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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. | |
| Administration of business licenses is a core function of the city. Enabling businesses to operate safety and effectively through the licensing process ensures residents that the goods and services they receive from local businesses are well regulated. This function of the City is also an important part of developing our diversified and thriving economy. Over the term of this Council Strategic Plan, the city has seen shifts in the profile of businesses looking at maple ridge. Several process improvements have been undertaken over the term of the project which have led to a 20% increase in processing efficiency for business licensing. Work to improve the business licensing process will continue and is part of a wider effort to reduce red-tape at the city and stimulate business activity. Review and updates to the Business Licensing Bylaw are also planned for 2027. | |
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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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| This key result is now completed as a regulatory review of agri-, eco- and adventure tourism was completed in Q1 2026. This has given important insights for the Planning department to further inform development of possible new policy and programs in 2027 and beyond to support this area of industry in Maple Ridge. In 2024, a baseline was established for the Net Promoter Score for agri-, eco-, and adventure tourism sector so that the City can now measure on a regular cycle the growth of the sector. The City's Economic Development department is continuing supports for this sector and the Planning Department will revisit possible new policy and programs after completion of the Agricultural Plan in 2027. | |
| 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. | |
| The BeWith Experience Hub currently has over 50 registered businesses, with more than 50% representing new entrants to the platform. This growth reflects increasing sector engagement and the Hub’s expanding role as a centralized resource for tourism‑related enterprises. Work will continue on the development and use of the HUB; the key result was completed in Q1 2026 and will become an ongoing operational resource. | |
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| 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, future updates will continue to provide information about further progress and successes related to attraction of major productions
Five major productions have been and are stationed out of Maple Ridge on a semi, to long term basis through Q1 of 2026 and beyond.
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.
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 the 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, Maple Ridge designer slates. 18 reels, 28 photos, and eight fan edits. This 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. This key result was therefore completed in Q1 2026 and ongoing monitoring of sentiment analysis will continue as an operational activity. | |
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| This key result was completed in Q1 2026 as all eligible businesses in the downtown BIA area received information about the program. Promotion of the Patio Program to businesses will continue as an operational item. Information has been distributed via newsletters from the City and partner organizations, networking events, ongoing outreach, and in-person promotional events to connect businesses with information, products, services, and supports for patio activations in Maple Ridge. This initiative enables the City to support vibrant downtown and increase economic opportunities for business and amenities for residents seeking entertainment and community connection. | |
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| More than 30 stakeholder engagements have been completed with community members, municipal partners, universities, colleges, schools, emerging startups, and established businesses across the region. These engagements have included activities such as an in-person focus group, survey, and multiple one-on-one entrepreneur and influencer meetings. These engagements, along with research and other related activities, have generated a clearer understanding of the conditions required to support an emerging innovation ecosystem, including the need for stronger entrepreneurial support infrastructure with regional relevance. While this work has identified gaps, opportunities, and potential activation ecosystem models, upcoming events and continued community engagement will help further refine and validate the Maple Ridge-specific perspective and inform recommendations for the City’s Innovation Ecosystem Action Plan. | |
| Staff have completed two innovation events and one focus group, with an additional innovation event scheduled for November. To date, these engagements identified current and prospective entrepreneurs, developed a contact list of interested parties, and surfaced key opportunities, gaps, and barriers to establishing innovative businesses in Maple Ridge. The events also created opportunities for innovation-driven individuals to connect, identify potential collaborations, and begin building a more connected entrepreneurial community. The event in November will be the last one for 2026 and will focus on helping innovation-based businesses and startups understand the process of raising equity capital. | |
| As of the end of September 2026 (the end date of this Key result), a MOU has been signed with the University of Fraser Valley's Esposito Family Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship. A second organization has been identified as a potential strategic partner, but a formal agreement is not yet in place because confirming a long-term partnership arrangement with this organization is dependent on alignment around specific projects (such as an accelerator program), as well as securing funding from various sources (including the potential for grant opportunities). | |
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This Key Result was not met for several reasons. First, work around the innovation ecosystem in Maple Ridge has validated that while demand is rising locally for this type of business environment, the City is still establishing a clear and credible position within the tech-heavy regional innovation ecosystem. Additionally, there are few traditional regional sources focused on business, meaning that a focus on industry publication (innovation and technology-focused publications) is increasingly necessary.
Notwithstanding the Key Result not being met, substantive foundational work was completed: staff assessed the existing landscape, strengthened knowledge and relationships, identified specific opportunities, and redirected efforts in response to evolving provincial priorities.
Staff are now refining the innovation and entrepreneur segments where Maple Ridge can compete credibly and developing a business plan to guide future positioning, partnerships, and media outreach. While the KR was not achieved in its original form, this work has created a more informed, connected, and strategically aligned path to support stronger media coverage in the coming year.
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| Several business walks have been undertaken in the Town Centre and various business parks and industrial areas throughout the city to ensure that staff are actively engaged in conversation with businesses to better understand their needs and offer support. Currently more than 50 businesses have been visited, with additional visits set to take place in preparation for Small Business Week in late October. This key result has been completed with ongoing work to continue outreach and support for businesses through the economic development team planned for future years as part of the staff workplan. This work is critical to ensure that businesses have direct contact with staff involved in supporting business retention and expansion programs and to provide input to major initiatives underway across the City. | |
| One roundtable discussion with wood products manufacturers and one cross-sector discussion were held in July, with action memos distributed internally to relevant departments. Another cross-sector session is scheduled for late November (led by the Chamber of Commerce). | |
| As of the end of April 2026 (the end date for this Key Result), five joint innovation-focused business engagements have taken place to support these business and identify opportunities to support their growth. Outreach will continue through both the innovation hub initiative and ongoing business retention & expansion efforts. | |