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Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plan engagement

Albertans shared feedback on regulatory details of the Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plan and amendments to the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan.

Overview

We gathered feedback to help complete regulatory details related to the Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plan and inform the associated amendments of the Bistcho Lake regulatory details to the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan.

In 2021, Albertans shared input to help us finalize the Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plan, which identifies policy direction and requirements for activities within the sub-region. The Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plan was completed April 2022.

Regulatory details support the full implementation of the plan and provide greater certainty for us to achieve the outcomes of the sub-regional plan. The regulatory details will be incorporated by enacting amendments to the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan.

The plan demonstrates our commitment to developing resources while supporting other integrated resource values, land uses and the variety of wildlife and ecosystems across the sub-region.

Timeline

  • Open

  • Results under review

  • Completed

Who is listening

Ministry of Environment and Protected Areas, the Land Use Secretariat

Get informed

The Bistcho Lake sub-region is located in the Lower Peace region and does not have a regional plan.

For this reason, we are proposing to incorporate the regulatory details of the Bistcho Lake Sub-Regional Plan in amendments to the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan until the Lower Peace Regional Plan comes into effect and can incorporate the regulatory details.

This engagement focused on the regulatory details of the Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plan, their incorporation into Lower Athabasca Regional Plan and how we got here:

  • Resources

  • Developing the Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plan

    The Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plan was developed through engagement and consultation with Albertans in 2021. 

    The plan was informed by the work and recommendations of the Northwest Caribou Sub-regional Task Force, and was developed through engagement with subject matter experts, and Indigenous communities and organizations.

    Following public, stakeholder and Indigenous communities and organizations engagement on the sub-regional plan, the Alberta government released the approved Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plan in April 2022. The approved plan guides proponents and decision-makers for development and operational decisions within the sub-region.

    Regulatory details for the Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plan have been drafted to support the full implementation of the plan and provide greater certainty that we can achieve the outcomes of the sub-regional plan. Incorporating these regulatory details into the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan will provide authority for compliance and enforcement.

  • Amending the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan

    We propose to implement the regulatory details for both the Cold Lake and Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plans by amending the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan.

    Proposed amendments solely consist of incorporating the regulatory details as new Parts 9 and 10 of the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan, and other corresponding amendments to enable implementation of the approved sub-regional plans.

    The Alberta Land Stewardship Act establishes the legal basis for regional plans.

    The consultation and feedback that was provided in the development of the approved Cold Lake Sub-regional Plan will be considered part of the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan amendment consultation process.

    This engagement for the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan amendment to implement the Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plan that is described on this page is a separate process from the engagement for the 10-year Lower Athabasca Regional Plan review. 

    Feedback from the separate engagement process for the 10-year review of the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan that began in August of 2022 is continuing to be assessed. Further information on this process can be found on the Land-use Framework Home Alberta - Land-use Framework website.

Get involved

Online survey

Albertans completed the online survey between May 8 and July 8, 2024 to inform the completion of then regulatory details of the Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plan and amendments to the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan.

Indigenous engagement

We worked directly with Indigenous communities and organizations throughout the Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plan area to ensure their perspectives were heard and explored.

Stakeholder engagement

We informed stakeholders, including holders of expressly identified statutory consents, within the Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plan area of opportunities to provide feedback.

Previous engagements

Albertans were invited to provide their feedback on the draft Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plan from March 29 to May 29, 2021, which included members of the public, Indigenous communities and organizations, and stakeholders.

Outcomes

Your feedback will be carefully reviewed and considered before finalization of the regulatory details and the associated Lower Athabasca Regional Plan amendments to implement and enforce the Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plan.

Contact

If you have questions regarding the Cold Lake Sub-regional Plan engagement:

Email: [email protected]

Related

Caribou sub-regional Task Forces

Caribou range planning

Environment and land use planning – Overview

Land and resource planning – Overview

Land-use Framework Home Alberta - Land-use Framework