Maple Ridge brings experts and community together to strengthen local climate readiness

Registration is open for the City of Maple Ridge’s Climate Ready Conference — Building Resilience and Reducing Risks. The full-day event will bring together residents, local businesses, community organizations and partners to share practical tools for preparing for climate-related emergencies.

The conference will be held Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2026, at The ACT Arts Centre. Doors open at 8:30 a.m., the program begins at 9 a.m. and concludes by 5 p.m. Tickets are $30.25, including snacks, and are available at Purchase.MapleRidgeACT.ca. More information and registration are available at MapleRidge.ca/ClimateReady.

Sessions will examine actions that individuals, businesses, organizations and governments can take to understand risks, prepare for disruptions and support recovery after emergencies. Mayor Dan Ruimy said the event supports work already underway through Maple Ridge’s Climate Action Plan by combining local knowledge, expert advice and practical solutions.

Featured speakers include Kathryn Bakos, managing director of climate finance and resilience at the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo; Jeff Donaldson, owner of Preparedness Labs and a professor at Royal Roads University; Lucy Grainger, education officer with FireSmart BC; Maple Ridge FireSmart co-ordinator Emily Kozlik; and Ian Newman of Onside Restoration. Bakos will discuss the financial and social effects of increasingly frequent and severe extreme-weather events. Donaldson will address municipal and business collaboration before, during and after emergencies, including business continuity and local partnerships. Grainger and Kozlik will present FireSmart as a practical way to reduce wildfire risk, while Newman will moderate the closing panel.

Additional speakers will be announced in the coming weeks. Emergency Program Manager Edd Bennett said the conference is intended to build connections and share useful information before an emergency occurs. It is designed for residents, businesses, community groups, developers and builders, climate adaptation professionals, emergency-management practitioners and government representatives, and forms part of the City’s ongoing Resilient Future 2050 Climate Action Plan work.