GET ENGAGED AND HAVE YOUR SAY - SHAPE YOUR COMMUNITY
Planning and housing discussions continue to move forward across the Sunshine Coast as local governments work through Official Community Plan (OCP) updates and zoning changes that could gradually shape future housing, density, infrastructure, and development throughout the region.
SCRD OCP Renewal – What Happens Next?
Last month we shared information about the SCRD’s ongoing OCP Renewal Project and public engagement process covering Electoral Areas A, B, D, E, and F, including Pender Harbour, Halfmoon Bay, Roberts Creek, Elphinstone, and West Howe Sound.
The SCRD has now completed Phase 2 public engagement and is moving into the next stage of the process. According to the SCRD project timeline, staff will now begin refining policy directions and developing draft concepts based on public feedback, technical studies, and Board direction. A project update is expected to go before the SCRD Board this summer, with draft OCP and zoning bylaw work anticipated to continue into 2027.
The long-term goal of the project is to consolidate multiple existing OCPs and zoning bylaws into a more unified planning framework. Topics under review include housing supply, growth areas, environmental protection, infrastructure capacity, transportation, and preserving the Coast’s rural and community character.
More information on the SCRD process can be found at:
District of Sechelt Begins Focus Group Engagement
The District of Sechelt has also moved into a more detailed phase of its own OCP review process.
In a recent notice circulated by the Planning Department, the District announced a series of focus group meetings taking place through May and June to gather targeted feedback from residents, businesses, organizations, and industry stakeholders.
The six focus areas identified by the District are:
• Housing, Land Use, ALR & Farming
• Transportation & Mobility
• Climate, Environment & Natural Areas
• Community Well-Being, Identity & Social Infrastructure
• Economic Development & Local Business Needs
• Parks, Recreation & Public Spaces
According to the District, input gathered through these sessions will help shape policy options and future direction for Sechelt’s updated Official Community Plan.
The process reflects how much broader planning discussions on the Coast have become in recent years, extending beyond housing alone into transportation, agriculture, environmental resilience, business development, and community infrastructure.
Gibsons Density Changes Already Moving Forward
While the SCRD and Sechelt continue their engagement processes, Gibsons has already begun implementing significant zoning and OCP changes tied to provincial housing legislation.
Earlier this year, Gibsons Council advanced updates connected to BC’s Bill 44 small-scale multi-unit housing legislation. The proposed changes expand opportunities for duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, secondary suites, and carriage homes in areas that were previously limited primarily to single-family housing.
The changes are intended to align local zoning with provincial housing requirements aimed at increasing housing supply and flexibility within existing neighbourhoods.
For property owners, these changes could gradually affect:
• redevelopment potential
• suite and carriage home flexibility
• multi-generational living opportunities
• long-term density within residential neighbourhoods
Importantly, infrastructure, servicing, parking, environmental constraints, and lot-specific zoning regulations will still play a major role in determining what is ultimately possible on individual properties.
What’s becoming increasingly clear is that planning discussions around housing flexibility, density, and long-term growth are no longer theoretical on the Sunshine Coast. This is your opportunity to be involved and actively shape policy conversations and zoning updates in your neighbourhood.