Background

Shaped by the community, the Official Community Plan (OCP) is the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s (RMOW) guiding document that sets long-term community direction. The OCP establishes policies that guide decisions on community planning and land use in Whistler.

In late 2023, the Provincial government passed several pieces of legislation and changed planning guidelines to increase housing supply across British Columbia.

To align with new Provincial legislative requirements, the RMOW is required to update our OCP by December 31, 2025. This project also provides the opportunity to align the OCP with the recently amended Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) and address minor text and mapping discrepancies.

Project overview

Amendments to the OCP are being undertaken in 2025 to address the following three key objectives:

  1. Meet new Provincial housing legislative requirements. This includes reviewing and updating, as required:
    • OCP growth management policies to allow for the uses and densities permitted by the Small-scale Multi-unit Housing (SSMUH) and Transit-oriented Development (TOD) bylaws, and Whistler’s 20-year housing needs identified in the Interim Housing Needs Report.
    • Housing policies respecting types of housing needs in Whistler.
  2. Updating the Regional Context Statement and relevant OCP policies to align with the SLRD RGS.
  3. Implement housekeeping updates, including minor text and mapping discrepancies, that have been identified since the initial OCP adoption in 2020.

How to participate

Check this page for updates on how to participate in the upcoming online public engagement. We look forward to connecting with you soon!

Moving forward

It is anticipated there will a larger OCP review undertaken in the next three to five years. This initiative will provide an opportunity for significant public engagement and broader conversations regarding Whistler's vision as it relates to meeting our housing and community needs.

Project Context

The Province of B.C. introduced new requirements for Housing Needs Reports (HNR), including a new methodology that must be used to calculate the 20-year and five-year housing need. Local governments were required to complete an Interim HNRs by January 1, 2025. Whistler’s Interim HNR presents the anticipated housing need over the next five and 20 years using the Provincially mandated method:

  • Five years - 1,572 dwelling units; and
  • 20 years - 5,639 dwelling units.

What this means for the 2025 OCP amendment: After completing the Interim HNR, municipalities are legislatively required to review and, if necessary, update their OCP and zoning bylaw by December 31, 2025 to accommodate the number of housing units identified to meet the 20-year housing need. Based on preliminary analysis, Whistler’s 20-year need, as identified in the Interim HNR, is already accommodated as required in the Zoning Bylaw as a result of Small-scale Multi-unit Housing (SSMUH) zoning and existing residentially zoned and undeveloped parcels.

Moving forward: The next HNR is required to be completed by December 31, 2028 and every five years after. The OCP and Zoning Bylaw are required to be reviewed and updated as necessary within the following two years of completion of the HNR.

The new Provincial housing legislation now requires OCPs to include policies regarding the following types of housing need:

  • Affordable housing;
  • Rental housing;
  • Special needs housing;
  • Seniors’ housing;
  • Family housing;
  • Shelters for individuals experiencing homelessness and housing for individuals at risk of homelessness; and
  • Housing near transportation infrastructure that supports walking, bicycling, public transit or other alternative forms of transport.

What this means for the 2025 OCP amendment: OCP housing policies are required to be reviewed and updated as necessary.

The new Provincial housing legislation required local governments to amend their zoning bylaws to allow for Small-scale Multi-unit Housing (SSMUH) by June 30, 2024.

On June 11, 2024, Council adopted “Zoning Amendment Bylaw (Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing) No. 2440, 2024”, as well as two other associated amendments to “Zoning and Parking Bylaw No. 303, 2015” on March 11, 2025. This amendment allows for three to four dwelling units on residential parcels, where applicable, to encourage infill housing. Review the SSMUH zoning bylaw amendments and related documents.

What this means for the 2025 OCP amendment: The OCP, including the growth management policies, are legislatively required to be reviewed and updated as required to allow for the uses and densities permitted by SSMUH.

The RMOW was required by the Province to designate the Whistler Gondola Exchange as a Transit-oriented Development (TOD) area. A TOD area allows for a Provincially mandated minimum height and density to be achieved for residential developments through a rezoning application, within a 200 metre and 400 metre radius of the Whistler Gondola Exchange.

What this means for the 2025 OCP amendment: The OCP, including the growth management policies, are legislatively required to be reviewed and updated as required to allow for the uses and densities permitted by the TOD bylaw.

The purpose of a Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) is to promote human settlement that is socially, economically and environmentally healthy and that makes efficient use of public facilities and services, land and other resources. Every five years, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) must consider whether the RGS must be reviewed for possible amendment. As a result, in January 2025, the SLRD Board, which includes two RMOW Council designates, adopted a minor amendment to the RGS.

What this means for the 2025 OCP amendment: The OCP and its Regional Context Statement must be updated within two years to address new RGS policies. For efficiency, this will be done as part of the 2025 OCP amendment.

Since the OCP was adopted in 2020, the RMOW has been tracking minor errors and oversights that have come to light.

What this means for the 2025 OCP amendment: Minor OCP mapping and text updates will be included in the amendment.