The Village of Lytton launched Future Forward: Lytton's Official Community Plan (OCP) Update in August 2025. The plan is being developed by the community through Nlaka’pamux consultation and ongoing engagement opportunities.
The updated Official Community Plan will set the course for future development and land use within Lytton by establishing a community vision, objectives, and policies, as well as actions for implementation.
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At the August 25, 2026, Council meeting, staff provided a progress report on the Official Community Plan (OCP) Update and a revised work program timeline.
Staff are currently developing the draft document, which will be based on both input from the community and technical reports. It is the intent that the plan be concise and user-friendly, incorporating visuals such as photos, maps, and illustrations.
Next steps
In September and October, staff will present the following sections of the draft plan at Regular Council meetings:
- September 8, 2026: OCP introduction and background sections
- September 22, 2026: OCP policies and actions
- October 13, 2026: Monitoring program, final maps, and Development Permit guidelines
Staff will provide these sections to Nlaka’pamux Chiefs and Councils in the Lytton area and the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) for consideration and input.
Community members will also have a chance to review the draft content and provide additional feedback at open houses held within a few weeks of each Council meeting.
In early November, staff will prepare the OCP Bylaw for initial readings by Council, which will be sent as formal referrals to Nlaka’pamux Chiefs and Councils, the TNRD, and other required agencies.
Youth engagement and Young Adult Survey results
At the August 25, 2026, Council meeting, staff presented an overview of youth engagement with classes at Kumsheen ShchEma-meet School (see images above). Staff will reach out to the Stein Valley Nlaka’pamux School for comments on the draft plan this fall, as a power outage prevented their involvement in June.
Staff also shared a summary of key themes and findings from the Young Adult Survey (read the presentation). The survey of young adults (ages 16 to 35 years) was designed to get feedback from young adults to understand how the Village can better consider their needs in future development decisions. Out of the 64 responses, most were from respondents ages 30 to 35, while the second largest group was ages 25 to 29.
The responses from the survey were generally aligned with feedback from the Community Conversations and OCP Workbook. The responses will help inform policy directions and action items in the draft OCP.
Key themes from the Community Conversations
The Village hosted seven Community Conversations from February through April 2026. These were opportunities for community members, property owners, and local interests from Lytton and surrounding Nlaka'pamux and TNRD communities to directly engage on topic areas including economic development, housing, parks and trails, food security and agriculture, infrastructure and facilities, emergency preparedness, and Lytton’s identity.
Read a summary of key themes from the Community Conversations in the OCP Update May 26, 2026, progress report (beginning at page 6).
Key strategy areas for attracting a younger demographic to Lytton
Students from the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) presented a literature review to Council on May 26, 2026, related to key strategic areas for attracting a younger demographic to Lytton. On June 9, 2026, Council received three reports from the students, which will be considered along with other input on the OCP Update.
The intent of the UFV project was to better understand what attracts new residents and workers in their 20s and 30s to small communities like Lytton and how to retain residents of this younger demographic. Their research focussed on strategic areas, including economic development, tourism, building climate resiliency, mobility, housing, and supportive services.
Progress reports
Read the latest progress reports on the OCP Update:
Project timeline
See the project phases and timing:
Engagement overview
Community engagement conducted from October 2025 to July 2026 included the following:
- Informal engagement booths at the Farmers' Market and Village Open House
- An OCP Update launch meeting (30 views + in-person attendees)
- See the meeting recording.
- Read the presentation: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
- A take-home workbook questionnaire with 45 respondents
- Social media engagement
- Seven Community Conversation meetings with an average of 20 attendees in-person and over 750 views online on YouTube (Watch the meeting recordings); Topics included
- Economic development
- Housing
- Parks & trails
- Food security & agriculture
- Infrastructure & facilities
- Emergency preparedness
- Lytton's identity
- Meeting classes at the Kumsheen ShchEma-meet School to discuss the OCP Update (engagement with senior classes at Stein Valley Nlaka'pamux School was postponed due to a power outage)
- A Young Adult Survey for Lytton area residents between the ages of 16 and 35, which received 63 responses
What is an Official Community Plan?
An Official Community Plan (OCP) is a comprehensive planning document and bylaw that includes a vision, objectives, policies, actions to guide municipal decision-making around land use and development within the Village boundaries. The Local Government Act requires the Village (and all municipalities in B.C.) to adopt an Official Community (OCP), which focusses on general land use directions, such as growth areas, sustainability initiatives, hazard and environment protection, parks, and housing.
Is the OCP the same as a Comprehensive Community Plan (CCP)?
An OCP has some similarities to a Comprehensive Community Plan (CCP) for a First Nation, particularly because both plans include directions and policies related to a community vision, sustainability, and resilience.
While the primary focus of an OCP is on land use within the municipality, the scope of a CCP is much broader. A CCP is a holistic long-term planning framework, which can encompass land and resources, culture and language, education, economy, governance and administration, health, infrastructure development, and more.
Although the scope of OCPs continue to evolve with the addition of policies, such as climate and food security, the primary purpose of the OCP is to act as a high-level, long-term blueprint or vision document that sets out objectives and policies to guide local government decisions on planning and land use management. The Village does not have the legislated authority to negotiate governance, as that is under the provincial jurisdiction.
Why update the current OCP?
Building on parts of the existing OCP (adopted in 1998) that are still relevant, the updated plan will:
- Include Nlaka’pamux consultation
- Incorporate new requirements from the Local Government Act
- Reflect changing Village demographics and needs following the 2021 fire and atmospheric river
- Set the foundation to attract people to live, work, and invest in Lytton in the next five, 10, or 25 years
Council reports and updates
News
Read the latest updates (published as news articles on our website):
Sign up for updates
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Contact
If you have questions or would like to meet with a community group to learn more about the OCP update and how you can contribute, contact Caroline Lamont, the Village of Lytton's Director of Development and the OCP update project coordinator.
Email clamont@lytton.ca or phone 778-554-7880.