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Upcoming Official Community Plan Updates

Building on the City’s efforts to incorporate provincial housing legislation into the local New Westminster context, fulfill senior government funding commitments and execute Council’s Strategic Priorities Plan, the City will consider the OCP updates outlined below.

Infill Housing

An Infill Housing Program is underway to explore pre-zoning to permit up to six units of infill housing (such as duplexes, triplexes and quadplexes) on single detached dwelling and duplex properties across most of the city. Learn more about the infill housing program here.

At their May 11, 2026 meeting, Council is scheduled to consider bylaw amendments to implement the Infill Housing Program. It is anticipated that a public hearing will be scheduled for Monday, May 25, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chamber, at New Westminster City Hall. Community members interested in providing feedback on the proposed bylaws are welcome to speak at the Public Hearing or submit written comments. More information on how to provide feedback to Council can be found here.

Changes in Queensborough will be investigated in future phases of work as more research is needed on infrastructure to see if the area can support more housing. The Province has given the City an extension until May 2029 to complete this research before making any decisions. The City will consult with residents before any changes in Queensborough are finalized.

Edge Properties: Extended Transit Oriented Development Designations

Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Areas introduced by the Province in 2023 enable density within 800 metres of the City’s five SkyTrain stations. Council recently adopted amendments to the Official Community Plan to align with the legislation. The Provincial boundaries do not consider local conditions such as subdivision patterns, roadways or topography. Staff have identified properties at the edge of the TOD Areas where enabling similar building forms would help create a smooth transition in density while considering development potential of sites. 

View a map of the identified properties here.

These properties have been identified using the following criteria:

  1. Extend the TOD Area land use designation when most of the block is already included, and keep the edge as-is when only a few properties are included

  2. Extend the TOD Area land use designation at physical boundaries, such as to major roads

  3. Extend the TOD Area land use designation to facilitate development that meets other City priorities, such as enabling lane access and dedications 

In March 2026, Council instructed staff to update the Official Community Plan by changing the land use designations of the identified properties to “Residential – Limited Mid Rise” which reflects the minimum density enabled by the provincial legislation. Under this designation, a rezoning application could be made to build up to eight storey development. Property owners would maintain their ability to stay in their homes, renovate or rebuild their homes, or sell their property.

At their May 11, 2026 meeting, Council is scheduled to consider an amendment to the Official Community Plan to implement these changes to edge properties.

It is anticipated that a public hearing will be scheduled for Monday, May 25, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chamber, at New Westminster City Hall. Community members interested in providing feedback on the proposed bylaw are welcome to speak at the Public Hearing or submit written comments. More information on how to provide feedback to Council can be found here.

Feedback on this topic was received during community consultation, access the summary here. 

Regional Planning

At their May 11, 2026 meeting, Council is scheduled to consider an amendment to the Official Community Plan to implement the regional planning changes outlined below.

It is anticipated that a public hearing will be scheduled for Monday, May 25, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chamber, at New Westminster City Hall. Community members interested in providing feedback on the proposed bylaw are welcome to speak at the Public Hearing or submit written comments. More information on how to provide feedback to Council can be found here.

Regional Context Statement 

As a member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Region, the City must prepare a Regional Context Statement which must then be included as part of the Official Community Plan (OCP). The Regional 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

In March 2026, Council directed staff to update the Official Community Plan by replacing the current Regional Context Statement, which was drafted for the previous Regional Growth Strategy. The updated Regional Context Statement would reflect Council endorsed policy that demonstrates consistency with the Regional Growth Strategy.

View the March 9, 2026 Council Report here. Staff will bring the bylaw to Council for consideration in spring 2026.

View the proposed updated Regional Context Statement here.

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.

In March 2026, Council instructed staff to update the Official Community Plan by expanding the existing Frequent Transit Development Area (FTDA) boundaries around the Braid, Sapperton and 22nd Street SkyTrain stations to reflect the new Regional Growth Strategy and legislated changes from the province. A new FTDA is proposed for Uptown to replace the Local Centre overlay that was discontinued in the previous Regional Growth Strategy.

