Sitting as an Advisory Planning Commission (APC) member during the Official Community Plan process was, for me, an unusual dichotomy. It was both a privilege and one of the most frustrating experiences I have encountered in public service.
The frustration still sits with me today — sometimes quietly, sometimes right at the surface — especially now as we begin to see real-world challenges emerging for projects that have spent years working their way through the planning system. Many of these challenges were avoidable. But this isn’t about saying “I told you so.”
Over several years I followed the process closely and provided clear, detailed feedback grounded in rural realities to the Strategic Planning department and the CVRD Board. Unfortunately, the vast majority of that input — along with feedback from many others — was ultimately dismissed or not incorporated into the version of the Modernized Official Community Plan that moved forward from 2nd reading through to final adoption.
As the process progressed, it became clear that while many residents were experiencing engagement fatigue, there was also a growing sense that the priority had shifted toward simply completing the project. The energy around the process increasingly felt like “get it done” rather than “get it right.”
By the time the process reached third reading, the plan moved quickly to a public hearing, with a record-short turnaround between those steps. Concerned that many rural voices were not being heard, I started a petition calling for a pause and a reset — an opportunity to take a breath and ensure the plan truly reflected the values of the communities it was meant to serve.
The petition grew quickly. What began as a small grassroots effort gathered over 1,000 signatures (680 at the time of the public hearing) from residents who wanted to see a better balance in the plan. These were people who care deeply about their communities — about protecting the environment, yes, but also about protecting rural lifestyles, economic opportunity, and the long-term vitality of our region.
The OCP itself is more than 370 pages long, not including the Local Area Plans that have been in development for years and are not scheduled to be completed until 2027. It was also built on a planning framework never before used in a regional district — one largely designed for municipal environments. Given the diversity of the CVRD, it is no surprise that a one-size-fits-all framework struggled to reflect the on-the-ground realities across such a vast region. What might work in Mill Bay is not necessarily what works in Honeymoon Bay or Youbou.
Like many APC recommendations from West Cowichan, the petition was ultimately received and set aside by the Board.
But the voices behind it remain important — and worth sharing.
