The City of Fernie is holding a Public Hearing on February 17, 2026, to gather community input on proposed bylaw amendments related to the Fire Hall Replacement Project.

What Is a Public Hearing?

A Public Hearing is a formal step in Council’s decision-making process, required under the Local Government Act, where residents and interest holders can share their views on proposed bylaws before Council considers them for adoption.

No decisions are made during the hearing itself. Council listens to feedback and takes it into account when discussing and voting on the amendments at a future meeting.

What Changes Are Being Proposed?

The proposed amendments to the Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaws apply to a defined portion of Prentice Park only (see figure 1). They would change the land use designation of that specific area from “Park” to “Institutional” and add Fernie Fire Hall as a permitted key use under the Institutional designation.

Figure 1:

How You Can Participate

Residents can share their input by submitting written comments in advance of the Public Hearing or by speaking directly to Council during the hearing, either in person or online via Zoom webinar. Whether written or spoken, feedback should clearly state whether you support or oppose the proposed bylaw amendments and explain why, including how the changes may impact you or the community.

For full details, including submission deadlines and hearing access information, please view the Notice of Public Hearing.