces for you to gather and play close to home. 

Young people need safe spaces built for them, not leftover ones. That's why we expanded youth services at Albion Community Centre, and we want to keep bringing those services closer to where families actually live. 

If Maple Ridge moves forward with a new recreation centre on October 17th, an A Better Maple Ridge council will ensure there is youth space included in its design. A Better Maple Ridge is committed to working with young people and community partners to make sure that space is built to meet the growing needs of our community. That means actively seeking out youth feedback, not just building for young people but listening to them and building with them.

Safer Ways to Get to School

However your kids get to school, we want them getting there safely. 

Families need to get their kids to school safely, no matter how they get there. That's why we've worked to make every route safer, one crossing at a time. We got straight to work and installed 80+ new pedestrian-activated crossings across the city, including 17 new LED light-up crosswalks added this spring alone. 

We didn't stop at signs and signals. We've painted 49 school-zone pavement decals over the past two years, another reminder to every driver rolling through. These crossings haven't landed randomly. We've built where families have been asking for years, and where growth means more people are moving through every day. There's more ground to cover, and an ABMR council will build on this work with new LED light-up crosswalks underway near Yennadon Elementary on 132 Avenue, at 124 Avenue and Gray Street near Alouette Elementary and repaving on 126 Avenue, smoothing out a route families already rely on.

As Maple Ridge grows toward 125,000 people, we need a transportation network built for everyone who uses it, no matter their age, income, or ability, and that starts with how kids get to school. We put safe commuting for school-aged kids at the centre of Maple Ridge's Strategic Transportation Plan, backed with sidewalks, streetlights, and safer roads for everyone who walks, bikes, and drives. An ABMR council will build on that with a real, connected network of walking and cycling paths, giving you a safe, viable way to get to school on their own two feet or two wheels. Including an all-ages-and-abilities cycling route on 232 Street, from Abernethy Way to Fern Crescent, filling the gap along Dewdney Trunk Road between 232nd and 240th,  and a new east-west connection through the Town Centre along Selkirk Avenue.

Stay tuned for more commitments to create a safer Maple Ridge for everyone. 

Maple Ridge has one of the lowest residential property tax burdens in the region, sitting in the lowest third of municipalities in the Lower Mainland, and that's not an accident; it's a deliberate choice this team has made every budget cycle.

We delivered the lowest property tax increase of our entire four-year term, 3.5 percent, because we know affordability isn't a talking point for people in this city; it's the thing they're actually worried about. Keeping taxes down doesn't mean cutting corners. We held the line on affordability while still delivering more RCMP, more firefighters, and the infrastructure this city needs to keep up with its own growth.

Stay tuned for more commitments to make Maple Ridge more affordable.

We know families need real places to gather and play, close to home. We opened new spray parks and completed major renovations at Volker and Maple Ridge Park, plus finally a new spray park on the west side of town.

If Maple Ridge moves forward with a new recreation centre, an ABMR council will build on this work with facilities and programming designed for every generation, from toddlers to seniors. That means keeping the discounts and accessibility tools already in place, and making sure the people who use the space have a say in how it's built.

Stay tuned for more commitments for better recreation in Maple Ridge. 

We pushed to expand Abernethy Way to keep people and goods moving, ease congestion, and get residents home to their families faster. The 240th Street Bridge is a critical transportation and safety link for Silver Valley, but it has sat on the capital plan for years with little progress. We’re determined to change that.

We’re already building the road leading to the future bridge, and the intersection at 240th Street and Abernethy Way has been designed to accommodate the crossing.

Young people in Maple Ridge already show up. Through the GMYC Youth Advisory Committee and uPlan, they’ve helped shape programs and priorities for years. City Hall needs to build on that commitment and give youth a stronger voice in the decisions that affect their future.

A formal Youth Council, developed with young people, will provide a direct connection to City Council and a standing role in shaping budgets and policies while decisions are being made.

An A Better Maple Ridge council will work to get you moving faster and safer, however you choose to travel. Families deserve reliable transportation options that make everyday trips easier and more affordable.

That means expanding Abernethy Way to 240th Street and approving the route for its next stage to 256th Street. It means holding TransLink to its commitment to widen Golden Ears Way from the bridge to 210th Street. We helped secure the funding; now we need to get it built.

Maple Ridge is also part of the first wave of communities promised Bus Rapid Transit. We will work with TransLink and the Province to turn that commitment into a reliable service that gives residents a practical alternative to driving.

Better transportation means less time in traffic, more time with family, lower transportation costs and fewer emissions.

Residents have told us clearly: safer crossings save lives. The ABMR team pushed for pedestrian safety improvements, with more than 80 pedestrian-activated crossings already installed. We will build on that progress, prioritizing crossings where they are needed most.

Using the Transportation Master Plan, we will close gaps in north–south and east–west cycling routes and expand sidewalks and multi-use paths so families can safely walk, cycle or roll around Maple Ridge.

Arts and culture bring people together, create vibrant public spaces, and build pride and belonging. They attract visitors, support local businesses and give diverse communities opportunities to share their stories.

Maple Ridge already has a strong foundation in The ACT Arts Centre and our local artists and cultural organizations. Many talented artists live here but travel elsewhere to exhibit and perform. We want to create more opportunities for them—and more opportunities for residents to experience the arts close to home.

B.C.’s creative industries are major economic drivers, spanning film and television, music, book and magazine publishing, animation, visual effects, video games, digital media and design. They contribute $7.4 billion to our economy and support more than 88,000 jobs. Maple Ridge has an opportunity to attract more of this investment and create skilled jobs closer to home.

Film and television production is already part of our local economy. We can build on that success while supporting the wider range of creative businesses and professionals who could choose Maple Ridge as their base.

That means making it easier to establish and grow creative businesses, encouraging studio and production spaces, and connecting local talent with training and employment opportunities.

A safer Maple Ridge needs strong emergency services, early support for people at risk, and infrastructure that helps prevent problems before they become emergencies.

This council invested in 22 additional firefighters and 22 additional RCMP officers, strengthening both services as our city grows. Bringing animal control in-house also supports more responsive, everyday community safety.

We will build on that progress with a visible police presence downtown, coordinated support for vulnerable youth, safer school routes and investments that protect neighbourhoods from flooding and extreme heat.

Climate change is already affecting Maple Ridge through extreme heat, wildfire smoke and flooding. Taking action means protecting residents, reducing emissions and preparing our community for changing conditions.

This council adopted Maple Ridge’s first comprehensive climate action plan, Resilient Future 2050, and has begun putting it into practice through stronger low-carbon building standards, tree protection, floodplain management, cleaner City vehicles and a home retrofit pilot.

An ABMR council will build on that progress with practical investments that help residents lower energy costs, travel more sustainably and keep their homes and neighbourhoods safe.