Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) Monitoring Report highlights progress toward regional goals

Pemberton, BC – The Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) Monitoring Report for the SLRD indicates that progress toward regional goals is mixed.

The SLRD Board accepted the annual report on the 2024 Regional Growth Strategy activities and the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District Regional Growth Strategy Monitoring Report (2020-2024) at the December 17, 2025 Board meeting.

Annual RGS reporting is a requirement under the Local Government Act. RGS indicator monitoring is completed every two to five years, with this being the fifth indicator monitoring report to track progress on the regional goals established within the SLRD RGS. The RGS was adopted by the SLRD Board in June, 2010 and applies to all member municipalities and Electoral Areas B, C and D. The RGS provides a broad policy framework describing the common direction that the regional district and member municipalities will follow in promoting development and services which are sustainable, recognizing a long-term responsibility for the quality of life for future generations.

Based on a 20-year planning approach, the RGS is intended to “guide development and encourage collaborative approaches to a sustainable future.” The RGS has 11 goals with a set of indicators identified for each goal; 39 indicators in total are used to monitor progress toward these goals.

The goals include:

1. Compact, complete sustainable communities
2. Transportation linkages and options
3. Generate a range of quality, affordable housing
4. Sustainable economy
5. Natural ecosystem functioning
6. Sustainable use of parks and natural areas
7. Healthy and safe communities
8. Indigenous relations
9. Collaboration
10. Food systems
11. Climate action

The current report shows that in 2024, progress toward the SLRD regional goals is mixed, though a majority (31 indicators) are either stable or improving.

An overview of the indicators shows that:

• 15 are progressing
• 16 are either stable or mixed
• 6 are regressing
• 2 have insufficient data

Within each RGS goal, the areas of transportation linkages and options, sustainable economy, natural ecosystem functioning, sustainable use of parks and natural areas, healthy and safe communities, food systems and climate action all show indicators that are progressing and stable. The area of compact, complete sustainable communities shows indicators that are stable. The areas of transportation linkages and options, generate a range of quality, affordable housing and climate action all also have indicators that are regressing.

“The RGS shows encouraging progress toward many of our shared regional goals,” said SLRD Board Chair, Jen Ford. “It also reminds us, however, that there is more work ahead. These indicators are a valuable tool to guide collaboration and innovation as we continue building a region that is sustainable, inclusive and resilient.”

The Request for Decision report regarding the RGS annual report and monitoring report is included in the agenda package for the December 17, 2025, SLRD Board meeting.

More information about the RGS project, including the current monitoring report, is available on the SLRD website.