Kelowna’s plan set for minor adjustments to comply with provincial directives.
The government of British Columbia is requiring all cities to update their Official Community Plans (OCPs) by the end of 2025, ensuring they align with Housing Needs Assessments, BC Stats projections, and recent provincial laws.
These updates are obligatory for all municipalities. However, changes to Kelowna’s plan will be minimal as its 2040 OCP already largely fulfills provincial criteria. Kelowna anticipates needing 45,000 new housing units between 2021 and 2041 to accommodate population growth and current housing shortages. The existing OCP can support this growth without altering future land use designations.
Citizens can learn about proposed amendments and give feedback through the Get Involved platform. Proposed revisions will be refined, presented to the City Council for review in the fall, followed by a public hearing.
Beyond the required modifications, the city plans to assess its capital plans and funding strategies to support infrastructure expansion in tandem with housing developments.
For additional details and to provide input, visit getinvolved.kelowna.ca.