Fort St. John Downtown Action Plan

thinkmodus
Aug 5
2 min read

Energizing the Heart of Northern BC’s Fastest-Growing City.

THE CHALLENGE

As Fort St. John continues to grow rapidly - fueled by expansion in the energy and resource sectors—the City faced a critical opportunity to redefine and revitalize its downtown as a vibrant, compact, and complete urban centre.

Despite its history as the heart of the City, downtown had seen signs of decline: vacant lots and storefronts, underused public spaces, and streets that prioritized vehicles over people.

Recognizing the need for bold action, the City launched a comprehensive downtown planning process to transform the area into a livable, mixed-use hub that supports housing, culture, economic development, and year-round activity - anchored by a safe, comfortable, and engaging public realm.

THE RESPONSE

MODUS worked closely with the City, community members, and stakeholders to create the Downtown Action Plan - a visionary yet practical blueprint to guide growth, investment, and revitalization. The plan is built around Five Fundamentals for downtown success, including a strong pedestrian realm, multimodal transportation, downtown living, culture and arts, and a development-ready framework.

At the core of the plan are 10 Big Moves - a coordinated set of catalyst projects and policy directions that include reconfiguring 100th Street and 100th Avenue into people-first corridors, establishing a new Market Plaza, developing the 100th Street Greenway, and supporting infill housing and redevelopment on vacant and underutilized sites.

The plan integrates land use policy, infrastructure planning, and design guidelines to support implementation through both public and private investment. It positions downtown Fort St. John to evolve into a dynamic, inclusive, and resilient city centre - reflecting the community’s ambition to turn growth into lasting value and identity.