Vancouver City Planning Commission

The commission advises City Council on planning and development issues in the City, and may report to Council on any proposal likely to have a significant effect on the future of the City.

The commission organizes conferences, consultations, competitions, presentations, and research on topics including housing, public realm, neighbourhoods, transportation, and public engagement.

Meeting updates 

Meeting Format:

Civic Agency meetings may be in-person, electronic (as authorized by Section 14.14 of the Procedure By-law), or a hybrid of the two. Meeting agendas and minutes are posted online under the ‘Meetings’ tab below.

Virtual Meeting Platform:

Virtual meetings use Cisco WebEx Webinars (formerly Webex Events). No software download is required.

Attending Meetings:

  • To view a meeting online or listen by phone, follow instructions provided below.
  • Join link is made available at least 24 hours before the meeting.
  • For in-person attendance at City Hall, seek directions to the meeting room from Security staff. If arriving after 5:00 pm, enter via the 12th Avenue entrance by using the intercom (this entrance is equipped with a wheelchair ramp).

Note:

Unlike meetings of City Council, there is usually no public speaking option during Civic Agency meetings. Virtual attendees will be muted and unseen by meeting participants. If you wish to get in touch with a Civic Agency, please see the contact information at the bottom of this page.

Next Meeting Details:

  • Date: November 6, 2024
  • Time: 4:00 pm
  • Location: Virtual (Webex Webinars)
  • Meeting Password: VCPC (Dial 8272 from telephone keypad)

Joining via Webinar:

Joining by Phone (Audio Only):

  • Dial 1-604-646-8916 (Local) or 1-855-699-3239 (Canada/US Toll-Free)
  • Enter the access code followed by pound: 2770 750 2031#
  • Enter numeric meeting password followed by pound: 8272#

Consent - Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy:

To view or participate in meetings virtually, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information outside Canada as described below. The City of Vancouver collects your personal information in accordance with section 26(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for purposes of organizing and administering civic agency meetings. For virtual Civic Agency meetings, your contact information will be shared with the City’s web conferencing provider, Cisco WebEx. Information submitted to WebEx will be stored on servers in the United States and may be accessed in the United States or internationally for technical support purposes. If you have questions about the collection of this information, please contact the Director of Access to Information and Privacy by emailing privacy@vancouver.ca or mailing a letter to 453 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Y 1V4.

Terms of reference

The Vancouver City Planning Commission Bylaw establishes the commission, its membership, powers, and duties.

Meeting frequency

The commission generally meets once a month on a Wednesday from 4 to 6 pm.

Time commitment

Commissioners should expect to spend 3 to 5 hours a week in meetings and related work. As well, many commission activities occur during weekday daytime hours, so commission members should have a lot of control over their schedule.

Attendance requirement

Members may miss no more than three consecutive meetings or five meetings within a calendar year, without obtaining leave of absence from the Commission. Membership will be terminated following such an absence.

Membership

The commission consists of 11 voting members appointed by City Council, and two members appointed by the commission itself. Voting members may not be employees of any of the following:

  • City of Vancouver
  • Park Board
  • School Board

The commission also has four non-voting liaisons from:

  • City Council
  • Park Board
  • School Board
  • Staff

Every member may be reappointed, but no member may serve more than three terms in a row.

Prospective members

Before being appointed, members must have lived in Metro Vancouver (formerly the Greater Vancouver Regional District) for at least 6 months.

Current members

Term ends December 31, 2024: 

  • Sara Emami
  • Ruby Langan
  • Wendy Lebreton
  • Arno Matis
  • Gabrielle Peters

Term ends December 31, 2025

  • Noel Allison
  • Trisha Halpenny
  • Richard Wittstock

Commission Appointees:

  • Juan Solorzano: Co-Chair (term ends December 31, 2024)
  • Amina Yasin: Co-Chair (term ends December 31, 2025)

Liaisons

  • City Council: Councillor Lenny Zhou
  • Park Board: TBD
  • School Board: Trustee Alfred Chien
  • Staff: Chris Robertson, Assistant Director, City-Wide and Regional Planning

Meetings, agendas, and minutes

The meetings listed below are open to the public.

Resources for Civic Agency members

Contact the commission

 The Commission does not deal with specific planning and zoning or permit related questions or decisions.

Coordinator, Planning Committees
Adeola Alle
Adeola.Alle@vancouver.ca

Contact the Development and Building Services Centre

Contact us online

The Development and Building Centre is open for in-person scheduled appointments or payments. 

Location and mailing address
Development and Building Centre
515 West 10th Avenue, Ground Floor
Vancouver, BC V5Z 4A8