The City of Charlottetown has unveiled its new Official Plan, a blueprint designed to guide the city's growth, development and infrastructure over the next 15 years, including policies aimed at meeting the high demand for housing in the face of unprecedented population growth.
The updated Plan, presented at a public meeting tonight, replaces the previous version from 1999 and positions Charlottetown for sustainable growth while ensuring the preservation of the city’s unique natural and historic assets. Feedback gathered from the public meeting will be incorporated before the final version is submitted to City Council for approval sometime this spring.
“This Official Plan is a significant milestone in shaping the future of Charlottetown,” said Mayor Philip Brown. “It reflects our collective vision for a city that grows thoughtfully, embraces sustainability, and fosters a community where everyone can live, work, play and raise a family.”
The Plan introduces policies designed to diversify the city's housing supply, making it easier for people to find affordable and suitable places to live.
Key policies include:
• Encouraging secondary and garden suites for more affordable housing options within established neighbourhoods.
• Promoting mixed-use developments that combine housing with community spaces and commercial areas, creating vibrant, walkable neighbourhoods.
• Promoting the construction of mid-rise apartment buildings along major corridors such as University Avenue and St. Peter’s Road, which will not only increase housing availability but also support public transit and active transportation.
• Ensuring that new developments address the growing need for diverse housing types including affordable units.
“These policies reflect the urgent need for affordable housing in Charlottetown,” said Deputy Mayor Alanna Jankov, Chair of the Planning and Heritage Committee. “With input from our residents, the Official Plan provides a comprehensive strategy to address housing shortages and create a livable, sustainable city for generations to come.”
An official plan is a policy framework for land use rather than a specific document that permits or restricts particular developments. For example, the draft Official Plan will not determine whether a 10-storey condo can be built in a specific downtown location. Instead, it sets guiding principles for zoning bylaws and development approvals, which then establish the specific rules for what can be built and where. Implementing a new Zoning and Development Bylaw is one of the next steps after City Council adopts the Plan.
The Official Plan also includes strategies to ensure that future growth is both responsible and sustainable. The Plan outlines land use designations and key corridors to guide development in a way that protects neighbourhood character, supports resilient economic growth and encourages smart infrastructure planning.
The Plan was developed over two and a half years through extensive public consultation, including establishing priorities with more 500 participants, draft plan feedback from more than 1,000 residents, and additional updates based on community and stakeholder input.
Residents and businesses can view the latest draft of the Plan and provide feedback online at
charlottetownhall.ca.
Updating the Official Plan aligns with and supports all four pillars of Charlottetown’s Strategic Plan by guiding sustainable growth, enhancing community well-being, strengthening economic resilience and fostering effective governance.