Our Process
Creating the Vancouver Plan
The Vancouver Plan is the result of four phases of extensive public engagement, as well as two years of technical analysis on a wide range of planning topics such as land use, climate and transportation.
To ensure the Vancouver Plan was shaped by the voices and diversity of our population, we invited feedback from everyone who lives, works, or plays in Vancouver, with special attention to historically underrepresented groups. Activities included dedicated workshops, pop-up activities, and custom designed events.
Where are we now?
Approved by City Council on July 22, 2022, the Vancouver Plan became the City’s strategic land-use framework, guiding more detailed plans and policy to come, as well as updating existing plans and policy to ensure these are aligned with Vancouver Plan.
What we heard along the way, starting from the beginning:
Fall 2019 – September 2020
Phase 1: Listen and Learn + Recovery
The first phase of public engagement sought to understand what matters most to you and our communities.
In addition to identifying key areas of immediate priority, the input we received in this phase also helped inform goals and aspirations for the longer term – goals for the city we want to become. This included core challenges, what brings us joy and how we can move forward.
Ultimately, Phase 1 identified the values we hold and helped identify 10 Provisional Goals for our future.
Pandemic Response
April 2020 – May 2020
Active engagement put on hold during the City’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
October 2020 - July 2021
Phase 2: Developing Emerging Directions
Building on our collective perspectives and hopes for Vancouver, we explored trends and forecasts that could impact the outcome of our future and discussed ideas for how we can achieve the 10 Provisional Goals. In addition, the input we received told us the status quo of City policies would not deliver a desired future, we need specific proposal for the Vancouver Plan and our future.
Ultimately, Phase 2 helped form the 3 ‘Big Ideas’ and informed ideas and directions on ways we could grow to explore further.
August 2021 – November 2021
Phase 3: Policy and Land Use Ideas
From October 25 to November 28, we launched Phase 3: Policy and Land Use Ideas. In this phase, we built on three ideas that emerged from prior engagement and shared choices and priorities for how Vancouver could grow into the future. We then reviewed all feedback and ideas in preparation for the final phase of engagement.
December 2021 - June 2022
Phase 4: Revising and Final Plan
With further clarity on the city we want to become and the choices we are willing to make to get there, this final phase of engagement saw us sharing and finalizing our draft Vancouver Plan and ensuring the right tools and partnerships are in place to move us towards the future we desire.
From April 5 to April 27, we presented the draft Vancouver Plan for public feedback through two separate surveys to ensure that we had the clearest picture possible about what residents want.
Engagement findings revealed broad support for all areas of the draft Vancouver Plan. Feedback was shared with City Council as part of their decision on the Vancouver Plan in July 2022, with more detailed input to be considered as part of the Plan’s future implementation.
Summer 2022+
Phase 5: Implementation Strategy
In a momentous decision, City Council approved the Vancouver Plan on July 22, 2022. With a new city-wide land use strategy, we will begin to make the changes and investments needed to intentionally achieve our collective vision. As we do this, we will continue to monitor, report out and adjust our actions to ensure that we are moving forward together, towards a Vancouver where all who live, work and play here are truly able to thrive.
