Regional Growth Strategies are long-term plans that articulate a Board’s vision for future regional growth. They promote sustainable growth, ensure alignment between Official Community Plans, and provide guidance on important regional and local land use decisions.

The South Okanagan Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) encompasses the southern portion of the Okanagan Valley and includes RDOS Electoral Areas “A”, “C”, “D”, “E”, “F”, and “I” as well as the municipalities of Osoyoos, Oliver, Penticton and Summerland.

The current review of the South Okanagan RGS is proposing to replace the Designated Regional Growth Strategy Primary and Rural Growth Areas Map (Map 3) with a new map schedule and to update the "Housing and Development" objectives and policies under "Goal 1" to support the new map schedule land use classifications.  Other amendments will relate to updating the Energy Emissions and Climate Change section of the Strategy as well as the community profile section with new Cesus data.

The Local Government Act (LGA) establishes the purpose of a Regional Growth Strategy (RGS): “to promote human settlement that is socially, economically and environmentally healthy and that makes efficient use of public facilities and services, land and other resources.” The LGA requires any regional district with an RGS to consider once every five years whether an RGS review is required. Since the RDOS Board adopted the RGS in 2010 and initiated its last minor review in 2015, 2020 is considered a suitable time to begin this review process.

Through a competitive Request for Proposals process, a qualified and experienced consultant team will work with RDOS staff to facilitate a focused review and update process, community engagement, refreshed regional data, RGS policies and growth area review, and development of a new implementation framework.

The RGS Review project will rely upon the input of the RGS Technical Advisory Committee (made up of senior Planning staff from the RDOS, Penticton, Summerland, Oliver, and Osoyoos), as well as the RDOS’s Planning and Development Committee which consists of RDOS Board members.

Community engagement is an important part of this project, and the project team will be reaching out for your input and feedback. Engagement opportunities will be sensitive current COVID-19 environment, and we will work to ensure that your voice is heard while taking precautions to mitigate any risks related to the  pandemic.

The following material is available online to assist in the preparation of Proposals. Each document is hyperlinked:

• South Okanagan Regional Growth Strategy, Bylaw No. 2770, 2017
• RGS Sustainability Checklist
• RGS Regional Snapshots
• Request for Proposals (2020-05-14)
• Award of Contract (2020-08-06)

• City of Penticton OCP
• Town of Osoyoos OCP (OCP update in progress)
• Town of Oliver OCP
• District of Summerland OCP
• RDOS Electoral Area OCPs (Electoral Areas “A”, “C”, “D”, “E”, “F”, and “I)

For additional information, or to submit comments, please contact:

Fiona Titley
Planner II
ftitley@rdos.bc.ca