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| A Business Retention and Expansion (BR&E) strategy was presented to Council in May 2025. It was a collaborative effort across multiple departments. A plan for business retention and expansion has been completed. Staff are now integrating the plan to align it with the Investment Attraction strategy which will focus on targeting industries that enhance tax diversification and create jobs in Maple Ridge. The focus will also include short-term objectives and strategic planning to attract long-term investments. | |
| The City has adopted an Investment Attraction Strategy and is now implementing it into action. As part of this work, labor market and incentive strategies will be developed to match the skills and tools needed to attract and retain target industries in Maple Ridge. Therefore, the work of this key result will be absorbed into the implementation of the strategy to maximize focus of the work on the most promising sectors that support new business attraction. | |
| An Investment Attraction Strategy has been developed that provides guidance on possible targeted industries on which to focus. This was a collaborative effort across multiple departments, and staff are now working on setting up new key results for Q3 that will drive achievement of investment attraction results in the industries selected. The focus is on industries that enhance tax diversification and create jobs in Maple Ridge. | |
| Work to review business licensing processes was undertaken in 2025. Implementing process improvements is still ongoing. A business licence bylaw re-write is being considered, which will align with any new technology to also lead to improved efficiency for businesses seeking to obtain, renew or update their licenses. | |
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| In 2024 and early 2025 considerable work was done to build a collaboration with key partners to encourage location of a post-secondary institution in Maple Ridge. Establishing a collaboration model is now completed and will continue to be maintained. Future work will focus on connecting the post-secondary engagement and collaboration to investment attraction needs regarding the future labour force. This aspect of the feasibility study for post-secondary intuitions is now completed. It will remain a longer-term focus for the City to prepare for an upturn in growth of the post-secondary sector as current external factors such as immigration policy have made the operating environment more challenging in the medium term for post-secondary institutions expansion and growth in satellite campuses. | |
| After review of a possible Tech-Hub, the City has shifted its focus toward advancing the Innovation Ecosystem more broadly and this may involve initiatives targeting technology-inclined entrepreneurs as well as other projects that will support local innovation and stimulate business attraction and retention. This work will involve assessing existing assets and opportunities in the community. Through this process, we are building a clearer understanding of local capacity and needs. A revised and more clearly defined key result will be proposed. | |
| The City has adopted an Investment Attraction Strategy and is now implementing it into action. As part of this work, labor market and incentive strategies will be developed to match the skills and tools needed to attract and retain target industries in Maple Ridge. Therefore, the work of this key result will be absorbed into the implementation of the investment strategy to maximize focus of the work on the most promising sectors that support new business attraction. The labour market analysis was not completed to date and so will be closed as not-met even though this work will be rescoped as part of the implementation of the Investment Strategy. | |
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| The next phase of the Net Promoter Score (NPS) is scheduled for Q4 of 2026. Having derived a baseline through the last NPS, the 2026 survey will gauge residents' perception of tourism services and experiences in Maple Ridge. | |
| This key result focused on the positive benefits from film productions in Maple Ridge in stimulating local tourism. While there is anecdotal evidence that film productions in Maple Ridge have generated positive tourism benefits, this is difficult to quantify. This key result will be completed as partially met and new key results focused on the core economic benefits of the film sector will be implemented to better reflect the intent of this work. Additional measures for tourism attraction are also being added. | |
| The Event Attraction Strategy for tourism driven events has been prepared and was reviewed by Council for input in Q1, 2025. Staff are now working though the strategy recommendations to determine next steps to foster events that have multiplier benefits for the community through tourism attraction, business development and that align with existing community based and recreational events. Future initiatives will be put in place to enact the strategy and undertake work in earnest to target the attraction of specific high-profile events (e.g., concerts, cultural events and festivals, film festivals, sports and games events) that can generate tourism and community outcomes. | |
| Onboarding of businesses on the Discover Hub platform is ongoing, with about 30% increase in users in the last month. Work is ongoing to create awareness and support businesses to adapt and expand their use of the tool. | |
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| 2025 Year End Direct Revenue to the City of Maple Ridge, which includes permit fees, locational fees, etc., came to a revenue of $735K which is an 18% increase since 2024, and a 424% increase since 2019. Although this key result has been met, the percentage increase in revenue will continue to be tracked to the end of 2026 as further gains are likely.
The increase in revenue from filming can be attributed to the Fees and Charges bylaw that was updated in Q2 of 2025. It modernizes how Maple Ridge sets film fees by aligning costs with the size and impact of each production. Instead of a single flat rate, the bylaw uses a tiered structure: smaller productions pay lower fees, while larger, higher-impact shoots contribute proportionally more based on their use of City resources and operational requirements. Since the inception of the Film Policy, the composition of production types in Maple Ridge has continued to diversify. From 2024 alone, there has been an increase of: 200% in independent productions, 400% in shorts, and 150% in “other” productions (including PSAs, educational materials, and photoshoots). Such diversification has occurred while maintaining or increasing the volume of large-scale features and TV series filming in Maple Ridge, creating a more robust filming economy with multiple streams of revenue.
