Legislation and Policy

South Saskatchewan Regional Plan

The South Saskatchewan Region (SSR), located in southern Alberta, is incredibly diverse. Its landscapes include grassland, parkland, foothills, and Rocky Mountains. The economy of the SSR is also diverse and the region's major economic activities are agriculture, energy production, forestry, and tourism and recreation. The SSR is also one of the most populated areas in Alberta. It is home to 45 per cent of Alberta's population and contains our largest city, Calgary. The region also includes seven First Nations communities, whose reserves were established through the 1877 treaty process known as Treaty 7.

Through the Land-use Framework, the Government of Alberta has identified the South Saskatchewan Region, one of seven regions, as a priority area requiring immediate action. The Land-use Secretariat is a branch of government created specifically to guide the creation and implementation of all seven strategies contained in the LUF. This secretariat will oversee the development of a regional plan for the South Saskatchewan Region, with input from an appointed Regional Advisory Council (RAC).

Regional plans will outline regional land-use and objectives to manage the impacts of development on the environment. The South Saskatchewan Regional plan is scheduled for completion by the end of 2010. There will be opportunity for public input into the plan with the presentation of a draft vision in the spring and a draft plan in the summer.

The public consultation period surrounding the draft plan will be the last opportunity for public input into this process. Once the final plan is accepted by Cabinet, it will become legislated and dictate land-use practices in the South Saskatchewan region for the next 10 years.

Currently, the RAC is in the process of creating a draft vision of the South Saskatchewan Region to be released in early spring. Stay tuned to our website or the LUF website to learn when and where a series of open houses will solicit your input.

Click here for a full copy of the Terms of Reference for Developing the South Saskatchewan Region.

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