Red Earth Sub-regional Plan
In July 2026, the Alberta government commenced engagement on the Red Earth Sub-regional Plan and proposed regulatory sections, and the proposal to implement under the Alberta Land Stewardship Act (ALSA) by amendments to the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan (LARP).
The Red Earth sub-region is located in the Lower Athabasca, Lower Peace, Upper Athabasca and Upper Peace regions. Proposed amendments to the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan will enable the sub-regional plan and its regulatory details. The Alberta Land Stewardship Act (ALSA) provides for a regional plan to “manage an activity, effect, cause of an effect or person outside a planning region until a regional plan comes into force with respect to the matter or person”. This allows the LARP to direct activities in the other regions.
For more information visit the engagement page:
South Athabasca Sub-regional Plan
The Alberta government gathered input on the draft South Athabasca Sub-regional Plan along with associated regulations and proposed amendments to the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan from January 9, 2026 to April 9, 2026. For the Government of Alberta news release and a link to the engagement page, click here.
In addition to implementing the South Athabasca Sub-regional Plan, the proposed amendments to the LARP included establishing the Clearwater River Conservation Area Public Land Use Zone, changing the designation for a portion of the Gipsy-Gordon Wildland Provincial Park enabling the sub-regional plan to establish a multi-use corridor in the Clearwater River Conservation Area Public Land Use Zone, restricting another a multi-use corridor from being established in the Gipsy-Gordon Wildland Provincial Park, and restricting future grazing leases in the Green area in the South Athabasca sub-region.
This sub-regional plan combines the planning for the Cold Lake and Wandering River sub-regional areas under one plan, providing more detailed planning within the Lower Athabasca Region. A portion of the sub-regional plan, around La Biche River Wildland Provincial Park, is located in the Upper Athabasca Region. The sub-regional plan and its regulatory details can be found on the
South Athabasca Sub-regional Plan engagement webpage.
Feedback on the Cold Lake Sub-regional Plan regulatory details on which the Government of Alberta engaged with Albertans during 2024 and the Cold Lake Sub-regional Plan (approved in 2021) informed the development of the draft South Athabasca Sub-regional Plan and its regulatory details. Previously proposed amendments to the LARP to incorporate the Cold Lake Sub-regional Plan regulatory details are being replaced by this sub-regional plan and associated regulatory details.
The ALSA commits the Government of Alberta to consulting with Albertans in the development and amendment of ALSA land-use plans. ALSA land-use planning processes continue to meet Alberta's legal duty to consult Indigenous communities whose constitutionally protected rights - under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 (Canada) - may be affected by land-use planning. Such consultation is in accordance with Alberta's policies and guidelines on consultation with First Nations, Metis Settlements and Credibly Asserted Metis Communities applicable at the time of development of the ALSA land-use plan.
The ALSA also requires that holders of statutory consents expressly identified by the proposed sub-regional plan, regulatory details, and amendments to the LARP are notified and provided the opportunity to propose alternate means to achieve the policy outcomes of the sub-regional plans rather than as provisions in LARP.
Until approval of the LARP amendment to adopt the South Athabasca Sub-Regional Plan and regulatory details, the Cold Lake Sub-regional Plan guides decision-making in this area.
Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plan
The Government of Alberta approved the
Bistcho Lake Sub-regional plan in 2022 following engagement with the public, stakeholders and Indigenous communities and organizations. This plan will remain in place and guide proponents and decision-makers for development and operational decisions within the Bistcho Lake sub-region, including where industry and other activities are located, while also supporting conservation, Indigenous use and recreation.
The Bistcho Lake sub-region is located in the Lower Peace Region and at this time does not have a regional plan. For this reason, the Government of Alberta proposed to incorporate the regulatory details of the Bistcho Lake sub-regional Plan as an amendment to the LARP as an interim step until the Lower Peace Regional Plan comes into effect and can incorporate the regulatory details. The ALSA allows a regional plan to “manage an activity, effect, cause of an effect or person outside a planning region until a regional plan comes into force with respect to the matter or person." At this time the Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plan regulatory details remain in draft.
The process to provide feedback on amendments to the LARP to incorporate the regulatory details of the Bistcho Lake sub-regional plan is now closed.
For more information about the Bistcho Lake Sub-regional Plan and the LARP, please visit:
