Nelson City Council unanimously adopted its new Official Community Plan (OCP) — Nelson 2050: Leading the Way, Together on September 9, 2025. This milestone marks a forward-looking vision to guide Nelson’s growth and change over the next decade and beyond.

Developed after two and half years of extensive community engagement, Nelson 2050 reflects the aspirations and priorities of residents, businesses, and community organizations. The plan serves as a long-term compass for decision-making, providing direction on land use, housing, climate action, transportation, reconciliation, economic development, and more. It constitutes a major update of the previous 2013 OCP.

About the OCP

The Official Community Plan is the City’s highest-level planning document that guides the decisions we make today on how we design and develop our neighbourhoods, the ways we move around, how we use our land, and the amenities the City provides to get us to our collective vision for the future. It establishes a shared vision and provides clear guidelines to help Mayor and Council make decisions that will shape Nelson for years to come.

The contents and adoption process are regulated by the Local Government Act. The Official Community Plan does not commit a local government to proceed with any works or projects that are mentioned in the plan. However, all bylaws enacted or works undertaken must be consistent with the plan.

Official Community Plan (OCP) Update Process

The following two websites contain everything you need to know about the 2023-2025 OCP update process: