Public Engagement Process

Phase 1: Community Vision and Priorities

The first phase of engagement invited community members to share their vision for Langford’s future, along with their priorities and values related to key planning and growth management concepts. This public input was essential in shaping the plan’s direction. Participation was strong, with over 3,260 residents engaging through events, online surveys, and social media. This included:

• More than 600 in-person interactions at pop-up events
• 404 survey responses
• 3,260 visits to the project webpage on Let’s Chat Langford ([link to Phase 1 engagement summary])

The feedback gathered in this phase provided critical insight into the community’s aspirations and concerns, forming the foundation for the next stage of policy development.

Phase 2: Ideas Paper and Policy Development

Building on this initial input, the second phase of work focused on refining ideas into actionable policy directions. The Ideas Paper ([link to Ideas Paper]) was developed to connect community priorities with best practices and technical expertise, resulting in a set of Initially Preferred Options: policy ideas that aligned with both public feedback and expert recommendations for sustainable, high-quality city building.

Residents were again invited to participate, and their continued engagement helped refine and shape these policies. The second phase saw:

737 survey submissions to four surveys from 347 individuals

• Attendance by approximately 85 people at an open house
• Social media outreach reaching thousands more ([link to Phase 2 engagement summary])

Key Themes and Community Priorities

Throughout each step of the engagement process, residents expressed strong support for the overall vision, “Big Ideas” and preferred outcomes that were proposed, and that now have been integrated into this draft OCP. Community input reinforced several key priorities, including:

• Directing growth to already built-up areas rather than expanding outward
• Expanding transportation options to improve mobility choices across the city
• Establishing clear urban design expectations to support livable urban density
• Creating broader public space policies, including urban plazas and transformed streets
• Improving access to amenities such as shops, cafés, and green spaces within neighborhoods

The strong alignment between public feedback, expert analysis, and best practices underscored the importance of community participation in shaping Langford’s future.