About Maple Ridge
The city of Maple Ridge is a bustling and growing area of the lower mainland, close to Mission, Abbotsford and other great smaller cities out east of the lower mainland.
Maple Ridge, BC is a city located in the lower mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It makes up a part of the Metro Vancouver municipalities. And is considered a more eastern city than some of the other cities in Metro Vancouver.
It has a growing population of 90,990 according to the 2021 Canadian census. Maple Ridge is the perfect city for those who want to live in a more rural area while still having access to all the amenities a growing city has to offer.
History of the City
Maple Ridge became its own city in 1874, after being a part of the City of Pitt Meadows.
Its establishment was much like the other cities on the lower mainland, with European settlement in First Nations territories.
After other areas in Metro Vancouver, such as New Westminster and Burnaby, started to expand, it allowed the city to grow and establish itself.
Appeal
Working families
The city is perfect for the working family that wants a detached home, yard space, garage space and easy access to the great outdoors. It can be hard to buy a home in other areas of Metro Vancouver without paying over a million dollars. Maple Ridge offers different opportunities.
While prices continue to increase, average rental prices for the combined Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows are are around $1,100 for a 1-bedroom home according to CMHC 2021, and to buy a detached home, you’ll find average prices starting at around $1,194,650 and apartments at $559,800 according to Greater Vancouver REALTORS®.
With a strong dual income, it makes it easier to afford a home and thus attracts a lot of working families.
Outdoors oriented
If you love the outdoors, Maple Ridge will be the perfect place to move to. It has great access to Motocross tracks, hiking in the Golden Ears Parks, boating in awesome lakes and access to other trails for those interested in exploring and getting into the outdoors.
It also offers affordable rental prices when compared to some of the other cities that offer outdoor access, like Coquitlam and North Vancouver.
Top Places to See
Kanaka
The Kanaka neighbourhood is historic for its heritage as it’s a neighbourhood that sits on the banks of the creek of Kanaka Creek. This area and community host a lot of cultural events in the city because of its deep cultural roots.
Need scenery? This area offers great access to the creek, parks and a mix of both townhomes and detached homes.
Port Hammond
This area of Maple Ridge is a great neighbourhood if you’re looking for a quiet detached home. It’s one of the more expensive areas because it was developed many years ago in the 1900s.
It’s home to many homes that have character, so be sure to snatch up a home here if you want a character home. They are also being repurposed into new properties to attract other families into the area.
Port Haney
If you need easy access to transit, specifically the West Coast Express line, then Port Haney may be a great neighbourhood for you.
Port Haney is a historical area in Maple Ridge. It offers great heritage vibes, access to historic sites and museums and is a great place to raise a family. This neighbourhood sits in the middle of the core of Maple Ridge and the large suburban and newly developed neighbourhoods.
Silver Valley
Looking to really get away from the city life but still enjoy great small-town amenities? Silver Valley is the neighbourhood to live. It’s in the north part of Maple Ridge, close to the Golden Ears Provincial Parks and the great network of trails there, as well as Alouette Lake, the neighbourhood offers very easy access to nature, peace and quiet and not a long drive from the main city.
There is also some spectacular new housing inventory in that area as others look to develop in places with easier access to land.
Town Centre
This is the downtown core and main area of Maple Ridge—the Town Centre. It features great access to all the amenities that the city has to offer. From great local small businesses to the larger chains.
The homes on the main road through the city are primarily a mix of detached homes, townhouses and low-rise apartments. The outer areas are mostly single-family homes. So, if you want easy access to the central city of Maple Ridge, this is the place to live.
Whonnock
Looking for lake views in a rural area? This is the place to settle.
It’s located in the hilly community of upper maple ridge and offers great access to Whonnock Lake—a popular spot to visit during the spring and summer for boating activities like wakeboarding and water skiing.
Things to do in Maple Ridge
Alouette lake
This is a beautiful lake and a must-see place to visit in the Golden Ears Provincial Park. Alouette Lake is a huge lake and popular for all water sports—kayaking, windsurfing, boating and more. It offers amazing views of the mountain ranges of snow peaks and dense green forests.
Whether you want a place to escape and enjoy a view or want a place to gather with friends and family in the summer, this is a beautiful lake to check out.
Whonnock Lake
Looking for a calmer lake, Whonnock lake offers easy trails and family friendly parks? Whonnock lake is the place to visit.
It’s a bit more quiet than Alouette lake and still offers a great experience if you like kayaking, canoeing or paddle boarding. Not to mention, it’s the perfect place for a more quiet family gathering away from the city.
Golden Ears Park
This is a golden area of the lower mainland. Golden Ears Park is known for its vast mountain ranges that offer amazing hiking for beginners to the advanced.
It’s also home to some of the greatest and easily accessible camping in the lower mainland. This area offers over 62,000 hectares of land to explore (but be sure to stick to the trails). Golden Ears Park connects to Alouette Lake and Gold Creek.
Education
Maple Ridge has a smaller education system when compared to other cities in the lower mainland. However, that does not mean that’s a negative.
In fact, the mix of 22 elementary schools from kindergarten to grades 7, and the 6 secondary schools of grades 7 to 12, there is a wide diversity of children attending these schools.
Close by, there is the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV). It’s an amazing school that offers both academia and trades, as the Maple Ridge and Mission area are heavily trade-based working towns, offering great employment.
Similarly, there is Riverside College in Mission, BC that offers a trade school, too.
Leisure and Hobbies
Go on a hike and fishing
Living in Maple Ridge is the perfect city if you want easy access to amazing hiking, outdoor space and fishing. Many of the local gas stations and surrounding local stores sell bait for fishing and offer the immediate purchases you need when heading into the bush.
Check out the amazing trails in the Golden Ears Park or launch the boat in Alouette Lake and really see what Maple Ridge has to offer. You can also check out Kanaka Creek Provincial Park for a beautiful creek walk that offers easy trails for any walker.
Head camping
Looking to go camping? Get the best spots when you live in Maple Ridge.
Jones Lake is a nearby camp spot that sits on BC Hydro land and offers first-come first-serve camping grounds in the main section. Head into other parts of Jones Lake and you can camp for free, but it does offer a bit more challenging terrain.
There is also easy access to Golden Ears Provincial Park which has great camping spots. If you’re feeling adventurous, Maple Ridge also offers very easy access to camping in other parts of the lower mainland like areas past Abbotsford or even into the interior of BC.
This allows you to skip a huge part of the wait if you were to live in a city closer to the downtown core of Vancouver.
Future of Maple Ridge
The future of Maple Ridge is very bright. It’s a growing city with lower density housing areas, more affordable housing and a great place to grow a family. This trend will continue.
However, you may see more townhomes and lower-rise condominiums rise up in the area as the city demands density and expansion within the close amenities.
Otherwise, expect continued growth in the Maple Ridge community and beyond. By 2050, a projected 150,000 people will live here and constantly evolving plans laid out by the City of Maple Ridge will address this growth through parks, recreation, services, infrastructure and culture initiatives.
