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.
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 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.
Click here to view a map of identified properties.
These properties have been identified using the following criteria:
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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
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Extend the TOD Area land use designation at physical boundaries, such as to major roads
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Extend the TOD Area land use designation to facilitate development that meets other City priorities, such as enabling lane access and dedications
On May 25, 2026 Council held a Public Hearing and supported an Official Community Plan amendment bylaw that includes 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.
These changes are expected to be adopted in Fall of 2026.
Click here to view the May 11, 2026 Council report, which provides details on the proposed changes.
A summary of the feedback on this topic received during community consultation can be found by clicking here.
Regional Planning
On May 25, 2026, Council held a Public Hearing and supported an amendment to the Official Community Plan to implement the regional planning changes outlined below.
These changes are expected to be adopted in Fall of 2026.
Click here to view the May 11, 2026 Council Report which provides details on the proposed changes.
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:
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Create a Compact Urban Area
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Support a Sustainable Economy
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Protect the Environment, Address Climate Change, and Respond to Natural Hazards
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Provide Diverse and Affordable Housing Choices
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Support Sustainable Transportation Choices
The current Regional Context Statement was drafted for the previous Regional Growth Strategy. The updated Regional Context Statement reflects Council endorsed policy that demonstrates consistency with the Regional Growth Strategy.
Click here to view the updated Regional 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.
The Official Community Plan update under consideration expands the existing FTDA boundaries around the Braid, Sapperton and 22nd Street SkyTrain stations to align the new Regional Growth Strategy and legislated changes from the province. The FTDA proposed for Uptown replaces the Local Centre overlay that was discontinued in the previous Regional Growth Strategy.
Click here to view the Frequent Transit Development Areas (FTDAs).
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.
Click here to view the updated Growth Management and Housing Chapter.
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. On May 25, 2026, Council held a Public Hearing and supported an Official Community Plan amendment bylaw that includes integrating the target included in the Community Energy and Emissions Plan (CEEP 2050) of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Click here to view the updated Energy, Emissions and Climate Change OCP Chapter.
These changes are expected to be adopted in Fall of 2026.
Click here to learn more about the City's Climate Action Strategies and Targets.
Administrative Changes
Queensborough Community Plan
On May 25, 2026, Council held a Public Hearing and supported an Official Community Plan amendment bylaw 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.
Click here to view the updated Queensborough Land Use Designations and Map.
These changes are expected to be adopted in Fall of 2026.
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.
Click here to learn more about the 22nd Street Station Area.
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.
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.
Click here to learn more about the City’s most recent Housing Needs Report.