The Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) is a vision for the future of the capital region, guiding decisions on regional issues such as transportation, population growth and settlement patterns. The RGS promotes the long term livability of the region with policy intended to enhance social, economic and environmental performance. The current RGS was adopted in 2018 and amended with updated population projections in 2021.
British Columbia’s Local Government Act (LGA) sets out requirements for an RGS, including monitoring and reporting. The CRD developed its RGS indicators to support consistent annual reporting and meet the legislative requirements.
The CRD RGS Indicator Report consists of 20 indicators for RGS monitoring. Each indicator includes a description of what is being measured, why it is important and a discussion of trends. Over time, the indicators will help identify progress being made toward RGS implementation or alert the region to a need for change if progress is not being seen.
The RGS and Local Governments
Local governments and the CRD developed the RGS in partnership. All affected local governments must accept the RGS before the CRD Board can adopt it as a bylaw. Within two years of becoming a bylaw, each municipality must submit a regional context statement to the CRD Board describing how their Official Community Plan (OCP) aligns with the Strategy. Regional context statements by the OCPs set out how a municipality plans to meet its housing, commercial, industrial, institutional, agricultural, recreational and public utility needs. Please see the Updates & Amendments page for more information about how the regular OCP review process relates to the RGS.
In the case of the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area, all official community plans must be consistent with the Strategy.
The RGS applies to the following local governments:
Central Saanich | Colwood | Esquimalt | Highlands | Langford | Metchosin | North Saanich | Oak Bay | Saanich | Sidney | Sooke | Victoria | View Royal | Juan de Fuca Electoral Area
Salt Spring Island and the Southern Gulf Islands, though part of the CRD, are excluded from the bylaw as they are part of the Islands Trust land management area.