The Municipal District of Opportunity No. 17 is taking a step back to fix a procedural error in its land use rules while also preparing for a massive provincial plan that could change the future of local development.

During the regular council meeting on Aug. 10, administration informed local politicians that they had to completely repeal a recently introduced land use bylaw because of a legal oversight.

The municipality had previously passed the first reading to make minor revisions to local zoning definitions. Because the changes were so small, the administration skipped scheduling a formal public hearing. However, municipal staff quickly realized that bypassing the public was legally not allowed.

Administration explained to council that the provincial Municipal Government Act strictly requires a public hearing for any land use changes, regardless of how minor they might seem.

“The provincial act dictates that we need to hold a public hearing for this,” an administration member said.

To correct the mistake, council unanimously passed a motion by Councillor Darlene Jackson to officially repeal the previous bylaw and cancel the old council motions. Immediately after, Councillor Robin Guild made a new motion to approve the first reading of a fresh, corrected bylaw.

With the paperwork fixed, a mandatory public hearing is now officially scheduled for Sept. 13 at 10 a.m. to ensure the municipality follows the provincial rules perfectly.

While cleaning up local bylaws, the council also turned its attention to a much larger set of land regulations coming from the provincial government.

Councillor Leo Alook brought up a draft provincial sub-regional plan, warning his fellow politicians that the massive government document will heavily impact the region’s economic future and local industries.

“That regional plan basically goes over what can and cannot be developed in the region,” Alook said. “It covers future oil development, roads, pipelines, and all of those things. Depending on how the plan is finalized, it could really limit any future development.”

Alook noted the province is hosting online information sessions for the public on Aug. 27 and Sept. 23. He also mentioned that municipal representatives will meet with the provincial environment minister on Sept. 11 to discuss the plan directly.

To ensure the community has a voice, Alook requested that the municipality actively advertise the province’s virtual town halls on the official municipal Facebook page. He also expressed interest in hosting a local virtual meeting to help residents understand the dense rules.

Councillor Darlene Jackson shifted the focus toward local social issues. She asked administration for an update on the community’s homeless shelter, stressing that the municipality needs to create a comprehensive plan to help vulnerable residents get back on their feet.

“What are we doing to help them?” Jackson asked.

She noted that the shelter needs to be more than just a safe place to sleep for the night, adding that it should offer real support. Administration replied they would look into the matter and bring more information back to the council table at a future meeting.

By Armaan Khanna, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Original Published on Sep 09, 2026 at 10:00

 

This item reprinted with permission from   Lakeside Leader   Slave Lake, Alberta

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