Regional Growth and Sustainability

Regional Growth Strategy Five-Year Review

Transitioning to the Regional Sustainability Strategy (RSS)

The 2003 RGS is now being updated as part of the 5-year review process and will be revised as the region's sustainability strategy. The Regional Sustainability Strategy (RSS) will use the RGS as a base, increasing its scope to provide leadership and direction on climate action, social well-being and food security in addition to its current topic areas.

The Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) is a strategic planning document that addresses regional issues such as transportation, population growth and settlement patterns. The RGS promotes the long term livability of the region and seeks to optimize social, economic and environmental performance.

Regional Sustainability Strategy Web Portal

We invite you to visit the RSS portal for further information on how we are transitioning the Regional Growth Strategy to the Sustainability Strategy. Save it to your favourites and check back regularly.

Policy Options Papers

Nine policy options papers have been developed, covering the topics of affordable housing, resource management, climate change, ecological health, transportation, sustainable development, economic sustainability, social well being and food security, each including a range of policy scenarios to set the stage for the new RSS.

RGS - RSS Public Engagement Feedback (February - June 2010)

The public forum in February 2011 received a tremendous amount of feedback from the public. See what you had to say about the RGS. Read more

RGS - RSS Foundation Documents

RGS Foundation Documents

Population, Employment & Dwelling projections to 2038 (PDF )
Population, Employment & Dwelling projections Appendices ( Appendix I - Community Profiles, Appendix II - Local Government OCP Policy Review, Appendix III - Major Employers Policy Review)(PDF )

RGS Review Primer (PDF )
RGS Legislation Policy Review (PDF )
Industrial Land Study (Inventory and Demand analysis)(PDF )
2008 RGS State of the Region Report Executive Summary (PDF )
2008 State of the Region Report(PDF )
TransCAD Regional Transportation Model Recalibration (PDF )

Background Information

2003 Regional Growth Strategy and Bylaw

2003 RGS and Bylaw

RGS-RSS Overview Presentation

Regional Growth Strategy Bylaw (PDF )

The RGS includes eight strategic initiatives:

Keep urban settlement compact
Protect the integrity of rural communities
Protect regional green and blue space
Manage natural resources and the environment sustainability
Build complete communities
Improve housing affordability
Increase transportation choice
Strengthen the regional economy

In addition to the strategic initiatives, the RGS contains several maps and land use designations. They include:

RGS Map 1: Regional Growth Strategy Area (PDF )
RGS Map 2: Georgia Basin / Puget Sound (PDF )
RGS Map 3: Growth Management Concept Plan (PDF )
RGS Map 4: Regional Green-Blue Spaces System (PDF )

RGS Implementation

The RGS is primarily implemented through the municipal Official Community Plans and zoning bylaws. The Local Government Act (LGA) section 866 requires municipalities to prepare a regional context statement (RCS) within two years of the adoption of a regional growth strategy. The purpose of the regional context statements is to outline how the municipality's Official Community Plan is consistent with the RGS or how it may be made consistent over time. The intent is to develop a level of consistency between municipalities and the RGS to achieve common visions and shared goals.

Regional Context Statements

District of Central Saanich Regional Context Statement Amendment Proposal

Central Saanich Co-op Dispute Settled by Arbitrator

The dispute over the District of Central Saanich proposal to amend their regional context statement to accommodate the development of the Co-op supermarket has been settled by the arbitrator appointed in the Final Proposal Arbitration process. He decided in favour of the CRD proposal to leave the RCS intact and maintain the integrity of the planning and legislative framework under which the Region operates.

Media Release
Final Arbitration Judgement(PDF )
CRD and Central Saanich Joint Statement(PDF )
CRD Proposal Submission - Summary(PDF )
District of Central Saanich Proposal Submission - Summary(PDF )
CRD submission(PDF )
- Appendices A1-3 (PDF )
- Appendices B1-3(PDF )
- Appendices C-F(PDF )
- Appendices G-H(PDF )
District of Central Saanich submission(PDF )
- Schedule 2-3(PDF )
- Schedule 4-7(PDF )
- Schedule 8(PDF )
- Schedule 9 part 1(PDF )
- Schedule 9 part 2(PDF )
- Schedule 10(PDF )
- Schedule11(PDF )
- Schedule 12(PDF )
- Schedule 13-15(PDF )

Sub-Strategies

Three important sub-strategies support the initiatives of the Regional Growth Strategy:

Regional Housing Affordability Strategy - Adopted March 13, 2007
Economic Development Strategy
TravelChoices Transportation Strategy(PDF )

RGS Amendment Process

The regional growth strategy was subject to an amendment process in 2008. Map 3 in the RGS was amended to alter the regional urban containment and servicing policy area (RUCSPA) boundary to accommodate the Bear Mountain development in the District of Highlands.

Regional Planning