County Provides Statements Regarding Planning and Development Questions

17 February 2023

Lac Ste. Anne County has encountered an increased volume of questions regarding planning and development. In the interest of clarity, we’ve compiled statements on the most consistent questions and concerns.

What was our involvement with the Smart Cities Challenge?

In 2018 Parkland, Brazeau, Lac Ste. Anne and Yellowhead Counties were announced as finalists in the Government of Canada’s Smart Cities Challenge for their joint entry focused on revitalizing and growing agriculture through innovation and technology.

As finalists, the Counties developed a proposal outlining the plan's design – planning, privacy, data protection and project management components. The proposal aimed to increase internet connections in rural areas, in turn bringing farmers closer to people's kitchen tables, thus addressing misconceptions about how our food is produced.

Ultimately, our joint entry was not successful with our application. In May 2019, four winners were announced – communities from Nova Scotia, Ontario, Nunavut and Quebec. For further information on the Smart Cities Challenge and winners, please visit infrastructure.gc.ca/cities-villes/index-eng.html.

What is a 15 Minute City and what does this have to do with the County?

A 15 Minute City is a development concept for large urban centres. While not a new idea, as urban developers utilize this concept in neighbourhood development, it is not for LSAC. We are a rural county without any major urban centres and we are not involved in this type of planning.

Is the County implementing a new land use bylaw?

The County's current Land Use Bylaw (LUB) was approved in 2013 and updated in 2019. To implement this Bylaw extensive community engagement was conducted – including direct mailouts, a public steering committee and multiple public meetings. As a direct result of public engagement, hundreds of amendments were made to reflect the needs of the community.

There are no plans for the County to conduct a significant review or rewrite of our Land Use Bylaw.

The LUB is the governing document for all development in Lac Ste. Anne County. It includes various particulars, including Land Use Districts, Development Regulations and Administrative Procedures. To view the current copy of our Land Use Bylaw please visit our Land Use Bylaw page at LSAC.ca/Lub.