Regional Growth Strategy
We are developing our first Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) for the region. It's a long-range, high-level plan that will help us better understand and prepare for the potential changes we can expect over the next 20 years with a growing population, new service demands, the regional economy, and a changing climate.
Over the summer, the Peace River Regional District staff and the supporting consultant team travelled between communities throughout the region. We have created a What We Heard Report to summarize all the engagement we have done up to this point - both in person and online. Was presented to the Regional Board on November 7, 2024 and is attached in our documents section for those interested in viewing the work we have done so far.
We are now in Phase 3 of the project. A draft RGS is in development that incorporates what we heard from outreach and engagement in earlier project phases. Watch for more updates as we move into the fall and develop the draft for review by the project Steering Committee and PRRD Board.
PROJECT PARTNERS
About the Project
Background
A Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) is a strategic plan enabled by the provincial Local Government Act. They are prepared and enacted by a regional district with the involvement of its member municipalities.
The province leaves the process for preparing an RGS largely up to each region, so ours will be made in the Peace and include policy guidance for the things residents and others tell us are important. As a high-level document, the RGS will likely include broad goals on topics like transportation, housing, parks and natural areas, economic development, and regional environmental issues.
Our RGS will help us guide long-term regional growth and support more coordinated region-wide planning with the PRRD and member municipalities (City of Dawson Creek, City of Fort St. John, District of Taylor, District of Chetwynd, District of Hudson's Hope, District of Tumbler Ridge, and Village of Pouce Coupe).
This is the first RGS that the PRRD has undertaken. The final product will be a high-level document that will support more coordinated region-wide planning and help us better understand the region, including the shared opportunities it has and the challenges it faces.
Like all regional growth strategies in the province, ours will not regulate land use. Land use and development are regulated by Official Community Plans, Zoning Bylaws, and building permit requirements where they exist in our region.
The project began in August of 2023 and will continue until May 2025. Currently, we are in Phase 3 of the project. There will be many opportunities for community engagement throughout all project phases.
Documents
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RGS What We Heard Report Phase 1 and 2 (6.78 MB) (pdf)
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Regional Economy Factsheet (643 KB) (pdf)
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Housing Factsheet (811 KB) (pdf)
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Health Wellbeing Safety Factsheet (565 KB) (pdf)
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Agriculture Factsheet (789 KB) (pdf)
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Regional Profile March 2024 (10.6 MB) (pdf)
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Regional Growth Strategy Backgrounder (1.13 MB) (pdf)
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Frequently Asked Questions (991 KB) (pdf)
As a farmer/rancher, it is important that agriculture access to water be a top priority and that our businesses do not suffer because of disputes with other interested parties who wish to use the water too. Food security should remain a top priority to all people regardless of backgrounds or interests. Agriculture does not usually need a lot of support unless disasters happen like flooding, drought and fire. But we have supports in place that have improved already. Support for locals in the rural areas who are organizing to help stop fires in the area is important, and if volunteers need to be trained, then that should also be a priority for the PRRD. Thank you for being proactive and supporting agriculture. Last comment-land that is in the ALR is very important to agriculture and by law agriculture is the priority. If businesses or individuals wish to move land out of the ALR that must be the biggest factor-is it useful for agriculture?
The PRRD needs a clear set of policy guidelines to determine when it will and when it will not support moving land out of the ALR. Currently, if it is in the ALR, then they will not support it coming out of the ALR. This doesn't allow for enough diversity in development going forward.