Mission residents have the opportunity to share their vision as the city updates its Official Community Plan (OCP).
Locals can share their priorities for the city in a survey on Engage Mission that launched on Monday (April 29).
Survey participants are asked to review the city’s current vision, choose three top priorities, and answer open-ended questions about the city. The questions include where new growth and density should happen, what Mission needs more of, and how the city can better support nature, economy and mobility.
According to a City of Mission news release, the OCP provides a roadmap for responsible growth and development while setting a vision for the future.
“It’s clear that our entire region is changing rapidly and that we must be prepared to address the opportunities and challenges that change will bring,” said Mayor Paul Horn in the news release. “To do that well, we need to hear from the people of this community to set out our new Official Community Plan.”
The plan helps shape the city’s strategy towards roads, parks, density, healthcare, education and more.
At a special council meeting on March 25, council emphasized the importance of the update and the associated public feedback due to recent changes in provincial housing legislation.
“We really need for people to understand that this is not a touchy-feely exercise. This literally will determine whether or not condos get built beside your houses in your neighbourhood,” Horn said at the time.
Research and design for the update wraps in June. The new plan will be drafted by October and finalized by February 2025.
Three public engagement campaigns are expected throughout the update process, in addition to six meetings with council.
As part of the engagement process, the Mission Public School District, Ministry of Transportation, local First Nations and BC Transit will also be consulted.
The survey is available at engage.mission.ca.
READ MORE: Early public input ‘critical’ in update to Mission’s community plan