Gabriola Discussion Guide - Economy

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GABRIOLA 
OFFICIAL COMMUNITY 
PLAN REVIEW
ECONOMY 
Discussion Guides
What is a Discussion Guide? 
The Gabriola Island Local Trust Committee is updating the Official Community Plan (OCP) — which guides 
development to align with the community’s vision and values on a variety of topics. This guide is designedto 
provide community members with background needed to provide feedback on policy options related to the 
economy.
Share your thoughts through focus groups, direct communication with the Local Trust Committee and the 
Gabriola OCP Review Topic-Focused Engagement online survey (December 2024 - April 2025).
What is an Official Community Plan 
(OCP) for Gabriola Island?
The OCP implements the community’s vision.
It provides a long-term strategy for land use management, outlining broad objectives and policies to guide 
future growth and development of the community.
The OCP must align with higher level policies.
These include the Local Government Act, the Islands Trust Act, and the Islands Trust Policy Statement. This 
ensures that local plans are consistent with regional and provincial directives.

What is NOT part of an Official Community 
Plan for Gabriola Island?
The OCP is not a zoning bylaw or detailed regulatory document. Specific regulations and enforcement 
mechanisms are found in the Land Use Bylaw (LUB) and must be consistent with the OCP.
The OCP does not include the provision of infrastructure or services. Infrastructure such as sewer, or roads, 
and  community services  within the Islands Trust Area are the responsibility of other levels of government. 
What does the current OCP say about 
commercial and industrial areas?
Commercial Areas
OCP objectives focus on recognizing the Village Core as the Island’s primary location for commercial activity. 
The Village Core area is included within a Development Permit Area, to ensure form and character are 
consistent. Criteria for expansion of the village core includes: adequate parking, integration of design and 
layout, and main road access. Other commercial areas are identified as secondary. 
Only one site, the Twin Beaches Shopping Centre, is designated as District Commercial. Supported uses 
include retail, restaurants, personal service, offices, building supply sales and servicing and fueling vehicles. 
Expansion of the shopping centre beyond the existing parcel is not supported.
The Local Commercial designation permits site specific commercial uses to exist within neighbourhoods. 
These commercial uses are intended to be small-scale, and provide local convenience for a neighbourhood. 
Sites currently in this designation include the Wheelbarrel Nursery, Wild Rose Garden Centre, the restaurant 
site on North Road, and the small commercial area adjacent to BC Ferries terminal.
Tourist Commercial is concentrated and includes the Haven by the Sea, Surf Lodge, Dragon’s Lodge, Page’s 
Inn, Silva Bay Resort and Page’s Resort and Marina. Zoning for campgrounds is permitted, but the OCP does 
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