October Newsletter: OCP-2050

Developments after October 2, 2025:  OCP-2050

On October 2, 2025, OCP-2025 became the City of Victoria’s Official Community Plan which is to guide and regulate new development across the city.  

The Plan is a City bylaw created under the authority of the Local Government Act. Together with other City policies, strategies and regulations, it will guide works undertaken by the City and has a strong connection to the City’s zoning bylaws. 

A significant bylaw now within OCP-2050 is Delegation Bylaw (no. 24-045) which received final adoption by City Council in July, 2024, by a vote of 8 to 1. 

“Delegated authority” means that city staff can approve, negotiate and administer matters affecting our city without Council approval or input. This process has its advantages – it streamlines decision making and relieves Council of minor and technical decisions. However, it also removes the opportunity for City Councillors and citizens (through their City Councillors) to appeal decisions made by city staff. Delegation Bylaw:

While provincial mandate prohibits Public Hearings for proposed housing falling within the OCP, the delegated authority bylaw expands that to mean that Council will not consider developments or most other matters that fall within the OCP.  As OCP-2025 was developed, we learned this Council’s intent for density-by-right at a considerably higher level than “missing middle” housing.  With blanket rezoning much of the city’s residential areas will see 4-storey, 6-storey, and up to 10-storeys near town centres.  

Heritage structures will be handled somewhat differently. Heritage related rezoning applications go to the neighbourhood Community Association Land Use Committee (CALUC), as do all rezoning applications, but standalone heritage alteration permits or designations do not go to the CALUC as part of the application process.  

Further, rezoning, designation and registration require Council approval. Some heritage alteration permits are delegated to staff as per the Land Use Procedures Bylaw. 

Development Proposals within OCP-2050:

The zoning bylaw within OCP-2050 is titled “Zoning Bylaw 2018”.  Applications which meet the zones within the Plan will NOT be forwarded to the neighbourhood CALUC for consideration. 

While “Schedule P – Missing Middle Regulations” still exists, there are now few properties in the city to which these regulations might apply. 

For developments with heights or density greater that the Plan’s new zones, a CALUC process would be required.  

Rezonings are expected to be rare, hence few CALUC community meetings may occur.  While it has been suggested that developers may choose to seek community input to developments, it will not be mandatory if the project falls within one of the density-by-right zones.  

For developments that do NOT require a CALUC process, there is no signage or other notification required.  Near-by residents and businesses may become aware of a potential project when they see people gathering information on the site, e.g. surveying, soil-testing. 

There are tools available on the City website which are useful to learn about the status of a property in the city, namely VicMap, and Development Tracker.

VicMap is a map of properties in the city which enables you to view a wide range of data and download raw data directly from the map. These data are derived from a variety of sources, historic and current. Accuracy, completeness, correctness, and currency are not guaranteed.  

Development Tracker is a tool to help keep you informed on developments. You can search for current and completed development applications by address and/or neighbourhood. You may also sign up for automatic email updates on current and future development applications. Development Tracker: https://www.victoria.ca/building-business/permits-development-construction/development-tracker

Advisory Design Panel (ADP) and Heritage Advisory Panel (HAP):

These panels continue to exist under OCP-2025.  The panels meet monthly, are open to the public, and agendas are published on the City website.

The Advisory Design Panel provides advice on the design merits of plans as part of rezoning applications, development permits, and special projects referred to the Panel.  Staff may refer applications involving architects, both delegated and those requiring Council approval, to the Panel as part of the application review process. 

The Heritage Advisory Panel advises the Committee of the Whole on those heritage matters coming within the scope of the committee under the Local Government Act or that are referred to it by the Council.

To make recommendations to the Committee of the Whole respecting the designation of heritage buildings, structures and lands and the preservation, alteration, renovation or demolition of heritage buildings/structures or lands. 

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