RED DEER – When Alberta’s land use plan is completed, all provincial jurisdictions are expected to fall in line.
Alberta has a natural resource-based economy with a growing population and land use conflicts are growing, said Morris Seiferling, the assistant deputy minister in charge of the land use secretariat that will implement the provincial plan. He outlined the plan for the next two years at the Alberta Synergy meeting in Red Deer Oct. 28.
“There will be tough tradeoffs and there will be winners and losers,” he said.
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All municipalities have land use bylaws that may have to be redone if they do not align with the six regional plans in the province. The regions are aligned along watershed and municipal boundaries. There may also be room for subregional plans because some zones are large and diverse.
However, it is a work in progress and plans may need to be redrawn in five years due to changing circumstances.
“The land use framework is not about tearing up contracts,” Seiferling said.
A communication network is promised so farmers and aboriginal people know what is happening outside their area, because what is ruled suitable in one zone may have consequences for another. For example, watershed councils have been invited to join the planning process because water crosses boundaries.
The plan’s priorities include managing surface and subsurface resources as well as finding ways to reduce fragmentation of agricultural land. There is no policy now to prevent this. Plans are also expected to develop major transportation and utility corridors so these are not scattered across the province.
There will be continued protection of sensitive areas and conservation easements will be used to guard against future development.
In an earlier interview, sustainable resource development minister Ted Morton said the final framework is expected in December with committees named soon after.
New legislation will be tabled in the spring session to put teeth into the details and ensure regional plans are not ignored, said Seiferling.
Seven ministries are involved in the planning process and Morton said directions have been given to start in two priority regions: the South Saskatchewan River basin where water demands are increasing and the northeast that includes the tar sands. The northeast committee starts work in December with a plan required by January 2010. The southern planning group starts in January and is to complete its work March 2010.
Advisory committees of 10 to 12 local people will be appointed before year end, with draft plans expected by the end of 2009. Nominations are being sought. A public advisory group will also be appointed to work with the committees.
All plans are to be approved by the provincial cabinet.
