OCP and Zoning Bylaw Update

To align with provincial legislation, we're updating the tools used to plan our communities. 


In response to new provincial housing legislation changes, on December 8, 2025 the City adopted updates to its Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw. These updates would include changes to meet provincial requirements for growth, as identified in the City’s Housing Needs Report, in a meaningful way for our City, while a more fulsome update to our Official Community Plan is anticipated to start by 2028, subject to Council’s direction. As we plan for future growth, we’re committed to keeping our city livable and vibrant.

The City's two strategies to meet provincial requirements for growth are:

growing livable neighbourhoods icons

The City has adopted OCP and Zoning Bylaw updates to allow low-density housing up to four units in some residential areas and up to six units in the city centre and frequent transit areas. We can use low-density housing to grow livable neighbourhoods by gently increasing the availability of homes while still maintaining the existing look and feel of our residential neighbourhoods. 

aerial shot of CNV
The City has increased density on City Lands near the city center and frequent transit areas. This provides the City and Council a higher degree of control over the pace and rate of growth, help optimize the value of City assets, fund City amenities, and provide a diversity of housing types. 

Next Steps 

The City has a provincial deadline to complete this work by the end of 2025.

  • Community engagement 
    July 2025
    City staff conducted pop-ups, a community workshop, a town hall meeting and a survey to collect feedback.
  • Bylaw Changes First Reading 
    October 6, 2025
    Council meeting to consider bylaw changes to the City’s planning tools.
  • Public Hearing
    November 17, 2025
    An opportunity for the public to share feedback with Council on the proposed updates.
    Learn more about this process on our Public Hearings and Meetings page.
  • Council Decision
    December 8, 2025
    Council adopted the bylaws. 
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