OCP Update Kick-off Info Sessions - Online

Join a 1 hour online session to learn about provincial housing legislation, what it means for Courtenay's OCP update and how you can get involved!

Project Purpose

Courtenay Council adopted a new OCP Bylaw No. 3070 on July 25, 2022, after extensive public and interest-holder consultation as well as land use and policy analysis. In late 2023, the Province introduced housing legislation reforms to support the acceleration of housing supply and require local governments to engage in more proactive planning. OCPs across the province must be updated by December 31, 2025.

With these provincial requirements in mind, it’s time to talk about how Courtenay will grow — and how we can support housing options that reflect our community’s values and vision. This update will focus on aligning our policies with the City’s recent Housing Needs Report, which identifies the need for 8,350 additional homes by 2041.

The OCP update will build on the strong foundation established through past community engagement and recent planning work to ensure our OCP continues to guide smart, inclusive, and well-supported growth.

Key areas of focus will include:

  • Identifying where and how Courtenay can grow in a way that supports livability.
  • Expanding housing choices through updates to land use designations and associated policies.
  • Ensuring growth is supported by infrastructure, parks, open spaces and amenities.
  • Aligning the OCP with recent strategic plans and policy updates for consistency and coordination across plans.

How To Get Involved

Join a OCP Update Kick-off Info Session

Monday, June 16
Two time slots: 12:00–1:00 PM & 5:00–6:00 PM (Both sessions will include the same content)
Online – Register here:

We’re launching the next chapter of Courtenay’s Official Community Plan with a live online information session.

Join us to:

  • Learn why we’re updating the OCP now
  • Hear how the process will unfold over the coming months
  • Ask questions and share what you’re most curious about

Everyone is welcome. Whether you're a resident, business owner, developer, or just interested in how Courtenay is planning for the future — this is your chance to get involved early.

Sign-up for updates delivered to your email in the Stay Informed section on the right side of this webpage.

Process Overview

This OCP update will align Courtenay’s Official Community Plan with the five and twenty year housing needs identified in the recently completed Housing Needs Report, as required by the Province of British Columbia.

To ensure the OCP supports this level of growth, the City and project team will:

  • Incorporate opportunities identified in the Complete Community Growth Assessment (CCGA).
  • Review local infrastructure capacity to confirm that future growth can be supported.
  • Model the financial impacts of growth and development.
  • Ensure the Land Use Framework and associated policies are able to meet the projected housing needs.
  • Update the Development Permit Area (DPA) guidelines to support a diversity of housing forms — like small-scale multi-unit housing — while ensuring developments meet the OCP goals.
  • Engage with our community to share key information about this update and how we can continue our vision established with the 2022 OCP update.

Suggested Links

Learn more about the Province’s housing initiatives:

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/local-governments-and-housing/housing-initiatives


Learn more about the City's work supporting the OCP update!


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Nancy Gothard

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