On shared unceded L̓il̓wat7úl and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh territory
In late 2023, the Provincial government passed several pieces of legislation 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.
Amendments to the OCP are being undertaken in 2025 to achieve the following three key objectives:
1. Meet new Provincial housing legislative requirements. This includes reviewing and updating, as required:
2. Align with the SLRD Regional Growth Strategy. This includes updating the Regional Context Statement and relevant OCP policies, including amendments to the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission targets and the renewable energy goal timeline.
3. Implement housekeeping amendments. This includes addressing minor text and mapping discrepancies, that have been identified since the initial OCP adoption in 2020.
Feedback will be compiled into a “What We Heard” summary report to be presented to Council and used to inform any revisions to the draft amendments. There will also be a public hearing this fall to receive additional community feedback.
The proposed draft OCP amendments to meet new provincial housing legislative requirements are organized by:
The proposed draft OCP amendments to align the OCP with the SLRD Regional Growth Strategy are organized by:
The proposed draft OCP amendments to implement housekeeping amendments are organized by:
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.
The Official Community Plan (OCP) is the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s (RMOW) most important guiding document that sets the community vision and long-term community direction. The purpose of the OCP is to establish policies that guide decisions on community planning and land use management. “Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 2199, 2018” was adopted by Council on June 23, 2020 and is available online: https://www.whistler.ca/ocp/
The purpose of a Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) is to promote 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. In addition to amending the Regional Context Statement, amendments to OCP policies are required to update the greenhouse gas emissions targets and the timeline to achieve 100 per cent renewable energy sources. For efficiency, this will be done as part of the 2025 OCP amendment.
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 calculated using the Provincially required method:
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 Provincial housing legislation now requires OCPs to include policies regarding the following types of housing need:
What this means for the 2025 OCP amendment: While the current OCP has housing policies for each provincial class of housing need, staff have prepared draft amendments to better address the following areas of need:
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. This applies to approximately 3035 parcels in Whistler, of which 93 parcels allow for up to three dwelling units and 2942 parcels allow for up to four dwelling units. Review the SSMUH zoning bylaw amendments and related documents.
What this means for the 2025 OCP amendment: The OCP growth management policies are legislatively required to be updated 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. This includes properties within a 200 metre and 400 metre radius. Applicable properties in the TOD area may apply for a rezoning application to allow for the provincial minimum allowable density and height. The following table provides the provincial minimum allowable density and height in the TOD area:
| Prescribed Distance (metres) | Minimum Allowable Density (FAR/FSR) | Minimum Allowable Height (Storeys) |
| Less than 200 | Up to 2.5 | Up to 6 |
| 200 - 400 | Up to 1.5 | Up to 4 |
The TOD area is shown below and can also be viewed on the GIS Whistler Map, by turning on the "Transit Oriented Area Designation" layer, listed under the category "Land Use".
What this means for the 2025 OCP amendment: The OCP growth management policies, are legislatively required to be updated to allow for the uses and densities permitted by the TOD bylaw.
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.
| Name | Resort Municipality of Whistler |
|---|---|
| Phone | 604-932-5535 |
| info@whistler.ca | |
| In writing | Municipal Hall |
The Resort Municipality of Whistler is grateful to be on the shared, unceded territory of the Lil’wat People, known in their language as L̓il̓wat7úl, and the Squamish People, known in their language as Sḵwx̱wú7mesh. We respect and commit to a deep consideration of their history, culture, stewardship and voice.
