Did you read the letter that came to your door? It’s regarding an update to our official community plan (OCP), specifically around housing.
The gist of it is Mayor George Harvie isn’t asking if you’d like new housing, he’s telling you it’s coming, for better or for worse.
And it’s coming fast.
In five years, there must be more than 3,500 new housing units in our community or else we will have failed the provincial governments housing target order.
It’s no secret that our province is exploding with newcomers from all over the country and the world. That’s good news, we need people.
What’s challenging is the pressure it’s putting on our municipalities to build different types of housing quickly, like rental housing, high rise condos, and multifamily housing on city lots.
Mayor Harvie assures us to meet the demand he will reduce red tape, relax bylaws that impede housing solutions, and improve infrastructure.
Mayor and council want our input, as they update the OCP and that’s also good news, yet I imagine they aren’t interested in hearing from people who reject increase development in their neighbourhood, because frankly that ship has sailed.
It’s time to get on the bandwagon.
During the month of March residents can submit their thoughts as the city updates its OCP, which hasn’t happened since 1985.
I encourage you to attend open houses, watch online information sessions, and visit the letstalk.delta.ca website.
This is an exciting time for our community and even if we don’t want it, growth is here to stay, so get involved.
I believe this is a necessary transformation that will bring our beautiful community together to build a bright future for our children and their children. Maybe there’s a chance our young people won’t have to leave to flourish.
Ingrid Abbott is a freelance writer who thinks at this rate she’ll be too old to drive by the time construction of the new tunnel is completed.
