About Public Lands from Public Lands & Forests logo

Public Involvement in Local Land Use Decision-Making

Download this Information Sheet  231 KB  47 KB

Public involvement is an important tool in assisting the Alberta Government with making decisions on the use of the public land under its management. These include large-scale planning initiatives such as regional integrated decisions (RID), local site-specific decisions such as the allocation and management of lands for a specific purpose (e.g., grazing and mineral surface leases), or making land available for sale.

Local Site Specific Decisions

Since public lands are managed on behalf of Albertans, a clear understanding of provincial resource management objectives, local views, interests and issues is important in determining the best use of the land.

Generally, the land manager assesses the need for public involvement based on the following:

  • the intensity or extent of the proposed development
  • the degree of change to the use of the land
  • the proximity of other forms of land use (e.g., residential uses)
  • the amount of public interest that is likely to result from the land use decision
There are several ways in which public interest is documented and assessed. These include:
  • contacting those who have expressed an interest in a specific parcel of land
  • advertising in the local print media that public input is requested on a specific land use issue or development proposal, then following up with public meetings or contact with defined interest groups
  • requesting that the company or person proposing the change/development notify the public of the proposed development. Concerns are reviewed with the proponent who then demonstrates to the government how they will be addressed
  • consulting the local MLAs who represent their constituents' interests
  • co-operating with another agency or the municipal government to obtain public input on issues of common interest
  • consultation with specific interest groups
  • using RID development
  • setting up specific committees for review of certain developments

In some cases, public input into policy, planning or proposed developments may have been given at an earlier date. This information is reviewed to determine if any of this previous public input addressed similar interests and concerns. If local public interests have already been voiced, no further public input may be sought.

Land use decisions or development proposals are formed, evaluated or modified based on the public input. An appropriate use of the land is one that reflects the sustainability of the resources, as well as the needs of industry and the local community.

For updated information

Contact any of the offices below:

Alberta Sustainable Resource Development
Lands Division
Land Dispositions Branch
South Tower, Petroleum Plaza
9915 108 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2G8
Telephone: (780) 427 3570

Rangeland Management Branch
South Tower, Petroleum Plaza
9920 - 108 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2M4
Telephone: (780) 427 3595

Forestry Division
Forest Management Branch
9920 108 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2M4
Telephone: (780) 422-4590

OR call the Lands Division office in your area.