Sproat Lake and Area (Area "D") Official Community Plan Update

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Project Updates

Join us from September 4 - 7, during any event hour, for a pop-up at the Alberni District Fall Fair's Agriculture Building (4090 Hollywood Street). We want to hear your community vision for Sproat Lake and Area!

The OCPizza Party Discussion Guide & Handbook has now been relaunched, and is available until September 22, 2025. We want to hear your ideas for the future of Sproat Lake and Area! The handbook can be accessed under the "Document Library."

Thank you to everyone who is sharing their input for Phase 3. Feedback will be used to create the Draft Vision and Goals, which will be made available on this project page once completed.

About the Project

The ACRD is currently updating the Sproat Lake (Area D) Official Community Plan (OCP). An OCP establishes a community vision over a short- (five year) and long-term (10 to 20 year) period while addressing topics such as land use, housing, growth, and the environment. An OCP helps determine where people will live, work, and play, and how they move around.

The purpose of this OCP update is to establish a plan that better reflects the community's needs and interests, while also aligning with updated provincial legislation and other ACRD plans and initiatives.

The OCP Area

The OCP area encompasses approximately 36% (55,000 ha) of the entire Sproat Lake Electoral Area (EA) “D” and includes most of Great Central Lake, which is part of the Somass watershed. The area is home to many provincial and regional parks, as well as campsites. A long history of industrial uses is associated with the OCP area. The existence of petroglyphs at the eastern end of Sproat Lake and culturally modified trees throughout the area are evidence of an even longer history of First Nations occupation and use of the land.

Some parts of the OCP area are Crown land or privately-owned forest land and, therefore, are primarily subject to provincial legislation. To view the current OCP land-use designations, please use this interactive ACRD web map.

EA “D” is located entirely within the traditional territories of the c̓išaaʔatḥ (Tseshaht First Nation) and Hupačasath First Nation. It is also adjacent to the First Nation reserves of Tsahaheh (Tseshaht First Nation) and Klehkoot (Hupačasath First Nation).

Project Phases

The estimated project phase timeline is as follows:

How Can I Be Involved?

Community input is vital to this project, and the ACRD will create many opportunities for people to be involved. This project page will be regularly updated to include information such as upcoming engagement events and project milestones.

Please consider sharing your thoughts for the visioning questions below or, if you have any questions for the project team, ask away!

For Sproat Lake and Area, we are seeking your input on a variety of topics such as housing, climate change, transportation, community growth, and more. You can help shape the future of Sproat Lake and Area by sharing any idea! Feel free to highlight your thoughts on specific locations within the community.

Project Updates

Join us from September 4 - 7, during any event hour, for a pop-up at the Alberni District Fall Fair's Agriculture Building (4090 Hollywood Street). We want to hear your community vision for Sproat Lake and Area!

The OCPizza Party Discussion Guide & Handbook has now been relaunched, and is available until September 22, 2025. We want to hear your ideas for the future of Sproat Lake and Area! The handbook can be accessed under the "Document Library."

Thank you to everyone who is sharing their input for Phase 3. Feedback will be used to create the Draft Vision and Goals, which will be made available on this project page once completed.

About the Project

The ACRD is currently updating the Sproat Lake (Area D) Official Community Plan (OCP). An OCP establishes a community vision over a short- (five year) and long-term (10 to 20 year) period while addressing topics such as land use, housing, growth, and the environment. An OCP helps determine where people will live, work, and play, and how they move around.

The purpose of this OCP update is to establish a plan that better reflects the community's needs and interests, while also aligning with updated provincial legislation and other ACRD plans and initiatives.

The OCP Area

The OCP area encompasses approximately 36% (55,000 ha) of the entire Sproat Lake Electoral Area (EA) “D” and includes most of Great Central Lake, which is part of the Somass watershed. The area is home to many provincial and regional parks, as well as campsites. A long history of industrial uses is associated with the OCP area. The existence of petroglyphs at the eastern end of Sproat Lake and culturally modified trees throughout the area are evidence of an even longer history of First Nations occupation and use of the land.

Some parts of the OCP area are Crown land or privately-owned forest land and, therefore, are primarily subject to provincial legislation. To view the current OCP land-use designations, please use this interactive ACRD web map.

