The average home in Maple Ridge will see a combined property tax and utilities increase of $181 for 2026.
Council approved a budget with a property tax increase of 3.5 per cent, rising to 4.1 per cent including sewer and water services, at a special meeting on Feb. 17.
The impact on the average home, with an assessed value of $1.04 million, will be $181 per year.
That will be $2,980 for property taxes (up $101), $859 for water (up $37), and $759 for sewer (up $43).
This does not include levies for Metro Vancouver Regional District, education, or other agencies the city collects for.
C.K. Lee, city manager of financial planning, presented council with the financial plan. Staff’s ask for a 2026 property tax increased began at 6.3 per cent for the operating budge, but council asked them to sharpen their pencils.
To get to 3.5 per cent as instructed by council, staff had to reduce the increase by 2.8 per cent – which meant “finding” $3.2 million, via spending cuts or additional revenue.
“We are at a time, I think, when the residents of the city are looking for affordability,” Lee told council, adding this approach was the driver during the budgeting process.
Maintaining service levels was also a key goal.
A key cut was $1.2 million that would have gone into the infrastructure sustainability reserve. The reduction was a temporary removal that would be restored next year, said Lee.
He said staff took a critical look at the budget and cut almost $900,000 while minimizing impacts to service levels. They also cut $325,000 through a review of programs, including the city’s chipping program for yard waste, which he said is used by about 2,000 residents.
“3.5 still equals cuts still equals cuts to services,” said Coun. Korleen Carreras. “I really appreciate that you’ve tried to keep front-facing services protected… so there will be less of an impact to our community members.”
Mayor Dan Ruimy explained council addressed key priorities earlier in its four-year term.
“When we look at the last three years, we’ve done a lot of the heavy lifting,” he said. “We’ve caught up a lot on firefighters, and public safety/police issues, we’ve moved forward with a lot of initiatives.”
He said council now has to be mindful of not taking a step backward.
Council was presented decision packages amounting to $707,000 for eight items.
• $85,000 for security services
• $78,000 for a clerk in communications and engagement
• $84,000 for facilities, parks and properties project associate manager
• $18,000 for facilities maintenance technician
• $106,000 for Emergency Preparedness Advisor with the fire department
• $142,000 for health and safety advisor
• $150,000 for concrete sidewalk, curb and gutter maintenance
• $40,000 for road line marking
These were approved, and will not increase the 3.5 per cent tax rate hike.
Coun. Jenny Tan asked why these particular decisions came to council, in a budget of approximately $180 million, when similar expenditures are routinely are handled by CAO Scott Hartman and other staff.
“I trust when you ask me for $40,000 to paint roads, you know what you’re doing,” she said.
Hartman said staff is demonstrating, for transparency, where dollars are going.
Tan also opposed cutting $1.2 million from the infrastructure sustainability reserve, saying she did not have enough information – such as how much is in the reserve – for such a large decision.
“The savings account is the easiest thing to cut,” she said. “I’m not supporting that.”
She and Coun. Sunny Schiller both cast dissenting votes on the three budget motions.
Schiller voted against the decision packages, but also spoke against not contributing to the infrastructure reserve.
“I appreciate the work that has been done to bring it (the tax rate) down to 3.5,” Schiller said.
“It is very uncomfortable for me to feel like we’re achieving that by pausing this particular reserve.”
Council approved the financial plan with decision packages. The city will now gather feedback, then in early April will bring a financial plan bylaw and a property tax rate bylaw. Right now, it sits at a 3.5 per cent property tax increase in 2026, and 4.5 per cent for 2027 to 2030.
Residents will get a mailout to households, there will be social media and print materials, and there will be at least five in-person budget pop-up sessions.