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.