Official Community Plan

The Toquaht Nation Official Community Plan

The Official Community Plan (OCP) outlines Toquaht Nation’s priorities for stewarding, developing and managing Toquaht Lands, and is required under our Planning and Land Use Management Act.

We started updating our OCP in 2022 to reflect our growing community, investment in housing, community facilities, infrastructure, changes in climate and our local economy, and the acquisition of new lands. A detailed OCP will help coordinate our efforts to develop and steward Toquaht lands according to our values.

In March 2024 Toquaht Nation adopted our newly updated Official Community Plan.

How does our OCP impact Toquaht Nation Lands?

There are three important policy sections in the Official Community Plan: Land Designations, Development Guidelines and Procedures.

Land Designations

Land Designations describe what kinds of land uses are supported in different areas of our lands. There are five designations:

• Protected
• Home Lands
• Working Lands
• Foreshore and Marine
• Stewardship

 Each designation is based on current land uses, physical attributes and constraints, and Toquaht community input (Citizens, staff, leadership). They were also informed by our 2016 Official Community Plan that this OCP replaces.

Development Guidelines

Development Guidelines outline basic best practices to minimize any impacts associated with land use and development (e.g., damage to environmentally sensitive areas, protection of cultural resources) and mitigate existing hazards (e.g., coastal flooding and sea level rise, wildfire).

Our updated OCP has four kinds of guidelines:

• Environmental Protection
• Cultural Protection
• Hazards (Coastal, Steep Slopes, Wildfire)
• Residential and Commercial Development

Procedures

 A Procedures section outlines a high-level process for reviewing development proposals that is coordinated with the procedures outlined in the Building and Development Authorization Act TNS 2/2013. This section also provides information on reviewing and updating our OCP.

Where does it apply?

Our OCP is for Toquaht Lands. We have also included guidance for developments outside of our Lands that are within Toquaht Traditional Territory. 

How is it used?

Our OCP serves as a roadmap for how our land is managed and developed. It helps Leadership make informed decisions, guides staff in their daily work, and provides citizens with a clear understanding of our land use policies. It also serves as a valuable resource for developers, project partners and others who want to collaborate with us on future projects.

What’s Next?

The OCP is a living document, meaning it will be updated over time as our community grows and our vision for the land evolves. Moving forward, we’ll focus on key areas like Macoah and Secret Beach to ensure they develop in a thoughtful and sustainable way. This includes expanding housing options, creating detailed master plans, and updating our Zoning Act to support responsible growth.

For more information, contact Brett Freake, Manager of Lands and Resources, by email or by phone at 250-726-4230 ext. 261.

2024 Updates to the Official Community Plan

February 2024:

There will be a Public Hearing at the Toquaht Nation office in Ucluelet on March 19 at 6:30 pm to allow citizens to view the draft Official Community Plan. Click here o view the new draft Official Community Plan Act.

If you’re not able to attend in person, please register to attend the event remotely here.

For more information about the draft Official Community Plan, email Brett Freake, manager of Lands and Resources, at brettf@toquaht.ca. For any questions about the Act, please email the law clerk, Kirsten Johnsen, at kirstenj@toquaht.ca.

Official Community Plan Survey Results

December 2023:

As part of the engagement process to update the 2016 Office Community Plan, Toquaht citizens were asked to provide feedback via a survey.

Some of the feedback we heard included that:

• A muster facility for evacuation, weather protected and warm, needs to be in place in Macoah.
• A secondary road for emergencies is important.
• Supported living facilities for Elders is a priority, especially for end-of-life care and aging in place.
• Accommodating future growth and community development out of the coastal hazard area needs to be implemented.
• The designations (anchor link) in place for the OCP are satisfactory.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey.

• ​Our community is growing
• The climate and economy are changing
• We have plans for community facilities, housing, and infrastructure
• New lands have been acquired

​The draft 2023 OCP outlines what areas of Toquaht Lands can be used for what purposes and establishes basic development guidelines for them.

Updates to our Official Community Plan

April 2022

The Official Community Plan (OCP) outlines Toquaht Nation’s priorities for stewarding, developing and managing Toquaht Lands, and is required under our Planning and Land Use Management Act. Our last OCP was adopted in March 2016 after engaging with Toquaht citizens from 2012–2016 and can be viewed here. 

We started updating our OCP in 2022 to reflect our growing community, investment in housing, community facilities, infrastructure, changes in climate and our local economy, and the acquisition of new lands. A detailed OCP will help coordinate our efforts to develop and steward Toquaht lands according to our values.

Want to learn more?

For more information, contact Brett Freake, Manager of Lands and Resources, by email at brettf@toquaht.ca, or by phone at 250-726-4230 ext. 261.