Official Community Plan (OCP)

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The City of Fernie is taking meaningful steps to shape our community's future through two key planning initiatives:

  1. The creation of a new Housing Needs Report (HNR) (COMPLETED DECEMBER 2025); and

  1. A full review and update of the 2014 Official Community Plan (OCP).

These projects are all about making Fernie the best it can be – now, and for generations to come - and we want your voice to help guide the way.

LATEST NEWS

Round 1 Engagement What We Heard Report
The Round 1 What We Heard Report is now available! It summarizes the feedback gathered from Council, City staff, the OCP Task Force, Community Partners, the open house, and the online survey. See what we heard HERE.

Housing Needs Report
The final Fernie Housing Needs Report was approved by Council on November 25, 2025 and is now available for download. You can view the final report here.

Interim OCP Amendment Adopted
After closing the Public Hearing on December 16, 2025, Council approved the interim Official Community Plan (OCP) amendments with third and final reading. These amendments fulfill the requirements of Bill 44 (Housing Statutes Amendment Act), which mandated an update to the City’s Housing Needs Report (HNR) and required the City to address the findings in the OCP before the end of 2025.

This marks the first step in the comprehensive OCP rewrite and ensures the City complies with new provincial regulations.

View the adopted amendments HERE.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

These planning initiatives include two parts, each playing an important role in planning for Fernie’s future.

Part 1) Housing Needs Report (HNR) + Interim OCP Update (COMPLETED DECEMBER 2025)

The HNR is a provincially required, research-based report that looks at Fernie’s housing challenges using demographic, economic, and market data. It identifies the kinds of housing our community needs today and in the future - and helps us plan accordingly. The core methodology for calculating housing needs is provided by the Province and must be followed.

You can view the final Fernie Housing Needs Report here.

As required by B.C.’s Local Government Act, Bill 44, the current OCP was updated with enabling housing policies through an interim amendment at the public hearing of Council on December 16, 2025.

Part 2) Official Community Plan (OCP) Review and Update

Fernie’s OCP is a long-range plan that sets out our vision, policies, and priorities for land use, housing, environment, transportation, infrastructure, and more. The OCP is the guiding document that helps Council and City staff make decisions that shape how Fernie grows, develops, and evolves.

Our current OCP was adopted in 2014. With over a decade of growth and change since then, it’s time for a comprehensive update. This update includes technical analysis, refreshed policy direction, and a renewed community vision.

PROJECT TIMELINE


YOUR VOICE MATTERS

Community input is critical to creating a plan that reflects Fernie’s values and priorities. Whether you’re a long-time resident, business owner, parent, senior, youth, or newcomer — your voice matters.

What did we hear in Round 1 Engagement?

In Round 1, we asked you to tell us what matters most to you and provide input on key topics like housing, the economy, tourism, recreation, and more. You also shared your experiences with housing in Fernie to help us refine and finalize the HNR and interim OCP amendment.

We have completed a What We Heard Report to share the findings of Round 1 engagement, including feedback gathered from Council, City staff, the OCP Task Force, Community Partners, the open house, and the online survey.

View the What We Heard Report HERE

WHAT’S NEXT?

Round 2 Engagement

The project team will be back out in the community in late spring 2026 to share and collect input on the first draft of the OCP update. Stay tuned for details!

STAY CONNECTED

We’ll be updating this page regularly with new opportunities to get involved, survey links, and reports.

Sign up for the City Connect newsletter to stay in the loop.

Have a question? Reach out to the project team at ocp@fernie.ca.


The City of Fernie is taking meaningful steps to shape our community's future through two key planning initiatives:

  1. The creation of a new Housing Needs Report (HNR) (COMPLETED DECEMBER 2025); and

  1. A full review and update of the 2014 Official Community Plan (OCP).

These projects are all about making Fernie the best it can be – now, and for generations to come - and we want your voice to help guide the way.

LATEST NEWS

Round 1 Engagement What We Heard Report
The Round 1 What We Heard Report is now available! It summarizes the feedback gathered from Council, City staff, the OCP Task Force, Community Partners, the open house, and the online survey. See what we heard HERE.

Housing Needs Report
The final Fernie Housing Needs Report was approved by Council on November 25, 2025 and is now available for download. You can view the final report here.

Interim OCP Amendment Adopted
After closing the Public Hearing on December 16, 2025, Council approved the interim Official Community Plan (OCP) amendments with third and final reading. These amendments fulfill the requirements of Bill 44 (Housing Statutes Amendment Act), which mandated an update to the City’s Housing Needs Report (HNR) and required the City to address the findings in the OCP before the end of 2025.

This marks the first step in the comprehensive OCP rewrite and ensures the City complies with new provincial regulations.

View the adopted amendments HERE.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

These planning initiatives include two parts, each playing an important role in planning for Fernie’s future.

Part 1) Housing Needs Report (HNR) + Interim OCP Update (COMPLETED DECEMBER 2025)

The HNR is a provincially required, research-based report that looks at Fernie’s housing challenges using demographic, economic, and market data. It identifies the kinds of housing our community needs today and in the future - and helps us plan accordingly. The core methodology for calculating housing needs is provided by the Province and must be followed.

You can view the final Fernie Housing Needs Report here.

As required by B.C.’s Local Government Act, Bill 44, the current OCP was updated with enabling housing policies through an interim amendment at the public hearing of Council on December 16, 2025.

Part 2) Official Community Plan (OCP) Review and Update

Fernie’s OCP is a long-range plan that sets out our vision, policies, and priorities for land use, housing, environment, transportation, infrastructure, and more. The OCP is the guiding document that helps Council and City staff make decisions that shape how Fernie grows, develops, and evolves.

Our current OCP was adopted in 2014. With over a decade of growth and change since then, it’s time for a comprehensive update. This update includes technical analysis, refreshed policy direction, and a renewed community vision.

PROJECT TIMELINE


YOUR VOICE MATTERS

Community input is critical to creating a plan that reflects Fernie’s values and priorities. Whether you’re a long-time resident, business owner, parent, senior, youth, or newcomer — your voice matters.

What did we hear in Round 1 Engagement?

In Round 1, we asked you to tell us what matters most to you and provide input on key topics like housing, the economy, tourism, recreation, and more. You also shared your experiences with housing in Fernie to help us refine and finalize the HNR and interim OCP amendment.

We have completed a What We Heard Report to share the findings of Round 1 engagement, including feedback gathered from Council, City staff, the OCP Task Force, Community Partners, the open house, and the online survey.

View the What We Heard Report HERE

WHAT’S NEXT?

Round 2 Engagement

The project team will be back out in the community in late spring 2026 to share and collect input on the first draft of the OCP update. Stay tuned for details!

STAY CONNECTED

We’ll be updating this page regularly with new opportunities to get involved, survey links, and reports.

Sign up for the City Connect newsletter to stay in the loop.

Have a question? Reach out to the project team at ocp@fernie.ca.


Page last updated: 30 Dec 2025, 01:55 PM