EA “D” is located entirely within the traditional territories of the c̓išaaʔatḥ (Tseshaht First Nation) and Hupačasath First Nation. It is also adjacent to the First Nation reserves of Tsahaheh (Tseshaht First Nation) and Klehkoot (Hupačasath First Nation).

Project Phases

The estimated project phase timeline is as follows:

How Can I Be Involved?

Community input is vital to this project, and the ACRD will create many opportunities for people to be involved. This project page will be regularly updated to include information such as upcoming engagement events and project milestones.

Please consider sharing your thoughts for the visioning questions below or, if you have any questions for the project team, ask away!

For Sproat Lake and Area, we are seeking your input on a variety of topics such as housing, climate change, transportation, community growth, and more. You can help shape the future of Sproat Lake and Area by sharing any idea! Feel free to highlight your thoughts on specific locations within the community.

Do you have a question about the Sproat Lake and Area OCP update?

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  • Share I think as a resident of sproat lake since 1974 I have a huge concern for planners leading or playing a key role in ACRD envisioning for the lake and its future. What us their background? How have they become engaged in the knowledge about the lake? What is the ulterior motive here? Why do we suddenly require a plan? We’ve done just fine to date. I hope and pray that these planners listen carefully to long term owners and residents and the overall integrity of the lake’s current healthy existence and is Not swayed by developers who don’t live in the area or to aggressive land usage plans (again from people who know nothing about the lake and are only thinking of capitalizing on development $). Again this seems a create work project to improve on something that does not require visionary improvements. Having said all of that. Who and how are these “visions” being categorized and discussed; who decides their ratings as to levels of importance and what are their expertise as to the well being of Sproat lake? I get that you are encouraging residents to be a part of this but my biggest question is who decided this was even necessary? on Facebook Share I think as a resident of sproat lake since 1974 I have a huge concern for planners leading or playing a key role in ACRD envisioning for the lake and its future. What us their background? How have they become engaged in the knowledge about the lake? What is the ulterior motive here? Why do we suddenly require a plan? We’ve done just fine to date. I hope and pray that these planners listen carefully to long term owners and residents and the overall integrity of the lake’s current healthy existence and is Not swayed by developers who don’t live in the area or to aggressive land usage plans (again from people who know nothing about the lake and are only thinking of capitalizing on development $). Again this seems a create work project to improve on something that does not require visionary improvements. Having said all of that. Who and how are these “visions” being categorized and discussed; who decides their ratings as to levels of importance and what are their expertise as to the well being of Sproat lake? I get that you are encouraging residents to be a part of this but my biggest question is who decided this was even necessary? on Twitter Share I think as a resident of sproat lake since 1974 I have a huge concern for planners leading or playing a key role in ACRD envisioning for the lake and its future. What us their background? How have they become engaged in the knowledge about the lake? What is the ulterior motive here? Why do we suddenly require a plan? We’ve done just fine to date. I hope and pray that these planners listen carefully to long term owners and residents and the overall integrity of the lake’s current healthy existence and is Not swayed by developers who don’t live in the area or to aggressive land usage plans (again from people who know nothing about the lake and are only thinking of capitalizing on development $). Again this seems a create work project to improve on something that does not require visionary improvements. Having said all of that. Who and how are these “visions” being categorized and discussed; who decides their ratings as to levels of importance and what are their expertise as to the well being of Sproat lake? I get that you are encouraging residents to be a part of this but my biggest question is who decided this was even necessary? on Linkedin Email I think as a resident of sproat lake since 1974 I have a huge concern for planners leading or playing a key role in ACRD envisioning for the lake and its future. What us their background? How have they become engaged in the knowledge about the lake? What is the ulterior motive here? Why do we suddenly require a plan? We’ve done just fine to date. I hope and pray that these planners listen carefully to long term owners and residents and the overall integrity of the lake’s current healthy existence and is Not swayed by developers who don’t live in the area or to aggressive land usage plans (again from people who know nothing about the lake and are only thinking of capitalizing on development $). Again this seems a create work project to improve on something that does not require visionary improvements. Having said all of that. Who and how are these “visions” being categorized and discussed; who decides their ratings as to levels of importance and what are their expertise as to the well being of Sproat lake? I get that you are encouraging residents to be a part of this but my biggest question is who decided this was even necessary? link

