Economic Development

The Economic Development Department oversees and coordinates business retention and expansion, investment attraction, marketing and communications, tourism services, film production and workforce development in the City of Mission.

In other words – It’s all about creating synergy and enabling our community to grow and thrive.

We are primed and ready for investment, offering spectacular natural beauty, affordable land, a diverse workforce and accessibility to major highways, border crossings and airports. Mission residents enjoy an enviable lifestyle, surrounded by spectacular mountain vistas, the Fraser River and a 26,000 acre municipal forest teeming with lakes and trails. 

With a host of cultural, music and family events throughout the year, Mission encapsulates all that is community. It is therefore not surprising that we receive significant interest from developers, investors and businesses looking to offer residential, commercial, industrial and institutional projects.

Download our investment profile [PDF/9.7MB].

Current Priorities and Services Provided

Economic Development

  • Increase growth of the industrial and commercial business sectors within Mission to create local employment opportunities and diversify the City of Mission’s tax base.
  • Act as a liaison between various City of Mission departments and the business and development community.
  • Execute the economic development objectives of Council’s Strategic Plan.
  • Annual creation of investment collateral including the Mission Community Profile, brochures, site selection information, and on-line presence.
  • Educate the Lower Mainland real-estate and development firms on investment opportunities within Mission.
  • Actively engage in formalized business retention, expansion, and attraction activities.
    Broaden community and post-secondary educational opportunities.
  • Manage major community development initiatives, such as the Waterfront Revitalization Initiative and the Employment Lands Strategy.
  • Coordinate and/or participate in regional economic development initiatives.

Film

  • Assist with location scouting, inquiries, the processing of necessary permits, and the coordination with various City departments to ensure a successful film shoot.
  • Develop film-related policies, such as “no trace filming” which requires production companies to leave the area used as-is or in better condition than before.
  • Represent Mission at the Fraser Valley Regional Film Cooperative.

Tourism

  • Support tourism marketing and promotion for the City of Mission.
  • Attract and support tourism related infrastructure investment, such as accommodations, destination tourism sites, and food and beverage operators.
  • Coordinate regional marketing initiatives, such as the Scenic 7 Tourism Alliance.
  • Collaborate with the Tourism Committee.

Economic Statistics & Community Profile 

Mission’s Economic Statistics

2022 Community Profile [PDF/226KB]

Employment Lands Strategy

The Employment Lands Strategy was developed as an important step in preparing for balanced, responsible, and managed growth for Mission.  It is intended to provide guidance towards a calculated and intentional approach to future development to ensure a better balance of dedicated employment lands. The Strategy revolves around the main principles of:

  • People: Providing a diverse and accessible range of employment opportunities in Mission;
  • Space: Advancing Mission’s opportunities and capacity to accommodate economic growth; and
  • Place: Promoting the development of Mission as a competitive, economically vibrant, and resilient destination for businesses.

Mission Waterfront Revitalization

The Waterfront Revitalization Master Plan [PDF/28.3MB], which was adopted into the Official Community Plan (OCP) on July 4, 2022, was developed to provide long-term guidance on land-use decisions in the waterfront area with a particular focus on the creation of new jobs, the establishment of a renewed urban centre, and the development of new natural spaces along the Fraser River for all Mission residents to enjoy. 

Fraser Valley Alliance

The Economic Development functions of five communities – City of Mission, City of Abbotsford, City of Maple Ridge, Township of Langley, and City of Chilliwack/Chilliwack Economic Partners Corporation have partnered as the Fraser Valley Alliance (FVA), under the common goal of understanding the technology-sector to inform an investment attraction strategy for the region. The FVA is committed to supporting the growth of technology-based businesses and investment and is working to identify synergies, investment-ready capacity, and target markets for foreign direct investment within the technology sector.