FAQs

A Municipal Development Plan (sometimes called a Master Plan) is a statutory plan that outlines how a municipality will develop over time (long-range vision).  A Municipal Development plan is a municipality’s principal statutory plan, every municipality in Alberta is required to have an MDP under the Municipal Government Act and is adopted by Council through a bylaw.

A Municipal Development Plan should be updated every five years to ensure that it meets the requirements laid out by the Municipal Government Act. The MDP is a long-range plan that help inform high-level decisions therefore, it is important this document evolve to be reflective of current trends and community needs and wants.

Yes, the City of Camrose’s current Municipal Development Plan was adopted by Council in 2011 and is available here.

MDPs typically include policies about future growth management, future land use patterns, economic diversification, business attraction & retention, transportation network, revitalization, culture & heritage, sustainability, servicing, green space, utilities, community vibrancy, greenfield & infill development, among others.

Public input, staff expertise, council goals, stakeholders groups, committees and advisory boards and legislative requirements all help inform the policies of the MDP.

Yes, community engagement events will occur through all four phases of the MDP project and will be posted on our website.

A Request for Proposal (RFP) was posted on the Alberta Purchasing Connections Website in August, seeking professional services for a comprehensive review and re-write of the 2011 Municipal Development Plan (MDP). The Successful Consultant demonstrated their extensive experience in land use planning, public engagement, municipal engineering, sustainability and policy development.

The Technical Review Committee (TRC), formed of internal City Administration, is the forum for the technical review of the draft documents and supporting technical reports. Topics that will be addressed include land use, development, transportation, infrastructure and other items that may be addressed, such as social and economic development and the environment.

The Community Advisory Committee (CAC) is a forum for representatives of local community organizations to provide input on the various topics that will be addressed in the MDP such as land use, development, transportation, infrastructure, social and economic development, and the environment.

While some members of Council form part of Committees of Council, the final adoption of the plan is a decision rendered by all of Council. Starting with first reading of the bylaw to adopt the proposed MDP, Council assumes their role as decision maker for the benefit of the entire community. Council is invited to attend all public engagement events.

The Municipal Government Act sets out the minimum legal requirements for the amount of public engagement to be used in a preparing an MDP as:  

• Opportunity for initial input while the plan is being prepared; and 
• Participation in the public hearing to consider adoption of the plan. 

The City of Camrose intends to exceed the minimal requirements of public engagement by completing public engagement events throughout all four phases of the project. Public engagement opportunities will be provided in multiple different formats to ensure a wide range of the public provide their feedback (surveys, open houses, interviews and public hearing).