Province announces public consultations for South Saskatchewan plan

Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice, from multiple Government of Alberta sources

The South Sakatchewan Region Plan is the second of seven regional plans that the Government of Alberta intends to develop based on the province’s major watersheds.  Work on a land-use plan for southern Alberta will focus on water, economic development and conservation needs. A new round of public consultations in the South Saskatchewan region started November 6 with a public meeting in Cardston. Sessions will be held across the South Saskatchewan region, from Calgary to Cardston to Medicine Hat, from November 6 to December 6. Sessions will also be held outside the region in Edmonton, Red Deer and Drumheller.

• A public session is scheduled to occur in Pincher Creek on Tuesday, November 20, beginning at 6:00 pm at the Heritage Inn, located at 919 Waterton Avenue.
• Another session will be held at the Elks Hall at 2025 129th Street in Blairmore on Tuesday, December 4, also beginning at 6:00 pm.
• Information about other sessions throughout the region can be found by clicking here.

Public consultation sessions are scheduled to run from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

The 19-member South Saskatchewan Regional Advisory Council (RAC) met 13 times across the region, between 2009 and 2011, participated in public information, stakeholder and municipality sessions and received more than 100 stakeholder submissions.  The council provided its advice to the government in 2011.  The next step for the Government of Alberta is to develop a draft regional plan for the South Saskatchewan Region.  The region comprises about 12 per cent of Alberta’s land base - some 83,774 square kilometres. About 45 per cent of Albertans live in the region which includes Calgary, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge and Airdrie.

Albertans can also provide their input for the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan through an online workbook, available until December 21. The workbook will also be available in hardcopy at all sessions. The workbook, the Regional Advisory Council’s advice document, council meeting agendas and notes, along with other material concerning the development of the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan and the Land-use Framework are available at www.landuse.alberta.ca

The Alberta government approved the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan, for Alberta’s oil sands region, in August of 2012. It came into effect September 1. Planning for the remaining five regional plans is already underway. These plans will cover the North Saskatchewan, Upper and Lower Peace, Upper Athabasca and Red Deer regions.