Maple Ridge Gives First Reading to New ACC Fees

By Mike Harrison

At the May 19th council meeting, first reading was given to a new Amenity Cost Charge (ACC) bylaw, which includes the draft rates shown below.

The City of Maple Ridge is the latest to work through a new ACC program for development fees in response to the provincial government’s amendments to the Local Government act back in 2023. Bill 46 established Amenity Cost Charges as a new financing tool for municipalities to fund the cost of growth-related community amenities.

ACCs are a new fee program that will run alongside DCCs, and while ACCs will replace much of what was funded by Community Amenity Contributions (CAC), CACs will still exist to be used in “limited site-specific circumstances,” according to City reports.

The proposed ACC rates are as follows:

• Single Family Detached: $1,361 per unit
• Townhouse/Duplex/Triplex: $1,169 per unit
• Apartment: $706 per unit
• Secondary Suites/Detached Garden Suites: $552

The report to council explains that ACCs can only be used to cover the cost of clearly identified, known amenities, so future projects like the Hammond Aquatics and Recreation Centre, the Multi-Use Community Park, and the additional Ice Sheets at Albion Fairgrounds, are not included. It goes on to estimate that the inclusion of these projects could see the ACC rates rise to $7,000 to $11,000 per unit.

Other things to know:

• There are exemptions or charge reductions for affordable or not-for-profit rental housing
• ACCs are collected at subdivision approval or building permit issuance, like DCCs
• The effective date of the new ACC bylaw is January 1, 2027
• There is 12 months of protection for in-stream development applications

Follow this link to read the entire report to council, including an explanation of the categories of amenities that are permitted to be included in the ACC program calculations.