Planning and Development

Land Use Planning in Alberta and the County of Northern Lights

In Canada, the Constitution divides all legal authority between two orders of government, the federal and provincial. The respective roles of each level of government is outlined in the Constitution Act. The County derives its authority to make decisions on land use planning matters from the Government of Alberta through different pieces of legislation, such as the Municipal Government Act (MGA) and the Alberta Land Stewardship Act (ALSA), that delegate certain powers and authority to municipalities. Based on the MGA and ALSA, the County’s land use planning framework is outlined in Figure 1.

Figure 1: County of Northern Lights Land Use Planning Framework

The planning framework ensures that each level is consistent with the level above and below it and that the policies within each plan may be implemented by the plans below it or the County’s Land Use Bylaw (LUB) during the subdivision and development approval processes.

Plans, Policies, and Implementation Mechanisms

The province’s MGA, ALSA, and Subdivision and Development Regulation, and the County’s eight (8) plans, LUB and Inermunicipal Subdivision and Development Appeal Board Bylaw contain the policies and regulations that help guide planning, subdivision, and development within the County of Northern Lights. A description of and link to these documents are provided below. The County’s documents represent Office Consolidations that incorporate the original document approved by Bylaw, as approved by County Council and all subsequent amendments. These plans are provided for convenience only. In case of uncertainty, the reader is advised to consult the original Bylaws, available at the County Office.

Planning and Development, Subdivision, Rezoning General Inquiries:

Anna Glover
Tel: 1.780.438.9000  ext. 3286                                        
islanna@countyofnorthernlights.com