Background

The Regional Growth Strategy

The Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) is the Capital Regional District's (CRD) long term growth management plan, adopted by the region and accepted by its member municipalities in 2003. The strategy oversees the Growth Management Planning Area (GMPA), which includes all 13 municipalities and the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area (over 192,600 hectares on Southern Vancouver Island). Planning for the Southern Gulf Islands jurisdiction lies with the Islands Trust; these islands are not included in the RGS.

The population of the CRD was 326,000 in 2001 and increased to 345,000 by 2006; by 2038 projections call for over 475,000 residents in the region, if growth occurs at a similar rate. The  main purpose of the RGS is to guide the region towards common goals such as livable communities, protected natural systems and resources and a healthy, rewarding quality of life over the long term.

The Regional Sustainability Strategy

Every five years the region has the legislated option to review its RGS. The CRD opted to review its RGS in 2008, at which point it was decided that the growth strategy would be transitioned to a sustainability strategy. The Regional Sustainability Strategy (RSS) will use the RGS as a platform, building upon that base and increasing its scope.

The process includes a review and update of the RGS policy, including map and population projection updates. More fundamentally, the resulting RSS will provide leadership and direction on the built environment, natural systems and social resilience to address important and emerging issues facing our region's communities.