OCP Topic Specific Webinars - July 15, 17, 28, 29

Learn more below on the next phase of virtual public workshops to discuss what's important to you as we update our OCP.

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

Thank you to all who joined the OCP update kick-off info sessions on June 16 and Housing and Livability topic-based virtual session on July 15 and 17!

  • A recording of the June 16 kick-off presentation is available here.
  • A recording of the July 15, 17 Housing and Livability topic session:
    • Watch the 90 minute session here including public question and answers
    • And/or read the presentation slides here
    • Provide feedback on this topic through this online survey link


Next up - Join a virtual public session on the topic of: Growing and Servicing Complete Communities

We will discuss: Can our roads, pipes and systems support future growth? Will we have sufficient and equitable access to daily needs such as parks, nature and community? (both dates will include the same presentation material)


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 .

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.

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


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Nancy Gothard

Manager of Community and Sustainability Planning

planning@courtenay.ca / 250 703 4839

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