North Cowichan wants to hear from its residents.
In this next step of the municipality’s Official Community Plan update project, North Cowichan is asking for community feedback through a short, interactive Community Charter survey on the various physical features — including parks, buildings, viewpoints, and landscapes — that collectively contribute to the character of the municipality and the communities within it.
The feedback from the survey will be used to compile community character profiles.
Once completed, these profiles will inform the policy development process and be incorporated into the final OCP document to provide local knowledge for future community planning, public works, and private development projects.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve had to transform how we do business,” said Mayor Al Siebring.
“As a result, staff have worked to find creative ways to engage the community, and we’re hoping this exercise will be more fun than a typical survey, because we are encouraging people to go outside and walk or drive around North Cowichan’s communities to explore in a safe, physically distanced way.”
Siebring said the municipality wants to understand community character from the perspective of its residents, which will be a critical part of the OCP update.
“This will help us ensure the qualities and places that people love are sustained into the future,” he said.
The survey is open until Jan. 17, and is available on North Cowichan’s website, along with more information and project updates, at www.northcowichan.ca/OCP.
Hard copies of the survey can be requested by calling 250-746-3263.