The Ridge

07/19/2023

Residents of Pitt Meadows want farmland to be protected from industrial and residential use in the next 10 years. This is one of the many initial findings of the Agricultural Plan report which was presented to city council on Tuesday.

The engagement summary report data was collected through interviews, agriculture and agri-food sector surveys, community surveys, community events and open house events between May to June 2023.

One question in the community survey asked residents, “In your ideal world, what does agriculture in Pitt Meadows look like in 10 years?” out of the 53 responses received, more than half (59 per cent) said that they want to ensure farmland is protected from becoming commercial or residential.

Photo by Rahmanjoy via Flickr

After 22 years, the initial report for the Pitt Meadows Agricultural Plan was presented to the council on March 7, 2023

07/14/2023

During the council meeting on Tuesday, Maple Ridge city council approved two residential projects that will add a total of 227 units to the community along Lougheed Highway.

Two six-storey buildings, one residential on 22057 and 22083 Lougheed Highway and one mixed-use building on 21783 Lougheed Highway have been approved by council.

application for the residential building on Lougheed Highway was first submitted in 2018, according to July 4 council meeting record

07/13/2023

The Maple Ridge Community Foundation has raised approximately $25,000 through the fundraiser for the Brown Street condo fire.

The information was confirmed by Dan Ruimy, Mayor of Maple Ridge, during the council meeting on Tuesday, July 11.

In the next few weeks, the MRCF will decide how to distribute the funds collected so far, Ruimy added.

The fundraiser was announced by the city via social media on Friday, June 16.

https://buff.ly/3DdnRVT

07/12/2023

The City of Pitt Meadows has shared that filming in the Osprey Village area generated $58,793 in revenue for the municipality.

In a document set to be presented at the Tuesday, July 11 council meeting, the city noted that 19 days of filming generated more than $58,000 in revenue which included film permit fees for after-hours filming, highway/street use fee for sidewalks and community centre park fees.

https://mailchi.mp/readtheridge/osprey-village-filming?e=[UNIQID]

07/12/2023

After work, sipping on a cocktail at the restaurant with her mother, Taryn Stephenson thought: What if a summer cocktail was infused with tea?

Thus, the summer collaboration for Maple Ridge residents happened between Sammy J’s Bar and Grill and Once Upon a Tea Leaf.

The hope is to create a “whimsical summer indulgence” for people as they sip on five new exclusive cocktails infused with their teas, said Stephenson, co-founder of Once Upon a Tea Leaf.

The tea infused summer drinks will be available for the season at the restaurant with $1 off during happy hour

07/11/2023

The City of Maple Ridge is advising residents to avoid swimming in Whonnock Lake as E. coli has been detected in a recent water sample.

The cause of a higher level of E. coli is being attributed to algae blooms, geese and pet waste, according to a statement by the city.

The standard level of E. coli is 400/100 mL, however, the recent water sampling indicates the water currently contains 1,305 E. coli/100 mL.

“Further action should be initiated if either of these guideline values is exceeded. Minimum action should consist of immediate resampling of the site(s). In addition, a swimming advisory may be issued should the responsible authority identify that the area is not suitable for recreational water use,” according to the Government of Canada website.

https://buff.ly/43q8Xq2

07/07/2023

To help make things easier, we are back with another guide - this time it's for lakes in and around Pitt Meadows.

If you visit any of them, do send us your photos or tag us using

There are so many hidden gems (or lakes rather) in Pitt Meadows for you to enjoy this summer or even after!

07/05/2023

During the Tuesday council meeting, a non-profit organization presented what could be the next affordable housing project in Maple Ridge.

The organization, More Than a Roof Housing Society submitted an application to build an affordable housing project on 22083-22095 Dewdney Trunk Road.

Currently, these are empty lots owned by the city.

Although information related to the specific project was not shared in the meeting, here’s what we know so far.

The non-profit organization was one of many non-profits that submitted a proposal for affordable housing during the tenure of the last council.

Read more in our newsletter 📰

https://buff.ly/44rFrSl

04/02/2023

The City of Maple Ridge has announced that it will host a Climate Action Summit on April 13, 2023.

Part of the Leadership Summit Series, the first event will bring together stakeholders, community members and government officials to discuss climate action.

Participants will include Indigenous leaders, elected officials from local, regional and provincial levels of government, academics, community groups and residents interested in discussing climate change.

https://buff.ly/3G3BPvC

04/01/2023

What started as a gluten-free bread business quickly became one of the most popular gluten-free cafes in Metro Vancouver.

