Regional Growth Strategies

The Province of British Columbia provides general information about Regional Growth Strategies at the following website, with highlights presented below:

Regional Growth Strategies

Purposes of a Regional Growth Strategy

A regional growth strategy would work toward, but not be limited by, the following:

• Avoiding urban sprawl and ensuring that development takes place where adequate facilities exist or can be provided in a timely, economic and efficient manner
• Developing settlement patterns that minimize the use of automobiles and encourage walking, cycling and the efficient use of public transit
• Developing settlement patterns that minimize the risks associated with natural hazards
• Moving goods and people efficiently while making effective use of transportation and utility corridors
• Protecting environmentally sensitive areas
• Maintaining the integrity of a secure and productive resource base, including agricultural and forest land reserves
• Economic development that supports the unique character of communities
• Reducing and preventing air, land and water pollution
• Supporting adequate, affordable and appropriate housing
• Developing adequate inventories of suitable land and resources for future settlement
• Protecting the quality and quantity of groundwater and surface water
• Preserving, creating and linking urban and rural open spaces including parks and recreation areas
• Planning for energy supply and promoting efficient use, conservation and alternative forms of energy
• Engaging in good stewardship of land, sites and structures with cultural heritage value

A regional district may design a custom strategy that fits local circumstances by adding other matters that cross local government boundaries and cannot be addressed by one jurisdiction.

Regional Growth Strategy Requirements

Minimum requirements for any regional growth strategy include:

• A 20-year minimum time frame
• Regional vision statements
• Population and employment projections
• Regional actions for key areas such as housing, transportation, regional district services, parks and natural areas, and economic development
• Targets, policies and actions for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the regional district

A regional district board is required to consider its most recent housing needs report and the housing information on which it is based, when:

• Developing a regional growth strategy,
• Amending a regional growth strategy in relation to proposed housing actions, and
• Considering every five years whether a regional growth strategy must be reviewed

The intent of this requirement is to help ensure that any updates to a regional growth strategy are informed by the latest available housing needs information.

The rest of the content of the regional growth strategy is largely left up to the local governments involved.

Preparing & Adopting a Regional Growth Strategy

Regional districts may voluntarily initiate a regional growth strategy by resolution of the regional district board. No B.C government approval is required for the initiation or enactment of a regional growth strategy.

The process for preparing a regional growth strategy is also largely left up to each region. Some regional districts have undertaken extensive research and assessed a number of options, while others moved through the process more quickly. In all cases, the preparation of a regional growth strategy involves engagement with all levels of government and the public.

The regional growth strategy is developed through an interactive process involving all affected local governments and enacted by a bylaw of the regional board. Before it is adopted, a regional growth strategy must be accepted by the affected local governments, or failing acceptance, become binding on the affected local governments.

The regional district must consider whether the plan should include the holding of a public hearing to provide an opportunity for persons, organizations and authorities to make their views known before the regional growth strategy is submitted for acceptance.

The following Regional Districts have adopted a Regional Growth Strategy:

• Capital Regional District
• Regional District of Central Okanagan
• Comox Valley Regional District
• Fraser Valley Regional District
• Metro Vancouver
• Regional District of Nanaimo
• Regional District of North Okanagan
• Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District
• Squamish Lillooet Regional District
• Thompson-Nicola Regional District

Links to these plans are available at Regional Growth Strategies.