FAQ
What is a Municipal Development Plan (MDP)?
The Municipal Development Plan (MDP) is a high-level plan that establishes a vision for the MD of Willow Creek’s growth over the next 20 to 30 years. It sets this future direction by identifying where different types of growth and development will occur, including residential, employment, recreation, and community service development. In addition to future land use, the MDP sets out policies to guide infrastructure, transportation, and environmental protection.
Municipal Development Plans (MDP) are required by the Alberta Municipal Government Act (MGA). This plan must be adopted by bylaw through a formal process involving three readings at Council and a Public Hearing.
Why is an MDP update needed now?
Under Section 632 of the Municipal Government Act (MGA), the Province of Alberta requires all municipalities to adopt a Municipal Development Plan by bylaw. These MDPs must be frequently reviewed and updated to respond to changing conditions and continue to meet the evolving needs of the municipality and their residents.
The last substantive Municipal Development Plan update in MD of Willow Creek was completed in 2017 and a minor amendment to the plan was adopted in 2019. A broader update is required to respond to several impactful changes, including:
Alignment with the approved Intermunicipal Development Plans: Since 2017, the MD of Willow Creek has entered into joint planning documents known as Intermunicipal Development Plans. The MD has these plans with each urban and rural municipal neighbour. As part of the MDP Renewal Project, policies found within these joint plans need to align with policies in the MD’s MDP to protect shared regional priorities.
The newly adopted Land Use Bylaw: Council adopted a new Land Use Bylaw in the fall of 2025. As these two important planning documents work together, the resulting policies and land use regulations must be informed by and aligned with each other. Several important areas in the MDP need to be updated to reflect the implementation of the Land Use Bylaw.
- Integration of Granum: The former Town of Granum became a hamlet within the MD of Willow Creek in 2020. The MD needs policy to align to ensure continued growth and development with the Hamlet can occur in an orderly and beneficial manner.
The province requires every municipality in Alberta to have both a Municipal Development Plan and a Land Use Bylaw, which set out priorities and regulations for all development. The requirements for these planning documents are laid out in the Municipal Government Act (MGA).
The graphic below illustrates the hierarchy of the MD’s planning documents.
Municipal Development Plan
MD of Willow Creek’s Municipal Development Plan (MDP) is the highest level local planning document. This plan is statutory, meaning it is legally binding. The MDP must align with the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan (SSRP) and other provincial acts and regulations. Additionally, the MDP sets out direction that lower level plans and regulations must follow, including Area Structure Plans, Area Redevelopment Plans, and the Land Use Bylaw.
Land Use Bylaw
The Land Use Bylaw is an important tool that the municipality has to implement the vision, goals, and policies of the Municipal Development Plan. Land Use Bylaws set out specific rules for development, such as what uses are allowed, sizes of lots or parcels, or how far a building must be setback from a street or rural road. Regulations in the Land Use Bylaw are informed Municipal Development Plan and Area Structure Plans