Sidney Town Council will host a public hearing on June 8, 2026, to gather community feedback on proposed updates to the town’s long-term planning document. The hearing concerns Official Community Plan Amendment Bylaw No. 2315, which outlines changes to how land is developed and managed across the municipality.
The proposed bylaw aims to establish a new Tenant Protection Development Permit Area. This new tool, authorized by the Province of British Columbia under recent provincial housing legislation, would allow the town to set specific requirements for property owners to support tenants who may face displacement during redevelopment projects.
In addition to these protections, the bylaw seeks to expand the areas where temporary use permits can be issued and align height limits in residential zones. These updates are intended to ensure the town’s planning policies remain consistent following the comprehensive update of the local Zoning Bylaw that took effect in 2024.
The public hearing will take place at 6:00 p.m. at Sidney Town Hall, located at 2440 Sidney Ave. Residents are invited to participate in person or online via Zoom. Those wishing to speak during the meeting via Zoom must register by 12:00 p.m. on June 8, 2026. Written submissions from the public will be accepted until 4:00 p.m. that same day.
The current Sidney Town Council, led by Mayor Cliff McNeil-Smith and Councillors Steve Duck, Sara Duncan, Scott Garnett, Richard Novek, Terri O’Keeffe, and Chad Rintoul, encourages residents to review the proposed amendments and provide their input before the final decision process.
