Official Community Plan Update 2024

As part of the Official Community Plan (OCP) Update, the OCP will reflect the new provincial housing bills which provide opportunities for more housing choices in single-family neighbourhoods and designating Transit-Oriented Areas to allow for minimum densities, heights, and off-street parking requirements. The City will also consider, as part of the OCP Update, designating lands to provide for the identified 20-year housing supply based on current and anticipated housing needs.

Cycling, walking, and transit integration will be an important piece to aiding population and housing density increases in the city. As neighbourhoods develop, City staff will work with TransLink to establish appropriate transit services
(i.e. a Frequent Transit Network and convenient buses to key community destinations), as well as improved accessibility to and from transit amenities (i.e. landing pads, wider pathways, marked crosswalks, weather protection, and information). The City-led enhancements will be undertaken through development and the City’s annual Capital Program. For more information please visit the Mobility and Access Chapter of the City’s OCP Bylaw 9000 - 2041 Official Community Plan (OCP) Schedule 1 - City of Richmond, BC

The City’s cycling network map in the 2041 OCP identifies the long-term cycling network plan. The Cycling Network Plan (CNP) establishes desire lines and associated links for cyclists as a blueprint for identifying cycling related infrastructure priorities over the next 15 years. Bike paths, wider sidewalks, and protected intersections will all be pursued through various projects including major redevelopment, yearly capital works, and dike upgrades, to improve safety, comfort, and connectivity in the community. For more information, visit City Bicycle Planning - City of Richmond, BC 

The Official Community Plan (OCP) sets out the framework to reduce reliance on private vehicles. Supporting policies, infrastructure projects and programs are implemented to prioritize transit, walking and cycling trips. Trip data indicates that the auto mode share in Richmond has reduced by 10% in 9 years (2008 to 2017). TransLink’s 2023 trip diary will provide further insight in mode share trends and we anticipate the results will be available in the coming months.

Some of the initiatives taken to support the objective of transitioning to a more sustainable transportation system are described below.

Creating compact, walkable and bikeable neighbourhoods like the Lansdowne redevelopment is an example of land use policies that promote transit-oriented developments. Transit is critical in terms of reducing dependency on private automobile. The Canada Line has proven successful at converting auto trips to transit. The City continues to support increasing transit ridership through the provision of bus shelters, accessible landing pads, and connecting walkways to transit stops. 

There are also approximately 340 lane kilometres of cycling facilities in Richmond and the provision of new protected multi-use pathways currently being installed on Steveston Highway and No. 2 Road will further expand the cycling network. The e-scooter and e-bike share program continues to be very popular for residents and visitors with over 130,000 trips taken since this service launched in 2022.  Data from this program highlights commuter and recreational use.  Feedback received from users indicate some have chosen to ride an e-scooter or e-bike instead of driving for some trips. 

Through these initiatives and others, sustainable travel options to reduce reliance on personal automobile are helping to accomplish the OCP objectives.

We have added a PDF document to the Documents section that outlines all of the public engagement events that we will be holding through November.  If you would like a copy emailed directly, please let us know via email at communityplanning@richmond.ca and we will forward a copy to you.

Richmond’s growth falls in line with Metro Vancouver’s Regional Growth Strategy, which is a shared vision of how projected population, housing, job growth, climate change, and social equity will be managed and considered in the region over the next 30 years. It’s also tied closely to the Region’s Transportation Strategy Transport 2050. For more information on Metro 2050, visit https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/metro-2050-the-regional-growth-strategy.   

Richmond has been undertaking planning and implementation actions for emergency preparedness and to reduce the negative impacts of climate change for several years. We do so through various evolving initiatives and policies such as the Dike Master Plan and the Flood Protection Management Strategy. The City also works with the Federal and Provincial Government to strengthen and invest in flood protection infrastructure. We are actively raising sections of the perimeter dike across the City to mitigate flood risks. For more information on how the City is preparing for emergency to larger disaster, please visit https://firerescue.richmond.ca/what-we-do/emergency-preparedness/.

Through the engagement phases, there will be opportunities to hear from children in our communities, including requesting information be shared via the Richmond School District on ways students and teachers can get involved.  Staff will also present to the Youth Advisory Committee and share materials. 

In phase two, there will be further focus group engagements with local organizations where emerging themes and policy directions will be explored, and feedback collected. 

Richmond continues to be one of the cities in the Lower Mainland with the lowest residential property tax rate at 1.67556 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2024. Our comparative low tax rate is a result of the ongoing commitment by City Council and City administration to focus on fiscal responsibility, allowing them to effectively manage expenditures while still providing high quality services to our growing population amidst rising costs. Property tax rates are reviewed and approved by Council each year as part of the 5 Year Financial Plan that determines the level of service provided to residents. Please note that just over 50% of property taxes is made up of levies on behalf of other taxing agencies: Translink, School Board, Metro Vancouver, Municipal Finance Authority and BC Assessment. These levies are determined by each external agency independently and are not in the City’s control. For more information, please visit www.richmond.ca/city-hall/finance/about.htm