    I think as a resident of sproat lake since 1974 I have a huge concern for planners leading or playing a key role in ACRD envisioning for the lake and its future. What us their background? How have they become engaged in the knowledge about the lake? What is the ulterior motive here? Why do we suddenly require a plan? We’ve done just fine to date. I hope and pray that these planners listen carefully to long term owners and residents and the overall integrity of the lake’s current healthy existence and is Not swayed by developers who don’t live in the area or to aggressive land usage plans (again from people who know nothing about the lake and are only thinking of capitalizing on development $). Again this seems a create work project to improve on something that does not require visionary improvements. Having said all of that. Who and how are these “visions” being categorized and discussed; who decides their ratings as to levels of importance and what are their expertise as to the well being of Sproat lake? I get that you are encouraging residents to be a part of this but my biggest question is who decided this was even necessary?

    Lin asked 4 months ago

    Thank you for your comments. The current Sproat Lake Official Community Plan (OCP) was adopted in 2014. The OCP is a foundational community planning document that guides future planning and development within the Sproat Lake community. The Plan sets the long-term vision for the community based on the goals and values shared by community members and addresses topics such as land use, housing, employment and economy, growth management, and environmental protection. The 2014 OCP is over ten years old and is likely not representative of the community’s present-day needs. The ACRD Board has directed that the Regional District undertake comprehensive updates to all six of the Electoral Area OCPs in the region, and the ACRD is now asking the Sproat Lake community and working directly with residents to establish an updated community vision and to set goals that are representative of current needs. The Province has legislated requirements that must be met within an OCP, but the focus is on the Sproat Lake community to provide the direction for their community, to highlight the challenges and opportunities that are unique to Sproat Lake and the surrounding areas, and to shape a vision for how the residents of the community will live, work, and play over the next 5-20 years. 

    The OCP staff team is based locally in the Alberni Valley and they are working to engage directly with Sproat Lake residents and property owners to update the community vision and goals. All of this work is guided by the Communications and Engagement Plan endorsed by the ACRD Board in January 2025. There is an online survey to share your input on the future of the community; the survey is open until June 1st. The next in-person event will be a pop-up event held on Saturday, May 24th, at Della’s Café from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. A Background Research Report from March 2025 is an additional document linked to the ACRD Let's Connect project page. The OCP team would encourage you to review the information on this page and provide your input on what a vision for Sproat Lake and Area looks like to you. We are looking forward to continuing the conversation.

    Thanks again!

    OCP Project Team

  • Share How is the ACRD envisioning the protection of trail systems vis a vis the logging by Mosaic of lands near trails? So little seems to be set aside for use by residents and visitors. on Facebook Share How is the ACRD envisioning the protection of trail systems vis a vis the logging by Mosaic of lands near trails? So little seems to be set aside for use by residents and visitors. on Twitter Share How is the ACRD envisioning the protection of trail systems vis a vis the logging by Mosaic of lands near trails? So little seems to be set aside for use by residents and visitors. on Linkedin Email How is the ACRD envisioning the protection of trail systems vis a vis the logging by Mosaic of lands near trails? So little seems to be set aside for use by residents and visitors. link

    How is the ACRD envisioning the protection of trail systems vis a vis the logging by Mosaic of lands near trails? So little seems to be set aside for use by residents and visitors.

    Bev asked 5 months ago

    Hello Bev,

    Thanks for your question!

    Upcoming engagement activities, including an OCP visioning process, will provide an opportunity for community members to identify areas that are important to them. This includes locations for potential parks and trails. Most of Mosaic’s land is private managed forest, and trail networks developed on these lands are informal with no existing protections.

    The ACRD can secure parks and trails through agreements and parkland dedication during land development. Additionally, the OCP can introduce a new initiative to expand ACRD owned and managed trail networks to include wilderness trails on private lands.

    Thanks again for your question!

    OCP Project Team

Page last updated: 28 Aug 2025, 03:35 PM