The OCP is Oak Bay’s long-term vision for the community's growth and change. It includes policies on housing, land use, transportation, climate action, infrastructure, and more.

While the OCP sets the vision, the Zoning Bylaw provides the rules to carry it out. It outlines the kinds of buildings and uses allowed on each piece of land.

The update will primarily address housing and land use.

Land use scenarios explore different ways Oak Bay could accommodate housing growth. Each scenario looks at trade-offs related to housing choice, infrastructure, transportation, environmental impact, and neighbourhood character.

The update is required by new provincial housing legislation (Bill 44), which asks municipalities to plan for 20 years of housing growth. In Oak Bay, that’s an estimated 3,761 new homes based on the 2024 Interim Housing Needs Report.

This is a focused update. It responds to Provincial housing legislation requirements and evolving community needs, but builds on the 2014 OCP and related planning work.

The update will apply a climate lens across all areas of planning.

Each scenario explores a different pattern of growth—concentrating housing around transit, spreading it more evenly across neighbourhoods, or focusing it in village centres. All scenarios plan for the same amount of new housing but approach it differently. We are not asking to pick one scenario, but what specifics do you like with each.

Feedback from the public, financial and environmental analysis, and alignment with provincial legislation and District priorities will all help shape the preferred approach. Ultimately, Council will ultimately make the final decision.

These plans influence where housing, shops, and services can go, and how neighbourhoods may evolve. They affect housing options and access to amenities. Whether you’re looking for a place to live, run a business, or stay connected to your community, these plans shape what’s possible.

The Province requires some aspects of this project, like planning for 20 years of housing growth. Many important decisions—like how housing is distributed, what kinds of housing are prioritized, and how to support livability—are open to community input.

Bill 44 requires Oak Bay to update its plans and zoning to make room for future housing. This includes setting clear growth targets and allowing more small-scale multi-unit homes—like townhomes—across the community.

The Province requires the District to show how it can accommodate this number of new housing units over the next 20 years. That doesn’t mean these homes will be built immediately, but the plans must allow for that growth to happen over time.

Change is possible, but how and where it happens will depend on the final plan. The District is exploring different growth options and wants to hear from community members about housing and livability while respecting what people value about their neighbourhoods.

The District is exploring three land use scenarios. Each one proposes different locations for growth— along transit routes, in village centres, or spread more evenly across neighbourhoods. We have not made any decisions yet.

Yes—in part. Planning for future housing means allowing for more housing types in more places. The goal is to support a mix of housing options while still considering infrastructure, climate goals, neighbourhood feel, and access to services.

There are several ways to get involved. You can attend an in-person engagement event in May, complete an online questionnaire, or visit Connect Oak Bay to learn more and sign up for updates.

Yes! You can complete the online questionnaire at your convenience or follow updates on Connect Oak Bay. We will promote all engagement opportunities in advance and ensure that there are ways to share your thoughts, whether you join us online or in person.

Community input will help shape the direction of the updated plans. Your feedback—alongside technical research, alignment with provincial legislation (Bill 44) and Council priorities—will inform key decisions like where housing goes, how neighbourhoods evolve, and what planning policies are prioritized. We’ll share a summary of what we heard publicly.

Yes, please do. This project builds on what the community has shared in past engagements and introduces new questions and choices. Your perspective remains vital as we plan for Oak Bay’s future.

The OCP covers big-picture topics that shape community life—like housing, land use, transportation, climate action, infrastructure, and community well-being. The Zoning Bylaw turns those ideas into rules, setting out what can be built, where, and how.

The updated plans aim to support a greater variety of housing types—including more options for families, seniors, and renters. They also include climate-related policies like encouraging energy-efficient buildings, protecting trees, and planning for future risks like flooding or extreme heat.

Not immediately. These updates will allow for new housing types over time, but it’s up to property owners and developers to decide when and how to build within the updated rules. Change will likely happen gradually, not all at once.

Once the OCP is updated, the District will revise the Zoning Bylaw to align with the new policies. This may involve changing what’s allowed on certain properties, such as allowing more housing options. Any changes will go through a public bylaw approval process.