City of Dawson

The City of Dawson (CoD) is undertaking a renewal of the Official Community Plan (OCP) and Zoning Bylaw (ZBL) to guide the future of Dawson. These projects have the opportunity to foster a positive social, economic, and environmental impact on the future of how Dawson grows and changes over time. 

• Legislated under the Municipal Act, the OCP is the City of Dawson’s most important bylaw which establishes objectives and guidelines to inform decision-making about the future development and land use within the CoD’s municipal boundaries. The OCP also acts to guide the provisions of municipal services and facilities, environmental matters, utilities, and transportation systems over the next decade. It is intended to illustrate the vision and priorities of a community; as such, its development provides an important opportunity to involve residents in visioning, to collectively generate a forward-thinking and adaptable plan for the future. 
• The ZBL is an implementation tool for the City of Dawson OCP, adopted as bylaw, that sets out regulations for lands and development within the municipal boundaries. 

Please share your opinions with us by attending the upcoming Public Information Session (in person or via Zoom) described below, and completing an online survey.

Process and Timeline

Q & A

What is the role of an Official Community Plan? 

Legislated by the Municipal Act, the OCP is the City of Dawson’s most important bylaw, a local guiding document which establishes objectives and guidelines to inform decision-making about the future development and land use within the CoD’s municipal boundaries. The OCP also acts to guide the provisions of municipal services and facilities, environmental matters, utilities, and transportation systems over the next decade. It is intended to illustrate the vision and priorities of a community; as such, its development provides an important opportunity to involve residents in visioning, to collectively generate a forward-thinking and adaptable plan for the future. 

What is the role of a Zoning Bylaw? 

The ZBL is an implementation tool for the City of Dawson OCP, adopted as bylaw, that sets out regulations for lands and development within the municipal boundaries. 

Why is the City updating the OCP and ZBL? 

It is good practice and the City’s preference to comprehensively review all long-term planning documents every few years to make sure they reflect the current conditions of the community. Since the last update in 2018, many things have changed in Dawson; an updated OCP and ZBL will help the community face these challenges and embrace a preferred future together. 

How does this project differ from the 2018 update? 

In 2018, the City completed a minor update –consolidating previous amendments and looking for quick changes. This time, Council (CoD) is doing a more comprehensive update and is interested in checking in with the community to see if the community’s vision and priorities are still the same, or if they should be updated. 

What are the key challenges and opportunities the City is facing? 

Dawson is facing a unique set of challenges. There is a housing shortage, and development in Dawson is difficult due to its remote location, high cost of construction and restrictive heritage rules. Climate change impacts are on the rise, specifically increased risk of flooding, wildland fires, landslides, and permafrost melt. At the same time, there are many opportunities: there is a new recreation centre being built freeing up additional vacant lands in the Historic Townsite, the Tr’ondëk-Klondike UNESCO World Heritage Site continues to draw visitors to the region annually, and continued population growth.

Share your thoughts!

Please complete the online survey.