Public divided over Vancouver’s new citywide development plan

People packed city hall to weigh in on Vancouver's new Official Development Plan Wednesday.

Vancouver residents turned out in large numbers Tuesday night to weigh in on the city’s proposed Official Development Plan (ODP)—a provincially mandated blueprint that will guide how the city grows over the next three decades.

The ODP outlines where future housing, jobs, parks and services will go as Vancouver prepares for a projected 240,000 more residents by 2050. The plan builds on the 2022 Vancouver Plan and is legally required under new provincial legislation.

One of the biggest points of debate is how development decisions will be made going forward. Under provincial rules, public hearings will not be allowed for rezonings that match the ODP and are mostly residential—meaning many future projects will go straight to council for a vote.

Members of the public raised concerns about density, school capacity and the pace of growth. Others said expanding housing across more neighbourhoods is essential to meet the city’s needs and lower housing prices.

“It is an aggressive, densification plan that will keep Vancouver in a state of construction chaos for years to come,” said one speaker.

“As I understand it, the ODP provides no school planning concurrent with development. This puts the education of children in Vancouver at great risk,” said another speaker.

Some also criticized the consultation process, saying the city didn’t do enough to inform or engage residents.

“Most Vancouverites don’t know of this hearing tonight or its impact,” one speaker told council. “There has been a grave lack of consultation about the ODP.”

More than 60 people signed up to speak, with the hearing set to continue Wednesday night.

The city is required to adopt the ODP by June 30.