Future Land Use Needs

In 1996 the BC Round Table on Environment and Economy examined the land area needed to accommodate the new BC residents expected by 2021.They determined that BC will need over 500,000 new housing units by 2021.

The Round Table also looked at the land area that would be needed if new residents were housed at densities ranging from the average density of the City of Kelowna, up to the average density of the City of Vancouver.

The findings showed that at Kelowna's current density, the province will need to develop the equivalent land area equivalent to that of “64 new City of Vancouvers” by 2021. But if new development uses Smart Growth guidelines, then the province would need the equivalent land area of only five new Vancouvers.

As fast as the Smart Growth concept is catching on, many communities still use planning techniques of the past; which is something that needs to change if BC is going to have prosperous and liveable communities in the future.