CRD Regional Growth Strategy
A section of the Capital Regional District Regional Growth Strategy detailing coordination policies for regional planning, aboriginal rights, and 2038 targets.
I-6. Coordinate the review and update of regional planning documents to inform future updates to the Regional Growth Strategy and guide CRD action on housing, transportation, regional district services, parks and natural areas and economic development. Documents may include, but are not limited to:
- Housing Affordability Strategy⁴
- Regional Transportation Plan
- Pedestrian and Cycling Master Plan
- Liquid Waste Management Plan
- Integrated Watershed Management Plan
- Solid Waste and Resource Management Plan
- Regional Parks Strategic Plan
Food and Agriculture Strategy*Climate Action Strategy*- Population, Dwelling Unit and Employment Projections⁵
I-7. Implement the Regional Growth Strategy without prejudice to any aboriginal rights or title that may currently exist, or be defined further through treaty or other processes. The Board will do this with the full recognition that Capital Region First Nations have asserted within their traditional territories, aboriginal rights and title and treaty rights currently undergoing formal definition through the modern treaty and other processes. The Board recognizes that First Nations Councils are neighbouring governments in the Capital Region, with a shared interest in managing long term development to enhance regional quality of life.
I-8. Coordinate with the Cowichan Valley Regional District and the Islands Trust to ensure that long term planning and development policies and initiatives in those jurisdictions are compatible with the vision and objectives of the Capital Region’s Regional Growth Strategy.
I-9. The Capital Regional District will work with the Province, agencies such as the Vancouver Island Health Authority and BC Transit, and the federal government to coordinate implementation of the Regional Growth Strategy while respecting the authority of each jurisdiction.
⁴ At the time of writing, the Food and Agriculture Strategy and the Climate Action Strategy are Housing Affordability Strategy is under development.
⁵ Population, dwelling unit and employment projections presented in Table 1 based on the 2011 Census data will be updated using the most recent census data at the time of the first update to the 2018 Regional Growth Strategy.
TABLE 2: 2038 TARGETS BY PRIORITY AREA AND OBJECTIVE
| PRIORITY AREA | OBJECTIVE | TARGETS BY 2038 |
|---|---|---|
| 1) Managing and Balancing Growth | 1.1 Keep Urban Settlement Compact | • Accommodate a minimum of 95% of the region’s new dwelling units within the |
| 1.2 Protect the Integrity of Rural Communities | ||
| 2) Environment and Infrastructure | 2.1 Protect, Conserve and Manage Ecosystem Health | • Acquire 100% of the sea-to-sea green/blue belt. • Complete 100% of the Regional Trail Network. • Reduce contaminants to fresh and marine water bodies. |
| 2.2 Deliver Services Consistent with RGS Objectives | • Prepare long-term capital plans for Capital Regional District utilities and major infrastructure improvements |
|
| 3) Housing and Community | 3.1 Create Safe and Complete Communities | • Municipal targets for the number of people living in complete communities to be identified by municipalities in Regional Context Statements. |
| 3.2 Improve Housing Affordability | • Increase the supply of more affordable housing. • Reduce the number of people in core housing need. • Reduce the number of people who are homeless.⁶ |
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| 4) Transportation | 4.1 Improve Multi-Modal Connectivity and Mobility | • Achieve a transportation system that sees 42% of all trips made by walking, cycling, transit. |
| 5) Economic Development | 5.1 Realize the Region’s Economic Potential | • Achieve a jobs/population ratio of: — 0.60 in Core Area — 0.53 in Saanich Peninsula — 0.36 in West Shore |
| 6) Food Systems | 6.1 Foster a Resilient Food and Agriculture System | • Increase the amount of land in crop production for food by 5,000 ha to enhance local food security. • Municipal targets to increase the amount of land in crop production for food and to encourage agricultural land to be identified by municipalities in Regional Context Statements. |
| 7) Climate Action | 7.1 Significantly reduce community-based greenhouse gas emissions | • Reduce community greenhouse gas emissions by 33% (from 2007 levels) by 2020, and by 61% by 2038. |
⁶ Numeric targets will be identified in an updated Regional Housing Affordability Strategy. At the time of writing, the targets in the approved Regional Housing Affordability Strategy are inconsistent with the legislated timeline of the Regional Growth Strategy.