An Alberta Land-use Framework Integrated Plan South Saskatchewan Regional Plan 2014 - 2024 Amended February 2017 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1 Background ............................................................................................... 1 Purpose ..................................................................................................... 1 Land-use Planning in Alberta .................................................................... 2 Private Lands ....................................................................................... 3 Provincial Crown Lands ....................................................................... 4 Informing Land-use Decisions ................................................................... 5 Aboriginal Peoples and Regional Planning ............................................... 5 Other Jurisdictions and Regions ................................................................ 6 Plan Structure ............................................................................................ 6 Binding Nature of the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan ....................... 8 Coming into Effect ..................................................................................... 8 STRATEGIC PLAN ......................................................................................... 9 Binding Nature of the Strategic Plan ............................................................... 9 The Region Today .......................................................................................... 9 Economic Development ........................................................................... 10 Agriculture .......................................................................................... 11 Energy ............................................................................................... 13 Renewable Energy ............................................................................ 15 Forestry .............................................................................................. 16 Transportation .................................................................................... 17 Surface Materials (Aggregates) ......................................................... 18 Tourism .............................................................................................. 18 Ecosystems and Environment ................................................................. 21 Air Management ................................................................................ 21 Map 1: Local Airshed Organizations and Air Monitoring Stations ... 22 Landscapes and Biodiversity ............................................................. 23 Map 2: Natural Regions and Subregions ........................................ 24 Water and Watersheds ...................................................................... 25 Map 3: Major River Basins and Sub-Basins ................................... 26 Historical Resources .......................................................................... 28 Environmental Management .................................................................... 28 Provincial Legislation ......................................................................... 29 Provincial Strategies .......................................................................... 30 Environmental Management Frameworks ......................................... 32 Human Development ............................................................................... 32 Vision, Outcomes and Strategic Directions for the Region ...................... 38 Vision for the South Saskatchewan Region ....................................... 38 Outcomes and Strategic Directions for the South Saskatchewan Region ............................................................................................... 39 South Saskatchewan Regional Plan 2014-2024 i IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ............................................................................ 42 Binding Nature of the Implementation Plan ................................................... 42 1. Economy .................................................................................................. 43 Agriculture ............................................................................................... 44 Energy ..................................................................................................... 47 Petroleum and Natural Gas, Coal and Minerals ................................ 47 Renewable Energy ............................................................................ 47 Corridors for the Co-location of Linear Infrastructure ........................ 48 Forestry ................................................................................................... 49 Surface Materials (aggregates) ............................................................... 50 Tourism .................................................................................................... 50 2. Air ........................................................................................................... 53 3. Biodiversity and Ecosystems ................................................................... 56 Integrated Management of Crown Land .................................................. 58 Management Intent for Green Area and White Area Public Land ...... 58 Map 4: Green and White Areas ...................................................... 59 Map 5: Biodiversity Values ............................................................. 60 Management Approaches on Green Area and White Area Public Land ........................................................................................ 61 Conservation Areas ........................................................................... 63 Management Intent and Land Uses in Conservation Areas .............. 64 Partnerships ....................................................................................... 66 Stewardship and Conservation on Private Lands .................................... 66 Biodiversity and Ecosystems ................................................................... 68 Map 6: Potential Grasslands Conservation Areas .......................... 74 4. Water ....................................................................................................... 77 Surface Water Quality .............................................................................. 82 Map 7: Long-Term River Network Monitoring Stations ................... 83 Enhanced Integrated Water Management ............................................... 84 Efficient and Resilient Water Supply ........................................................ 86 Headwaters ............................................................................................. 88 5. Efficient Use of Land ............................................................................... 89 6. Outdoor Recreation and Historic Resources ........................................... 91 Management Intent and Land Uses in Provincial Park and Provincial Recreation Areas ............................................................... 94 Recreation on Green Area Public Land ............................................. 95 7. Aboriginal Peoples ................................................................................. 101 8. Community Development ...................................................................... 105 Planning Cooperation and Integration ................................................... 107 Building Sustainable Communities .................................................. 109 Land-use Patterns ........................................................................ 110 Agriculture .....................................................................................111 ii South Saskatchewan Regional Plan 2014-2024 Water and Watersheds ..................................................................111 Historic Resources ....................................................................... 113 Transportation .............................................................................. 113 Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting ......................................................... 114 Table 1: Regional Outcomes and Supporting Indicators ............... 116 Table 2: Regional Outcomes and Action Items ............................. 118 Glossary of Terms .................................................................................. 122 Appendix A: Transportation Initiatives Under Consideration ............... 127 Appendix B: Tourism Destination Areas ............................................... 128 Map 8: Tourism Destination Areas ............................................... 131 Appendix C: Biodiversity Management Framework ............................. 132 Appendix D: Alberta’s Natural Subregions ........................................... 133 Appendix E: Integrated Planning Approach for Subregional Planning and Issue-Specific Planning ............................................ 134 Map 9: Priority Subregional Planning Areas ................................ 140 Map 10: Public Land Recreation Areas Under Consideration ....... 141 Appendix F: Conservation Areas ......................................................... 142 Map 11: Castle Wildland Provincial Park and Castle Provincial Park ....................................................