What is an OCP (Official Community Plan) and what is a Zoning Bylaw?

An OCP (Official Community Plan) is a strategic planning document created through community engagement. It contains:

• ideas and goals to help shape our community's future
• policies to guide development and land use
• an overview of our history
• a description of our community as it is at present
• plans for what we want our community to be like fifteen years from now.

The new OCP, when finished, will guide the decisions of not just City Council and staff, but our community. What is your vision for your community? What types of development are important to you? How important are social housing, small businesses and other developments? How do you want the City to support our community in making this a great place to live, work, and learn?

The Zoning Bylaw is how we take the Official Community Plan (OCP) and put it into practice on a daily basis. It contains rules and regulations to guide what can be developed and where. There are different regulations for different areas of the city. The goal is to make sure that all developments are generally in line with the community’s official plan, and not detrimental to nearby residents and businesses.