View the March 9, 2026 Council Report here. Staff will bring the bylaw to Council for consideration in spring 2026.

View a map of the proposed Frequent Transit Development Areas (FTDAs) here.

Regional Growth Projections

The City’s Official Community Plan and Regional Context Statement must identify how the member municipality’s share of projected regional growth will be accommodated. The ‘Growth Management’ section and Housing chapter of the Official Community Plan are also proposed to be updated to reflect these projections.

View the proposed updated Growth Management and Housing Chapter sections here. 

Climate Action Strategies and Targets

The Official Community Plan 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. In March 2026, Council directed staff to update the Official Community Plan by integrating the target included in the Community Energy and Emissions Plan (CEEP 2050) of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Staff will bring the bylaw to Council for consideration in spring 2026.

View the proposed updated Energy, Emissions and Climate Change OCP Chapter here.

Learn more about the City's Climate Action Strategies and Targets here.

At their May 11, 2026 meeting, Council is scheduled to consider an amendment to the Official Community Plan to implement the updated climate strategies. It is anticipated that a public hearing will be scheduled for Monday, May 25, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chamber, at New Westminster City Hall. Community members interested in providing feedback on the proposed bylaw are welcome to speak at the Public Hearing or submit written comments. More information on how to provide feedback to Council can be found here.

Administrative Changes

At their May 11, 2026 meeting, Council is scheduled to consider an amendment to the Official Community Plan to implement the administrative changes outlined below. It is anticipated that a public hearing will be scheduled for Monday, May 25, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chamber, at New Westminster City Hall. Community members interested in providing feedback on the proposed bylaw are welcome to speak at the Public Hearing or submit written comments. More information on how to provide feedback to Council can be found here.

Queensborough Community Plan

In March 2026, Council directed staff to update the Queensborough Community Plan by making minor changes to harmonize land use designations (designation names and map colours) with the changes made to the Official Community Plan, to provide clarity and consistency. This includes removing caretaker suites from industrial and commercial designations to ensure these sites continue to provide much needed employment uses that serve the city. Staff will bring the bylaw to Council for consideration in spring 2026.

View the proposed updated Queensborough Land Use Designations and Map here.

22nd Street Station Area

City-led technical work is currently underway to implement the long range vision for the 22nd Street Station area, reGENERATE: A Long Range Vision. This implementation work includes transportation planning, updating tools used to fund the infrastructure and amenities required to support growth, creating development concepts for the Transit Village, and creating development permit guidelines to guide the form and character of future growth.

The implementation work will move forward according to the work plan presented to Council on August 25, 2025. Following completion of the work, the OCP will be updated.

Learn more about the 22nd Street Station Area here.

While implementation actions are underway, the 22nd Street Station Area is considered “under active review” and as such, redevelopment applications in the Vision area are considered premature per the Interim Development Review Framework.

Updated Development Permit Guidelines

The City is developing new Development Permit Area (DPA) design guidelines to support the mid-rise building forms enabled through the Province’s Transit-Oriented Area (TOA) legislation. These guidelines will help ensure that new mid-rise development contributes positively to neighbourhood character, delivers high-quality urban design, and creates sustainable homes near transit. By setting clear expectations for building form, urban design, and transitions to adjacent properties, the City aims to support well-designed growth that aligns with density expectations while reflecting local context and character. This work is anticipated to be completed by 2027.

New Downtown Community Plan

On September 29, 2025, Council endorsed in principle that staff begin background research and analysis on a New Downtown Community Plan to replace the existing plan created in 2010. Substantial work will begin in 2027, with a goal of plan adoption in 2029.

A work plan with more details will be presented to Council in early 2027.

View the Housing and Land Use Planning 2025 – 2026 Work Program here.

Housing Needs Report

In November 2023, the Province introduced new legislative requirements for municipalities to complete a Housing Needs Report that describes current and anticipated housing needs every 5 years. Following the completion of a Housing Needs Report, the City mush update the Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw to demonstrate that the City has the capacity to meet the 20 year housing need. The next Housing Needs Report must be completed by December 31, 2028.

Learn more about the City’s most recent Housing Needs Report here.