Plan Implementation - Bylaw Amendments
What’s Happening - January 2026
Council held a Public Hearing on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, to consider proposed by-law amendments to implement the Rupert and Renfrew Station Area Plan PDF file (21.8 MB). The amendments included 4 key updates:
- City-initiated rezoning of villages and other low-rise areas to allow for redevelopment options up to 6 storeys (and up to 8 storeys for sites within the Transit-Oriented Area delivering below-market rental or social housing). Once it's enacted, applicants can proceed directly to a development permit (no rezoning is required). Learn more by reviewing a map of eligible sites.
- Introducing a Groundwater Protection Area to make sure groundwater can continue to feed into Still Creek. New development within this area will need to limit underground parking and waterproof the building’s foundation.
- Supporting the economy by allowing taller industrial buildings within the Still Creek Floodplain and streamlining requirements for landscape setbacks for new commercial and industrial buildings.
New Development Applications
Large redevelopments are often required to go through a process called “rezoning” to ensure they are aligned with the requirements in area plans and other City documents. Rezonings are often required as part of changing what’s currently allowed on a property, such as the type of building, its size, or how it’s used.
To learn more about this process, you can read the City’s “How Rezoning Works” webpage. Rezonings often include an opportunity for public comment. Residents and businesses immediately around a proposed rezoning will generally get a notification in the mail letting them know about any opportunity for public comment. Each rezoning application can also be found here.
