FAQs

The Downtown Core Area Plan provides land use, physical development, transportation and mobility, vitality, and sustainability policies and actions for the neighbourhoods that fall within the Downtown Core Area. It is intended both to guide and influence the physical, social, environmental, and economic conditions of the area, and to ensure a sustainable and balanced approach to growth over the next 30 years.

The Design Guidelines form part of the DCAP and provide design objectives and strategies to ensure that new buildings or additions to existing buildings are designed appropriately in terms of their ‘form and character’ as expressed by the building mass, scale, orientation relationship to the street, and exterior qualities.  The Design Guidelines do not address the internal design of buildings.  

The Design Guidelines are generally used by designers, architects and property owners who are actively planning or considering a new building, retrofit or addition to an existing building within the Downtown Core Area. The Guidelines are also an important evaluation tool for City staff and municipal decision-makers when reviewing new development applications to ensure that a proposed development is a ‘good fit’ within the downtown, demonstrates an appropriate design response and enhances the surrounding context and public realm.   

Since 2011, the DCAP has been used by staff, Council, landowners, communities, and the development industry to guide new development within the Downtown Core Area.  During this time, staff have applied the DCAP to refine and evaluate development applications, which has resulted in the identification of various opportunities for improving interpretation, clarity, and effectiveness of the document.  Staff have also continued to receive periodic feedback on the DCAP from key stakeholders.  Therefore, to ensure the DCAP remains current and effective, a review and update of the plan has been undertaken with a primary focus on enhancing liveability and improved building design.  

• Following the public engagement process, the proposed Design Guidelines, related amendments to the Official Community Plan (OCP), and a summary of feedback received will be presented to Council for consideration.  
• Staff will also seek direction from Council on whether or not to have the Guidelines and OCP amendments considered at a public hearing.   
• If the Design Guidelines and OCP amendments go to a public hearing and are then approved by Council, the updated guidelines will be incorporated into the Downtown Core Area Plan and will take affect within specific development permit areas and heritage conservation areas that are identified in the OCP.