Now, Caffe Delish is ready to open its second location.

By June 2023, they will open doors in Pitt Meadows and the cherry on top? It will likely be a drive-thru.

But this decision happened by a mere fluke, said Jenna Fidanza, owner of Caffe Delish and Speciality Bakery.

On the way to find a location in Langley, she drove by Pitt Meadows and came across the space where Kellie's Bead Boutique was once operational.

She felt a “desperate need for a coffee shop” in the area and decided to make it happen.

Currently work is underway which could potentially make this the first gluten-free drive-thru cafe in the Lower Mainland

03/31/2023

During this week’s council meeting, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority requested the city of Pitt Meadows pay $49.6 million for the Harris Road underpass project to go ahead.

When the project was announced in 2018, the initial cost was estimated to be $63.3 million. However, due to inflation, material costs and seismic requirements, the cost has since tripled, now reaching $195 million.

Expanding active transportation facilities, building noise walls and adding a pump station design will also result in additional costs to the project.

The port authority shared that the Harris Road underpass project is at risk if the financial gap is not filled by the city

03/07/2023

A one billion dollar grant by the government of British Columbia will be distributed between 188 municipalities, including Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.

Maple Ridge will receive $16.5 million while Pitt Meadows will receive $5.37 million from the Growing Communities Fund.

The one-time funding will provide monetary support for improvements and building local amenities and infrastructure to meet the demand of the growing population.

Hello everyone.  Is it just me who has been feeling extremely exhausted? Or is it just the cold weather? I don’t know what it is but if you have any tips, please share them with me.  After taking my 100th nap of the day, here’s the newsletter.  Today, funding for Ridge Meadows infrastructure,...

01/31/2023

In BC, certain opioids, including fentanyl and benzodiazepines are decriminalized till January 2026.

This is a story about loss, homelessness, the opioid epidemic and safe supply. If you or anyone needs help, resources are available https://buff.ly/3wFYBVf

Fentanyl has caused 81 per cent of deaths in the opioid crisis and is included in the decriminalization exemption in BC

01/18/2023

The Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue Services (RMSAR) raised $7,776.10 during its Annual Tree-Chipping Fundraiser over the first two weekends of January.

The funds will be used for team training and equipment to further support the team's response capabilities, said Ryan Smith, team manager RMSAR.

https://buff.ly/3iO61Cl

01/14/2023

Apple has designated Yennadon Elementary as a distinguished school for another five years.

The elementary school is one of three in British Columbia to receive recognition for using one-to-one technology in classrooms.

Grade 6 and 7 students as well as teachers have iPads they use throughout the school year.

https://buff.ly/3ZBr2AU

01/13/2023

During the council meeting on Tuesday, council discussed three new development projects that would add more residential and commercial units to the city.

Two residential and one multi-use development project were presented to the council for the first ready.

Two six-storey residential buildings on 11781 and 22076 Lougheed Highway, single-family homes on Battle Avenue and two multi-use buildings at the intersection of Lougheed Highway and Ridge Meadows Way.

Three development projects, two of which are residential, are awaiting first reading approval from the city council

11/22/2022

The Ridge Meadows Chamber of Commerce has announced the 19th Annual Business Excellence Awards.

Slated for March 23, 2023, at the Meadows Garden Golf Club, the awards honour and recognize local businesses.

"Our Business Excellence Awards are just one way that we recognize and reward your success, innovation and hard work," the Chamber wrote.

Hello everyone.  How have you been? I have decided to add one big question in each newsletter. Today, I want to ask you about motivation. How do you stay motivated to work hard? Are you team Work Hard or team Work Smart?  In today’s newsletter, I definitely worked smart! The Chamber of Commerce ...

11/21/2022

In 108 years, Pitt Meadows has only elected two female mayors. Nicole MacDonald is the second one.

Sitting at a conference table in front of mayor MacDonald felt comfortable. A woman sharing her excitement of achieving a milestone with another.

As an involved resident of Pitt Meadows for 17 years, she became especially concerned about the direction City Hall was taking prior to her election in 2018.

The Golden Ears Business Park and a former councillor who was criminally charged.

“There wasn't what felt like a healthy positive environment at City Hall for staff, community members and for council,” MacDonald said.

She believes her acclamation as mayor is a testament to how well the previous council performed in Pitt Meadows