Contact Us
Online
Services

Additional OCP Updates

In November 2023, the Provincial Government introduced wide ranging changes to the housing legislation that governs how municipalities plan for and approve new development, to deliver on the priorities of the Province’s Homes for People Action Plan. Once the OCP updated to align with the new legislation by integrating the City’s Interim Housing Needs Report, and Transit Oriented Development Areas, the City will consider the additional OCP updates outlined below.

Edge Properties: Extended TOD Area Boundaries

The Provincial TOD Area boundaries do not consider local conditions such as subdivision patterns, roadways or topography. Staff have identified properties at the edge of the TOD Area boundaries to help enable a smooth transition in density while considering development potential of sites. These properties have been identified using the following criteria:

  1. Extend the TOD designation when most of the block is already included, though keep the edge as-is when only a few properties are included
  2. Extend the TOD designation at physical boundaries, such as to major roads
  3. Extend the TOD designation to facilitate development that meets other City priorities, such as enabling lane access and dedications

A summary of the feedback on this topic received during community consultation can be found on our Be Heard New West webpage. Analysis of this feedback, along with technical requirements, will be presented to Council as part of their direction setting.

22nd Street Station Area

While implementation actions are underway, the 22nd Street Station Area be considered “under active review” and as such, redevelopment applications in the Vision area are considered premature per the Interim Development Review Framework. Implementation work related to infrastructure servicing, street networks, parks and recreation and amenities planning will move forward according to the work plan presented to Council on August 25th, 2025.

Click here to learn more about the 22nd Street Station Area.

Regional Context Statement 

As a member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Region, the City must prepare a Regional Context Statement which is included as part of the Official Community Plan (OCP). The Context Statement demonstrates how the City and its policies in the OCP are working to achieve regional goals established in the Regional Growth Strategy (Metro 2050). The regional goals of Metro 2050 include:

  1. Create a Compact Urban Area
  2. Support a Sustainable Economy
  3. Protect the Environment, Address Climate Change, and Respond to Natural Hazards
  4. Provide Diverse and Affordable Housing Choices
  5. Support Sustainable Transportation Choices

Click here to view New Westminster’s current (2017) Context Statement.

Frequent Transit Development Areas 

Frequent Transit Development Areas (FTDAs) are an overlay within Metro Vancouver’s Regional Growth Strategy (Metro 2050). They identify priority locations for accommodating higher density residential and commercial development where transit, cycling and walking are the preferred modes of transportation. Identification of FTDAs provides greater certainty and integration between local, regional, and transit plans, and increases eligibility of these areas for future infrastructure funding opportunities.

To reflect the new Regional Growth Strategy and legislated changes from the province, the City is proposing to expand the existing Frequent Transit Development Area (FTDA) boundaries around the Braid, Sapperton and 22nd Street SkyTrain stations. A new FTDA is proposed for Uptown to replace the Local Centre overlay that was discontinued in the latest Regional Growth Strategy.

Climate Action Strategies and Targets

The OCP is required to include targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Policies and actions that the local government will take to achieve those targets must also be provided. The City’s OCP is proposed to be updated to integrate the target included in the Community Energy and Emissions Plan (CEEP 2050) of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

To learn more about the City’s Climate Action Strategies and Targets, visit beheardnewwest.ca/en-CA/projects/ccarp