Sechelt has successfully aligned its residential policies with provincial housing requirements, meeting all obligations under the Local Government Act almost nine months ahead of the 2025 deadline. At the April 9 committee of the whole meeting, a staff report confirmed that updates to the Official Community Plan (OCP) now fully comply with provincial regulations, eliminating the need for further revisions before the overall OCP review.
Kevin Pearson, senior policy planner for the district, described the outcome as a “good news story.” He noted that Sechelt has met not only the small-scale multi-unit housing requirements but also the housing needs report deadline. “The OCP now demonstrates that we can accommodate nearly 3,000 residential units over the next 20 years, from 2021 to 2041,” Pearson said. He added that the recent OCP amendments adopted in December 2024 place the district in a strong position to support new residential development under current land-use designations.
Pearson emphasized that the completed work will help guide ongoing community land development analysis. “With residential planning largely settled, we can now turn our attention to other parts of the OCP,” he said.
The Local Government Act was amended in 2023, requiring all municipal OCPs in British Columbia to align residential policies, maps, and designated areas with an updated housing needs report (HNR) by the end of 2025. Sechelt received its updated HNR last fall. Following the Ministry of Housing’s methodology, the report identifies a land and density capacity need for 726 housing units by the end of 2026 and a total of 2,890 units by 2041. The five- and twenty-year projections began with the 2021 Canada Census.
Aligned with its 2023–2026 strategic plan, the district streamlined development density provisions in the OCP to support effective growth and housing availability. The December 2024 adoption of Bylaw Amendment No. 492-35 increased floor-area ratios and building heights in Sechelt’s residential areas. These changes ensure the current OCP now meets provincial requirements without further mapping updates. In addition, a small-scale multi-unit housing amendment to Zoning Bylaw No. 580, adopted in June, better accommodates small residential developments, bringing the bylaw into compliance with the act.
The report highlights the amendments as a “win-win” scenario. They allow the district to focus on developing a new OCP, rather than making additional amendments, while still ensuring housing needs from the HNR are incorporated. While the HNR anticipates an ambitious development pace of about 150 units annually over 20 years, historical trends suggest an average closer to 100 units per year. Even with this projection, Sechelt’s residential policies now provide sufficient land capacity to meet the 20-year forecast.
With floor-area ratios and building heights increased, the district has more than enough serviced residential land for future housing needs. This alignment positions Sechelt to support sustainable growth and meet provincial housing requirements efficiently. Pearson noted that the proactive steps taken by Sechelt demonstrate strong planning and foresight, providing the community with clarity on housing development opportunities and enabling the district to focus on other priorities within the OCP. Sechelt’s approach sets a clear example for municipalities in balancing regulatory compliance with practical community planning, ensuring both immediate and long-term housing needs are addressed while maintaining orderly growth.
