Whitehorse 2040: Official Community Plan Review
Adopted - Whitehorse 2040: Official Community Plan
The City of Whitehorse has formally adopted Whitehorse 2040 at the City's new Official Community Plan. The Official Community Plan (OCP) is the City's highest-level planning document and will set the direction for Whitehorse until 2040. Read the Whitehorse 2040 Official Community Plan here.
The adoption follows the document’s mandatory ministerial review and approval by the Yukon’s Minister of Community Services Richard Mostyn and is the result of months of engagement with the community.
This OCP will guide the City’s growth well into the future and includes a number of changes to meet the changing needs of the community.
Within the next two years, the City will also complete a Zoning Bylaw Review which will support the intent of the new OCP.
This work would not have been possible without the important feedback from residents, businesses, stakeholders, and partners. Thank you to everyone who participated and shared their feedback throughout the development process.
The OCP process began in 2018, and included the following phases:
- Phase 1 - Awareness Building: open houses, ad hoc meetings, stakeholder meetings, and a survey;
- Phase 2 - Explore News Concepts: ideas workbook, neighbourhood workshops, stakeholder meetings, and pop-up events;
- Phase 3a - Emerging Directions: series of workshops where Council reviewed Administration's preliminary policy ideas for the new OCP. Many sources informed the policy ideas, including OCP public input and existing City plans. This phase cumulated with the production of an Emerging Directions document, summarizing major policy ideas reviewed with previous Council. Input on these ideas was received through a survey, released in August 2021; and
- Phase 3b - Create the Plan: series of workshops where Council reviewed draft policies for the new OCP. A Draft OCP was released to the public in May 2022, and engagement ran to mid-June. Various engagement opportunities were provided, including online sessions, open houses, and a survey.
- Phase 4 - OCP Approval
- First Public Hearing: September 12, 2022.
- Council Review: Council reviewed the plan on October 3, and at second reading on October 11, Council voted to send it back to Administration following a number of amendments.
- Second Public Hearing: November 28, 2022.
- Council Review: Council reviewed the proposed plan on January 9th, 2023 and at the second reading on January 16th, 2023, Council voted to pass second reading.
- Ministerial Review: Following second ready, the OCP was sent for mandatory ministerial review and approved by the Yukon's Minister of Community Services Richard Mostyn on March 20, 2023.
- Adoption: On March 27, 2023, Council voted to adopt the OCP at third reading.
Public engagement for this project is now closed.
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New proposed updates to the Plan
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Whitehorse City Council has made a number of amendments to the proposed Whitehorse 2040: Official Community Plan (OCP). The OCP is the City’s highest-level planning document, and will set the direction for Whitehorse until 2040.
These changes trigger a second public hearing scheduled for November 28th, 2022 at City Hall at 5:30 PM. The public hearing is your chance to comment on the proposed changes, and any other areas of the OCP that may impact you. You can also email your input to publicinput@whitehorse.ca. Find more information on public hearings here (link).
What are the new proposed major updates to the Plan?
Climate Action (Goal 6b, policies 6.2, 6.3, 6.5 and 6.11)
- Clearer commitments to help the City meet its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets
Chasàn Chùa / McIntyre Creek Regional Park (policy 7.9)
- Removal of the transportation corridor study through the Proposed Chasàn Chùa / McIntyre Creek Regional Park.
Housing (policies 9.4, 9.5, 9.7, 15.16.4 15.18.9 and map 5)
- New policy commitments regarding affordable housing and short-term rentals. (9.4, 9.5 and 9.7)
- Clearer policy regarding subdivision of country residential lots (15.16.4).
- Removed lands next to Tamarack as a residential area (15.18.9, map 5)
Whitehorse North Transportation Corridor (policy 11.16)
- New policy commitment proposed in support of planning and implementing upgrades to the City’s transportation corridor, linking Whistle Bend to the Downtown.
Development & Environmental Impacts (policy 12.18 and Appendix A - idea 33)
- New commitment for the City to consider environmental impacts in its asset management strategy.
- Added an “Idea for action” whereas the City would review the requirements for hard-surfacing during Zoning Bylaw update.
Quarries (policies 15.13.3, 15.13.5 and 15.13.6)
- Removed Stevens quarry as the City’s priority area for gravel extraction, including as a natural resource area reserve.
- Added policies clarifying mitigation requirements for quarries (policies 15.13.3, 15.13.5 and 15.13.6).
Building Heights (policies 15.9.7, 15.9.14, 15.12.4)
- Increased building height allowances south of Main Street from 25 metres (7-8 stories) to 30 metres (9-11 stories) (15.9.7).
- Increased building height allowances on Main Street, west of 4th Avenue and to the escarpment from 20 metres (6-7 stories) to 30 metres (9-11 stories) (policy 15.9.14).
- Removed the maximum building height restriction of 10 m along the Riverfront and replaced with new qualitative measure, to be implemented in the Zoning Bylaw (15.12.4).
Collaborative Planning (map 5, Appendix A – idea 72)
- Updated land use designation approach for Kwanlin Dün First Nation lands to allow more flexibility in implementing the self-governing agreement. (map 5)
- Improved idea for action area regarding Ta’an Kwäch’än Council and Kwanlin Dün First Nation (Appendix A – idea 72)
What are the new proposed minor updates to the Plan?
- Grammar corrections
- Improvements to OCP structure
- Policy clarity improvements
Who's listening?
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Email ocp@whitehorse.ca