Maple Ridge city hall will develop a new hazards framework for the city, planning for climate change and growth.
City council directed staff to more forward with the framework, using a phased approach to modernizing land use regulations in response to increasing natural and climate-related risks.
“As climate change accelerates, communities like Maple Ridge are experiencing more frequent and severe events, as we’ve seen in recent years with atmospheric rivers, flooding, drought, and extreme heat,” said Mayor Dan Ruimy. “This framework is about protecting people, homes, and infrastructure while ensuring we’re planning responsibly for growth.
“Acting now helps reduce future risk, improves resilience, and supports better long-term decision-making for our community,” the mayor added.
Maple Ridge’s geography — from low-lying floodplains along the Fraser River and major watercourses, to steep slopes, upland terrain, and forested areas — exposes the community to a range of natural hazards. These include flooding, slope instability, wildfires, extreme heat, and drought.
These risks are increasing alongside the pressures of rapid population growth and provincially mandated housing targets.
“We’re planning responsibly for the future by providing clear natural hazard mapping and development standards and regulations that reflect today’s risks,” said James Stiver, director of planning and building.
“The Hazards Framework project will bring updated hazard data, climate science, and land use regulations together, so future growth decisions are evidence-based, transparent, and resilient,” Stiver added. “It protects public safety and the environment, while giving property owners, builders, and the city a shared understanding of risks in hazard-prone areas when new development or redevelopment is proposed.”
The first phase of work in 2026 will focus on floodplain management and a city-wide natural hazard overview assessment. This will be followed by additional work on geohazards, wildfire interface measures, and ecosystem resilience.
For more information, visit MapleRidge.ca/HazardsFramework or contact Amanda Grochowich, manager of community planning at AGrochowich@MapleRidge.ca.