Statement from Gabriola Island Trustees Tobi Elliott and Susan Yates
We recognize that concerns have been raised about a draft map circulating online and on community bulletin boards. As your locally elected trustees, we would like to clarify what this map actually represents, why and how it was shared, and how it fits into the Official Community Plan (OCP) review currently underway.
Where the draft maps came from
The maps were first shared at the “Reimagining Growth” community workshop held on September 14, 2025, at the Haven. That session invited participants into a values-based conversation about how Gabriola can balance the need for housing while strengthening protections for groundwater, sensitive ecosystems, and cultural heritage. To support that discussion, staff brought several draft maps under development to provide an example of how data could be represented. This was so that all participants could have an informed discussion and provide a clearer picture of where development could be more appropriate in the future, and where it might pose a higher risk to environmental or cultural heritage protection values.
What the draft maps mean, and what they do not mean
The draft maps are not a plan, proposal, regulation, bylaw amendment, or decision.
There is no intent, or desire for Islands Trust to prevent property owners from living in and constructing a home on their property.
The draft maps were intended to provide a basis for informed discussion. Rather than speculating about where housing might be added or what areas might need additional protection, by looking at these maps, we could all be on the same page when discussing the OCP Review.
We recognize that no map should be shared without clear, written explainers about the approach used and the purpose. As trustees, we acknowledge that this created confusion and concern when maps were circulated in the community. We have heard there is a strong need for more information, and we are listening to the concerns about what approach was used and what science and planning informed the creation of draft maps. We will be having more conversations in the community before making any decisions. Islands Trust is committed to improving how we share information through the OCP review.
Related discussion: shoreline buffers
At the same September session, participants also discussed a concept identified as a “200-metre shoreline buffer”. This idea is also not a proposed regulation. The buffer zone is still just a concept.
Consider it an invitation to discussions at the earliest stage with all affected parties and landholders, before any decisions are made. The buffer is intended to help us have conversations about several objectives the community identified through the OCP process as important to us: strengthening protection of sensitive ecosystems, protection of property owners and development from impacts and future hazards due to changing conditions, and involving First Nations in discussions about areas that we know are of significant cultural importance. We are committed to involving landowners living in shoreline areas in these discussions, with the aim of providing clear processes in any future decisions about lands and waters in the buffer area.
Looking ahead
The OCP Review is rooted in long-standing Gabriola values: protecting groundwater, preserving ecosystems, honouring cultural heritage, and ensuring a sustainable approach to housing.
Once the groundwater study has been formally presented to the LTC, the information will be shared publicly online along with clear explanations so that community members can understand it.
In the meantime, we welcome your questions and want to reassure the community that no planning decisions have been made. The purpose of the OCP Review is to have thoughtful conversations about how we want Gabriola to grow — and just as importantly, how we want to protect what matters most.
If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.
SusanYates: syates@islandstrust.bc.ca
Tobi Elliott: telliott@islandstrust.bc.ca
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