Maple Ridge increases 2025 property taxes by 4.9 per cent

Maple Ridge home owners will pay an average of $137 more in property taxes in 2025.

In a 6-1 vote, city council voted to increase property taxes by 4.9 per cent vote on April 1. This does not include fees for municipality utilities, like water and sewer.

Council previously directed staff in both December 2024 and January 2025 to cut back on their initial proposed tax increases. In December, staff suggested 10.48 per cent. In January,  6.87 per cent.

“Cutting it over in half is pretty spectacular,” said Coun. Korleen Carreras. “I wish we didn’t have to raise any taxes, but I also understand we need to be servicing our community properly and that they have the services that they expect and require.”

Mayor Dan Ruimy agreed. “If we constantly kick things down the road, we’ll never get things done.”

“We’re not that city of 40,000 anymore. We’re 106,000,” he added.

The 4.9 per cent increase is allotted to general purpose, police and fire protective services, infrastructure, as well as parks, recreation, and culture.

Coun. Carreras said police and fire protective services are a top priority for the community.

She added that parks, recreation and culture should be a “big spend” so that the community is healthy, connected and happy.

But Coun. Ahmed Yousef expressed concern that this tax increase puts even more financial strain on residents, when they’re: “experiencing unprecedented financial pressures.”

“I can’t in good conscience, given the current financial climate and what’s going on and the pressures being faced by our households, approve a financial plan that will further burden our taxpayers, 93 per cent still are residential,” he said.

Diversify revenue

Coun. Yousef said they need another source of revenue, rather than constantly depending on taxes. He asked staff about their investment corporation, which staff said they’re working on and will be presenting to council about later this year.

Mayor Ruimy agreed, saying that “The notion that 93 per cent of tax revenue is on residential is absolutely ludicrous.”

He said it’s important that Maple Ridge get their North 256 Street Industrial Lands up and running, which would change their tax base dramatically.

Sewer and recycling

Council also unanimously voted to increase its sewer levy by 25 per cent — a $136.18 increase per single-family dwelling that will bring the average sewer fee per property to about $716.

This funds the costs for both Maple’s Ridge’s local infrastructure and maintenance, as well as for Metro Vancouver’s North Shore Wastewater Treatment plant.

Council also voted to repeal the recycling levy, since Recycling BC now provides curbside recycling at no cost to residents – saving them $43.