Vancouver Set to Adopt Game-changing Citywide Development Plan

The city of Vancouver is poised to adopt its first-ever Official Development Plan (ODP), “a legally binding land use framework that will guide growth, development, and infrastructure investment for the next 30 years and beyond.” 

As Kenneth Chan reports in Daily Hive, the plan is a result of provincial legislation passed in 2024 that requires the city to adopt an interim citywide ODP by the end of June. “The legislation also stipulates the City must meet the second deadline by the end of June 2030 to turn this interim ODP into the new permanent ODP, including repealing local area-specific ODPs.”

The ODP builds on the foundation of the former Vancouver Plan to comply with new provincial requirements, including housing-related legislation. “For example, following the regional district’s plan, the ODP reinforces protections for existing industrial land uses and identifies potential residential uses on employment lands within 200 metres of a SkyTrain station.”

The new plan includes some major, controversial changes: “under the new rules, rezoning applications that align with the ODP and include at least 50 per cent residential floor area will no longer require a public hearing.” 

The ODP also introduces two new planning tools, the Urban Structure Strategy and the Generalized Land Use (GLU) designations. The USS outlines how Vancouver is expected to evolve over the next 50 to 100 years, while the GLU designations summarize the maximum development potential of individual parcels based on existing zoning plans. “While GLU designations do not grant automatic development rights, they significantly shape expectations for height, density, and land use across the city.”

The plan requires cities to demonstrate sufficient land capacity to meet housing needs over the next 20 years and emphasizes expanding rental housing, social housing, and other affordable housing options.