South Athabasca Sub-regional Plan
In January 2026, the Alberta government will commence engagement on the South Athabasca Sub-regional Plan and regulatory details and the proposal to implement under the
Alberta Land Stewardship Act (ALSA) by amendments to the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan (LARP). For the Government of Alberta news release and a list of related documents, click here.
This subregional 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 subregional plan, around La Biche River Wildland Provincial Park, is located outside the boundaries of the Lower Athabasca Region. The subregional 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.
Albertans are invited to provide feedback on adopting the South Athabasca Sub-Regional Plan and incorporating the associated regulatory details as part of the LARP, as well as on amendments proposed to the LARP to implement the regional plan's commitments within this sub-regional area. These changes are described in the South Athabasca Regional Plan's section about implementing the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan commitments.
Opportunities to provide feedback will be from January 9 to April 9, 2026, and will focus solely on the changes to the LARP identified above.
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 Act also requires that holders of statutory consents expressly identified by the proposed subregional 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 subregional plans rather than as provisions in LARP.
Cold Lake Sub-regional Plan
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.
In January 2026, the Alberta government will commence engagement on the South Athabasca Sub-Regional Plan and regulatory details and the proposal to implement under the Alberta Land Stewardship Act by amendments to the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan (LARP). The subregional plan and its regulatory details can be found on the South Athabasca Sub-regional Plan engagement webpage.
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:
