2040 Official Community Plan: Our Kelowna as we grow

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link

How our city looks and feels is shaped by our Official Community Plan (OCP), a high-level policy document that guides how and where we grow. In 2022, Kelowna is home to 138,500 residents, and by 2040, that population is expected to grow by more than 45,000 citizens. This growth will bring both opportunities and challenges and strategic planning is essential to ensure Kelowna can continue to be prosperous, vibrant and resilient in the years to come.

The 2040 OCP updated land uses, mapping and policies to reflect the community’s vision (as captured through Imagine Kelowna) and to clearly signal where development will be prioritized and supported with infrastructure and amenities. The OCP provides a policy framework for Council by addressing issues such as housing, transportation, infrastructure, parks, economic development and the natural and social environment.

On Monday, Sept. 20, City Council granted first reading to the 2040 Official Community Plan (OCP), and on Tuesday, October 26 it passed second and third readings. The Plan then went to the Province for approval, and it was adopted by Council on Jan. 10, 2022.

The 2040 Official Community Plan was adopted on Jan. 10, 2022.

Public Engagement

The plan was shaped by a series of engagement opportunities, beginning with the development of our community vision, Imagine Kelowna. The final phase of OCP engagement built on earlier dialogue with the public and explored a range of topics specific to how our community will grow. We asked residents to share their feedback and help bring our community's vision of a vibrant, sustainable and inclusive Kelowna to life.

The engagement and information process around the 2040 Official Community Plan update began in February 2018 and concluded in March 2021.  Engagement activities were coordinated with the Transportation Master Plan update to ensure public outreach was strategically aligned. 

Thank you for your participation!

How our city looks and feels is shaped by our Official Community Plan (OCP), a high-level policy document that guides how and where we grow. In 2022, Kelowna is home to 138,500 residents, and by 2040, that population is expected to grow by more than 45,000 citizens. This growth will bring both opportunities and challenges and strategic planning is essential to ensure Kelowna can continue to be prosperous, vibrant and resilient in the years to come.

The 2040 OCP updated land uses, mapping and policies to reflect the community’s vision (as captured through Imagine Kelowna) and to clearly signal where development will be prioritized and supported with infrastructure and amenities. The OCP provides a policy framework for Council by addressing issues such as housing, transportation, infrastructure, parks, economic development and the natural and social environment.

On Monday, Sept. 20, City Council granted first reading to the 2040 Official Community Plan (OCP), and on Tuesday, October 26 it passed second and third readings. The Plan then went to the Province for approval, and it was adopted by Council on Jan. 10, 2022.

The 2040 Official Community Plan was adopted on Jan. 10, 2022.

Public Engagement

The plan was shaped by a series of engagement opportunities, beginning with the development of our community vision, Imagine Kelowna. The final phase of OCP engagement built on earlier dialogue with the public and explored a range of topics specific to how our community will grow. We asked residents to share their feedback and help bring our community's vision of a vibrant, sustainable and inclusive Kelowna to life.

The engagement and information process around the 2040 Official Community Plan update began in February 2018 and concluded in March 2021.  Engagement activities were coordinated with the Transportation Master Plan update to ensure public outreach was strategically aligned. 

Thank you for your participation!

Question & Answer

Have a question about the 2040 OCP? Ask us here. We will get back to you as soon as possible. 

loader image
Forgot password?
Didn't receive confirmation?
Register Now
Seems like you are already registered, please provide the password. Forgot your password? Create a new one now.
  • Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link

    What are your plans to fix the fact that traffic runs through the downtown core?

    Chris Dumigan asked almost 2 years ago

    Thanks for the question. The draft Transportation Master Plan (TMP) and the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) provide much more detail on the planned transportation improvements over the next 20 years. Identified projects include, but are not limited to:

    • Extension of Clement Avenue from Spall Road to McCurdy Road, providing a new east-west connection, reducing the growth of traffic congestion on Highway 97
    • Dedicated transit lanes on Highway 97, allowing for faster more reliable transit servicing, increasing the people moving capacity of Highway 97
    • Road and intersection improvements near UBCO and the Airport as part of the Okanagan Gateway project.


    Details on the Regional Transportation Plan can be found here: https://www.smarttrips.ca/sites/files/6/docs/related/kelowna_regionaltransportationplan_122120.pdf

    Details on Kelowna's Transportation Master Plan can be found here:

    https://www.kelowna.ca/our-community/planning-projects/transportation-master-plan

  • Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link

    How do these guidelines get used by city in their approval process, if they are not clear mandates, bylaws, etc.?

