Ambleside Local Area Plan

We acknowledge that we are on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Squamish Nation, Tsleil-Waututh Nation and Musqueam Nation. We recognize and respect them as nations in this territory, as well as their historic connection to the lands and waters around us since time immemorial.


Creating a Local Area Plan (LAP) for Ambleside

The Official Community Plan (OCP) includes policy to develop an LAP for Ambleside, which would outline the long-range vision for the area, provide more detailed regulations and guidelines to shape the form and character of new development, and confirm the local policy response to planning topics like housing, the local economy, mobility, and the public realm. The LAP, once adopted, would become a component of the OCP.

Sign up for email notifications to stay informed. We welcome your questions and feedback by phone or email.


May 2025 Update: Proposed Ambleside Centre Local Area Plan

Many thanks to all who have participated since 2023 to help shape the future of Ambleside.

On Monday, May 12, 2025, Council deferred consideration of the Proposed Ambleside Centre Local Area Plan to its Monday, May 26, 2025 regular Council Meeting. At this meeting, the Proposed Ambleside Centre Local Area Plan was discussed but not given first reading.

Staff are awaiting, and will respond to, any further direction from Council.


Council Report

Engagement Summary



Establishing the Framework

On June 13, 2022, Council directed staff to prepare three high-level, draft plan options for Ambleside LAP engagement purposes and report back in the first quarter of 2023. These options were subsequently presented to Council at its February 6, 2023 meeting, where staff were directed to proceed with LAP engagement. Over the course of spring 2023 community engagement, staff held 25 events and/or meetings, which resulted in ~640 voices heard and 354 pages of public input.

At the July 24, 2023, Council meeting, staff presented a summary of those engagement findings and a proposed LAP Framework to guide next steps. The Framework was endorsed by Council, and staff were directed to proceed with a “three-streamed” approach addressing the apartment, commercial, and neighbourhood areas.


Stream 1: Apartment Areas

Well advanced.

Adopted Zoning Bylaw Amendment

Adopted OCP Bylaw Amendment


Stream 2: Commercial Areas:

Currently in progress.


Stream 3: Neighbourhood Areas

Pending progress on the Commercial Areas “stream”. See Map 2 of the July 24, 2023 endorsed Framework for preliminary directions for the Neighbourhood Areas.

We acknowledge that we are on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Squamish Nation, Tsleil-Waututh Nation and Musqueam Nation. We recognize and respect them as nations in this territory, as well as their historic connection to the lands and waters around us since time immemorial.


Creating a Local Area Plan (LAP) for Ambleside

The Official Community Plan (OCP) includes policy to develop an LAP for Ambleside, which would outline the long-range vision for the area, provide more detailed regulations and guidelines to shape the form and character of new development, and confirm the local policy response to planning topics like housing, the local economy, mobility, and the public realm. The LAP, once adopted, would become a component of the OCP.

Sign up for email notifications to stay informed. We welcome your questions and feedback by phone or email.


May 2025 Update: Proposed Ambleside Centre Local Area Plan

Many thanks to all who have participated since 2023 to help shape the future of Ambleside.

On Monday, May 12, 2025, Council deferred consideration of the Proposed Ambleside Centre Local Area Plan to its Monday, May 26, 2025 regular Council Meeting. At this meeting, the Proposed Ambleside Centre Local Area Plan was discussed but not given first reading.

Staff are awaiting, and will respond to, any further direction from Council.


Council Report

Engagement Summary



Establishing the Framework

On June 13, 2022, Council directed staff to prepare three high-level, draft plan options for Ambleside LAP engagement purposes and report back in the first quarter of 2023. These options were subsequently presented to Council at its February 6, 2023 meeting, where staff were directed to proceed with LAP engagement. Over the course of spring 2023 community engagement, staff held 25 events and/or meetings, which resulted in ~640 voices heard and 354 pages of public input.

At the July 24, 2023, Council meeting, staff presented a summary of those engagement findings and a proposed LAP Framework to guide next steps. The Framework was endorsed by Council, and staff were directed to proceed with a “three-streamed” approach addressing the apartment, commercial, and neighbourhood areas.


Stream 1: Apartment Areas

Well advanced.

Adopted Zoning Bylaw Amendment

Adopted OCP Bylaw Amendment


Stream 2: Commercial Areas:

Currently in progress.


Stream 3: Neighbourhood Areas

Pending progress on the Commercial Areas “stream”. See Map 2 of the July 24, 2023 endorsed Framework for preliminary directions for the Neighbourhood Areas.

  • Shaping the future of Ambleside!

    Many thanks for registering for the LAP workshops! We look forward to discussing the three draft options with you, as well as your new ideas for land use and building forms in Ambleside. All eight in-person and virtual workshop dates are now full, with registration closed.

    If you were unable to register for a workshop, we encourage you to review the three draft options and share your input for Ambleside’s new LAP by email.

    All input received will be summarized and presented back to Council at an open meeting – targeted for July – to seek their direction on next steps on how to move the LAP forward!

    In-person workshops

    • FULL – Tuesday, April 18, 2023, 4–6 p.m.
    • FULL – Thursday, April 20, 2023, 5–7 p.m.
    • FULL – Wednesday, April 26, 2023, 4–6 p.m.
    • FULL – Tuesday, May 9, 2023, 4–6 p.m.
    • FULL – Thursday, May 11, 2023, 5–7 p.m.

    Virtual workshops

    • FULL - Tuesday, April 25, 2023, 10 a.m.–12 p.m.
    • FULL - Wednesday, May 3, 2023 12–2 p.m.
    • FULL - Wednesday, May 17, 2023 4–6 p.m

  • Come shape the future of Ambleside!

    It’s time to review the three draft options and share your ideas for Ambleside’s new Local Area Plan (LAP).

    Join others in your community to discuss the three draft options, as well as any new ideas for land use and building forms in Ambleside.

    Registration is required. In-person workshops will be held at the Seniors' Activity Centre, located at 695 21st Street. The virtual workshop will be held on Zoom via a link provided after registration.

  • Background

    Community engagement

    Ambleside LAP engagement will involve working with local stakeholders and the community to gather feedback and identify:

    • aspects of any of the options you think might make sense
    • ideas in the options you think could be refined and made better
    • components from any of the options you think shouldn't be explored
    • new creative ideas you can share to plan for Ambleside's long-term success

    Each distinct option is informed by over thirty planning studies spanning the past 75 years, existing Official Community Plan (OCP) policy, current Ambleside demographic and land use conditions, mapping analyses, and three-dimensional model visualization. The options booklet is an engagement tool that illustrates variety and possibility for Ambleside, while encouraging informed dialogue and collaboration to shape the LAP. Staff are here to listen to all feedback so we can present it back to Council, along with a single LAP framework (emerging land uses and building heights) for subsequent direction.

Page last updated: 27 May 2025, 01:59 PM