On April 5, 2011 the Government of Alberta released the draft Lower Athabasca Regional Plan (LARP) for consultation. This plan was developed under the Land Use Framework; it considered input from the Regional Advisory Council that submitted its advice in 2010. The AAMDC had representation on that council. The news release, including an overview of the draft LARP, is available here. The draft LARP documents are available here.

The draft LARP identifies seven strategic directions to improve the region’s ability to balance economic, environmental and social outcomes. These include:

1. Improving the integration of industrial activities on the landscape;
2. More timely and progressive reclamation of disturbed lands;
3. Managing air, water and biodiversity through management frameworks that take proactive approaches and set limits and triggers, and manage land disturbance in the region;
4. Designating new conservation areas that are interconnected and support biodiversity;
5. Strengthening infrastructure planning to support future growth of the region;
6. Designating new recreation and tourism areas to provide more diverse recreation opportunities to local residents and tourism products for visitors to the region; and
7. Inclusion of aboriginal peoples in land-use planning.

The release of the draft regional plan begins a 60-day consultation period. An online workbook is available at www.landuse.alberta.ca and public input sessions are being held between April 18 and May 19.  A schedule of those public input sessions is attached to this bulletin.

The AAMDC will be reviewing this plan in the coming weeks and will communicate further pertinent information to members as it becomes available. Affected member municipalities are encouraged to review the draft LARP in detail and submit input via the workbook and/or information sessions. Municipalities within this region may also receive offers of further consultation opportunities from the Government of Alberta in the coming days.

Enquiries may be directed to:

Attachments:

Consultation Schedule for LARP