Regional Growth Strategy purposes and requirements

The Local Government Act, Part 13 - Regional growth strategies provides the parameters by which local governments prepare a regional growth strategy, including the purposes of regional growth strategies and minimum content requirements.

Purposes

The core purpose of a regional growth strategy is to promote human settlement that is socially, economically and environmentally sustainable. It also supports making efficient use of public facilities and services, land and other resources.

A regional growth strategy should work toward, but not be limited by, the following:

• Avoiding urban sprawl and ensuring that development takes place where adequate facilities exist or can be provided in a timely, economic and efficient manner
• Developing settlement patterns that minimize the use of automobiles and encourage walking, cycling and the efficient use of public transit
• Developing settlement patterns that minimize the risks associated with natural hazards
• Moving goods and people efficiently while making effective use of transportation and utility corridors
• Protecting environmentally sensitive areas
• Maintaining the integrity of a secure and productive resource base, including agricultural and forest land reserves
• Economic development that supports the unique character of communities
• Reducing and preventing air, land and water pollution
• Supporting adequate, affordable and appropriate housing
• Developing adequate inventories of suitable land and resources for future settlement
• Protecting the quality and quantity of groundwater and surface water
• Preserving, creating and linking urban and rural open spaces including parks and recreation areas
• Planning for energy supply and promoting efficient use, conservation and alternative forms of energy
• Engaging in good stewardship of land, sites and structures with cultural heritage value

A regional district may design a custom strategy that fits local circumstances by adding other matters that cross local government boundaries and cannot be addressed by one jurisdiction.

Requirements

Minimum requirements for any regional growth strategy include:

• A 20-year minimum time frame
• Regional vision statements
• Population and employment projections
• Regional actions for key areas such as housing, transportation, regional district services, parks and natural areas, and economic development
• Targets, policies and actions for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the regional distric

A regional district board is required to consider its most recent housing needs report and the housing information on which it is based, when:

• Developing a regional growth strategy
• Amending a regional growth strategy in relation to proposed housing actions
• Considering every five years whether a regional growth strategy must be reviewed

The intent of this requirement is to help ensure that any updates to a regional growth strategy are informed by the latest available housing needs information.

The rest of the content of the regional growth strategy is largely left up to the local governments involved.