Tobi Elliott
Gabriola Island Trustee
Last week’s article outlined the function and legal requirements of an Official Community Plan (OCP) in British Columbia. Since Fall 2023, the Gabriola Visioning 2050 project (Phase 1) provided the community’s first opportunity to shape a collective vision and identify shared values. The project is now in Phase 2 — gathering input on key topics to help develop draft OCP policies.
Process Breakdown
• Summer 2024: Review of the values, principles, and goals identified during Phase 1 of the Gabriola Visioning 2050 process. The results can be found in the “What We Heard” report, which summarizes the input received.
• Fall/Winter 2024–25: Phase 2 – Focussed Discussions on Key Topics
The goal is to gather community feedback on specific issues and begin drafting policy directions and related Land Use Bylaw (LUB) changes. This phase includes a water balance assessment.
• Summer 2025: Public review of draft OCP Policies.
• Fall 2025: Public Review of Draft OCP
• Winter 2025–26: Final bylaw approval process.
Why Phase 2 Matters
Phase 2 is designed to delve deeper into the specific challenges and opportunities Gabriola faces, including housing, water sustainability, economic development, and environmental protection. The aim is to develop informed, practical policies that reflect community needs and values.
How We’re Engaging the Community
The Gabriola Local Trust Committee (LTC) is using surveys and focus groups as the two main engagement tools in Phase 2. Local trustees will also be available at two upcoming Open House drop-in opportunities, to answer questions about the OCP review and process, at the Gabriola Public Library Thursday May 15, 2-4 pm, and Tuesday May 20, 4:30-6:30 pm.
Community Survey: The OCP survey asks for community input on key topics, especially housing — a longstanding priority for the Gabriola LTC. The survey was open from November 2024 – May 15, 2025 and includes background materials with demographic data and context to help inform responses.
Focus Groups: From February to April 2025, small focus group discussions (6–12 people) were held on six key themes:
• Housing
• Economy
• Connectivity
• Resource Stewardship
• Freshwater
• Environment
Why Focus Groups?
Focus groups allow for in-depth, nuanced conversations that are difficult to achieve through surveys or large public meetings. They provide space for participants to share their perspectives, respond to others, and explore complex issues in a structured, small-group setting. To reach a broader cross-section of the community response, the LTC directed staff to hold structured focus groups with a representative mix of participants, including those connected to the topics through professional experience or volunteer work.
The focus groups are not decision-making bodies. Rather, they help the LTC and staff:
• Identify gaps in the materials presented
• Understand if anything is unclear or inaccurate
• Gather ideas for improvements
Focus group feedback will help shape a draft set of goals, objectives, and policies, which will be presented for wider public feedback in summer 2025.
Findings to Date
Findings from focus group meetings are available online in the Staff Reports folder:
• Housing Focus Group – shared at a public LTC special meeting on February 27, 2025
• Transportation/Connectivity & Economy Focus Groups – shared at a public LTC special meeting on March 28, 2025
• Resource Stewardship, and Environment and Development Permit Areas – will be shared at LTC Special meeting May 22, 2025.
Water Balance Assessment
Freshwater and groundwater sustainability are priorities for the LTC. A water balance assessment, which measures water supply and demand, is currently underway. It includes a survey on household water use and wastewater treatment methods. The survey is open until May 20, 2025. The results will help shape policies related to land use, density, and long-term water sustainability.
Upcoming engagement sessions related to the water balance assessment will be held on May 29 and June 5. See the OCP project webpage for details.
Next Steps
The next article will focus on the Freshwater Footprint Project and outline how community members can get involved. For more information, opportunities for engagement, links to surveys, or to access background materials and reports, visit:
https://islandstrust.bc.ca/island-planning/gabriola/projects/gabriola-ocpreview/
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