Over and above the improved fee structure, the increase is due to the large demand for the use of City owned assets for rent by the film industry as location and adjacent spaces (i.e., holding, parking, catering, etc.). We have also increased the community outreach and exposure of the film industry to Maple Ridge businesses creating a more film friendly environment. More and more productions are coming to Maple Ridge looking to achieve more complex filming activities, utilize City of Maple Ridge assets, and are staying in Maple Ridge longer (i.e., each production is averaging more shoot days in Maple Ridge). We are experiencing a more diverse pool of productions, where MR is experiencing more TV and features, while supporting an increased number of independent and student productions, all contributing to increased direct revenues. | |
| Two large shows have committed to utilizing properties in Maple Ridge long term, creating large direct, indirect and induced impacts for Maple Ridge, as these shows leverage other Maple Ridge businesses, locations, services, etc. within the area. Although the initial target of two productions has been achieved, this key result will be kept open to reflect ongoing work to surpass this initial target.
The City launched the Film Maple Ridge Playbook | Maple Ridge, BC, which explores how thoughtful policy, operational excellence, and community integration turn filming into lasting economic, cultural, and social value. It’s the blueprint for growing film responsibly, at scale to ensure that we remain a film friendly and resilient filming community that can continue to retain and expand upon the productions we are attracting. Because - there is no film without our community. It also works in a multipronged way, by celebrating the productions that Choose Maple Ridge and give the City increasing ability to attract productions to a film friendly jurisdiction (both community and governance).
The City is also developing the Film Maple Ridge partners program. Through an ecosystem approach, the program is designed to: attract increased production activity in Maple Ridge; increase direct, indirect, and induced spend within Maple Ridge by productions, their affiliates, and staff; ensure that productions have as seamless as an experience to source locations, products, services, and goods; create long term sustainable relationships between the business community and the film industry. How will it work?
Maple Ridge currently remains near the entry level of the economic multiplier effect (i.e., every $1 spent on production = an estimated $1.50 - $3.00 of economic activity generated in the local economy), as industry integration with the local business environment is still in its early stages. The Film Maple Ridge Partnership is designed to move our community up the economic multiplier curve by expanding direct economic activity and unlocking stronger indirect and induced impacts. Our focus is on building the conditions for sustained ripple effects throughout the Maple Ridge economy through support of three key branches of integration, in which were introduced at our first Partnership working group session last fall.
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- Location Partners
- Business to Business Providers
- Business to Consumer Providers
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| Film Fridays is a showcase of behind-the-scenes content from film projects in Maple Ridge, sprinkled with some fun film facts and, MR designer slates. 18 reels, 28 photos, and eight fan edits, this now campaign finally reached its conclusion in Q4 2025. From indie films to blockbuster hits, educational pieces to your latest TV addiction, the City compiled a true sample of the breadth of filming ventures (and the wild stories that follow) taking place in the community.
Baseline data suggest strong community engagement, awareness and support for the Film Friday campaign and by extension filming in Maple Ridge more generally. Statistics show over one hundred and sixty-two thousand views, across 3 social media platforms, with almost 3,000 engagements for 23 campaign posts. This campaign ran in 2025 and will be used as a baseline comparator for 2026 Film Maple Ridge Social Media content. | |
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| Promotion for the Patio Program has been developed and deployed to inform eligible businesses of the program and encourage participation. Website updates have been completed, information has been distributed via the Downtown Maple Ridge Business Improvement Association (DMRBIA) to member businesses, and a promotional event will be executed in February 2026. Additionally, a survey instrument is in development and will be deployed in conjunction with promotions for the 2026 operating season. The survey will be shared with eligible local businesses to assess interest, barriers, and readiness to participate in the patio program. | |
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| Progress on this key result is well underway. The City has hosted a focus group with entrepreneurs and organizers of local AI meetup events in late 2025 and will continue to host additional such engagements following the City's various startup and innovation ecosystem events. The combination of startup/innovation events, which aim to surface prospective entrepreneurs and other ecosystem participants, along with direct engagement via focus groups, will allow the City to effectively assess and understand the opportunity to build a vibrant ecosystem and support an innovation-based economy. Through this two-pronged approach, along with one-on-one discussions with businesses and entrepreneurs, the City will gather a fulsome view of the needs and opportunities within the community. | |
| The City's first innovation and startup ecosystem event in this series will be held on February 26, 2026. Tickets will open soon for registration (aiming for mid-January), but interested individuals can learn more about the event at the City's Catalyst Innovation Network webapge: Catalyst Innovation Network | Maple Ridge, BC | |
| The City has been in contact with multiple organizations including post-secondary institutions, recognized accelerators, and private sector entrepreneurship-enabling entitles. Establishing an MOU will require greater clarity on the specific opportunities and challenges that exist, and which need to be addressed in Maple Ridge. This information will be gathered through the focus groups and events that the City is hosting. Since all of these efforts are underway, this key result is making good progress. | |
| Work on this key result has not formally started, as other results associated with the innovation ecosystem objective are precursors to securing media coverage from 3 industry/regional publications. Once the innovation events have started building awareness, and the MOUs have been signed, more media focus is expected on the innovation ecosystem | |