Fort St. John booth to gather feedback for Official Community Plan

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The City of Fort St. John is preparing to update its Official Community Plan (OCP), and Mayor Lilia Hansen says she wants residents to share feedback on what the city should prioritize.

The city is in step two of five of updating its OCP, a process that began in the fall of 2024.

“It’s an opportunity for the community to have their say,” explained Hansen in the April 11th episode of This Week in the Peace. “This is where we decide what we’re doing in the next 20 years. It is mandated by the provincial government that we do it, but it’s important that we hear from our residents.”

Hansen says the community’s priorities have changed significantly over the last 20 years, especially as residents who were children when the OCP was last updated have now become adults with their own opinions to share.

“The decisions that council moves forward and the work that we do, it is based on what we hear from our residents,” she said. “I know we’re all busy, but take the time to [share your thoughts]. It’s a great investment.”

The Fort St. John Trade Show runs from April 11th to 13th, and Hansen says the city has a booth at the Pomeroy Sports Centre for all three days of the event to gather input from residents.

Hansen says a “full complement” of city council will be at the trade show booth, alongside senior management staff, all weekend to speak with residents and get their feedback.

For residents who can’t attend the trade show, Hansen says the city will also collect their input in person at various events throughout the spring and summer, and council members will also accept written comments via email.

The city’s website has a directory of all council members’ email addresses.