    2040OCP asked about 2 years ago

    Thanks for the question. The Local Government Act gives municipalities the ability to create Development Permit Areas (DPAs) which are incorporated into OCPs and form part of the OCP's bylaw, which is how they are enforced. The OCP describes the special objectives and conditions that justify the creation of the DPA and what is required to meet those objectives. For example, a DPA might be created to establish form and character guidelines for new development, or to protect the natural environment, and sets out the guidelines that must be met for that Development Permit to be issued.

  • Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link

    Any direction the Central Mobile Home Park which is outside the Pandosy Urban Centre?

    2040OCP asked about 2 years ago

    Great question. The draft OCP signals the site as "Core Area - Neighbourhood" which allows for single detached and low density multi-family development like four-plexes and rowhousing. However, Policy 5.3.4 speaks to a more comprehensive neighbourhood planning process being required prior to redevelopment of the site to address issues like housing mix, parks and street layout and connectivity. The need for this plan is also included in the Making the Work chapter alongside other neighbourhood plans that will follow the OCP.

  • Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link

    Why has Planning backed away from the proposed concept of "view corridors" between new highrises?

    2040OCP asked about 2 years ago

    Thanks for the question. The location of towers, their spacing and staggering is addressed in Chapter 19: Form and Character Design Guidelines. With regard to building heights in general, Staff will provide Council with a clear summary of all community feedback. Building height is a clear concern and will be discussed in the summary. Recommendations for further review will come from that. Refinements to items like height maps will take place through the early summer.

  • Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link

    What population are YOU talking about as 'complete'? Service centers are not economically feasible without some sort of critical mass. How many residents are already in these neighborhoods, I don't see that listed anywhere in the OCP 2040 document, can we get that added in please?

    2040OCP asked about 2 years ago

    Thanks for the question! We don't have strict density targets for our suburban neighbourhoods to consider the viability of pre-determined commercial centres. Instead, we use commercial demand studies at the detailed level to ensure that any proposed commercial development is scaled appropriately to the neighbourhood. Otherwise, you risk getting caught in a vicious cycle where you need to continue to approve more suburban development to feed a commercial centre that wasn't planned properly to begin with.

  • Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link

    What is being done to support hydrogen fuel cell vehicle rollout in Kelowna.

    Eric asked about 2 years ago

    Great question. The City will continue to monitor the growth in hydrogen vehicles as an emerging technology, but there are very few of these vehicles in Kelowna today. Hydrogen vehicles do show promise for growth, but the City's emphasis will be on developing our Electric Vehicle Strategy first, as there is significantly more uptake on EVs. Future planning for hydrogen vehicles may take place as the market starts to grow.

  • Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link

    What do the engineers say about trunk services (water, sewer, wastewater) to these suburbs; is there enough capacity to support infill development toward complete communities? Or will we need to build more? And if we need to build more, will that mean increases to DCC rates and/or levy?

    2040OCP asked about 2 years ago

    Thanks for the question. No major new infrastructure has been identified to meet the small scale of suburban infill anticipated in the draft 2040 OCP.

  • Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link

    What about services like fire halls for the increased population and buidlings and urgent care/ clinical services - would medical services be encouraged in these 'complete' suburban neighbourhoods?

    2040OCP asked about 2 years ago

    Thanks for the question! All new suburban development needs to be reviewed by the Fire Department and any new infrastructure would have to be identified in the OCP or the appropriate Area Structure Plan (ASP). For small-scale out-patient medical services, they would be supported in Village Centres and neighbourhood commercial nodes.

  • Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link

    Can taxes be increased for people living in those neighbourhoods in light of the fact it is a deficit to infrastructure debt to complete these areas?

    2040OCP asked about 2 years ago

    Thanks for the question. Yes, there are some financial tools available, but the most effective method is just not building suburbs the same way we did 40 years ago.

  • Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link

    How do those suburban neighbourhoods use infrastructure efficiently when they are spread out as far apart as they are?

    2040OCP asked about 2 years ago

    Great question. Low-density suburban neighbourhoods struggle to make efficient use of infrastructure. That is one of the reasons the OCP is providing clear direction to stop planning new ones. For those that are under development, supporting small nodes of commercial services that are appropriately scaled can help make suburban neighbourhoods a little more complete.

Page last updated: 06 Apr 2022, 03:34 PM