The departure of consultants hired to help update Salt Spring’s official community plan (OCP) and land use bylaw (LUB) will not mark the end of the project, according to the Islands Trust, although it’s up to local trustees to decide what to do next.
During a joint meeting between Salt Spring’s Local Trust Committee (LTC) and the Local Community Commission Thursday, Feb. 26, Islands Trust regional planning manager Chris Hutton broke the news that project consultant McElhanney Ltd. have said they will not be renewing their contract for the fiscal year 2026/2027 — meaning their involvement will conclude within the next few weeks.
“They’ll complete their current work contract through to the end of March,” said Hutton. “And we have them committed to delivering key [materials] by the end of March.”
Those include a technical review summary with GIS analysis, a policy gap analysis, a draft revised “vision and objectives” and a draft OCP framework, excluding mapping, according to an update posted that day on the project’s website. Officials also expect a memo outlining short, medium and long-term “LUB alignment opportunities” and summaries of public engagement thus far.
A timeline McElhanney presented in November had indicated a supplemental phase of public engagement running from late January through the end of March, and work slated for April and May had included the review of that feedback and a workshop with the LTC meant to produce a “draft OCP outline.”
A statement posted to the Islands Trust website noted an “adaptive approach” was anticipated in the project’s work plan.
“So the project does remain active,” said Hutton Thursday. “In March, the LTC will receive and review those remaining draft materials and confirm next steps for project management and resourcing.”
Hutton said staff would provide an updated timeline for completion of the OCP/LUB project, depending on options trustees prefer, likely by the next LTC meeting on March 19.