GOVERNMENT GIVES MUNICIPALITIES MORE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT FLEXIBILITY

Legislative changes to The Planning and Development Act, 1983 will foster local autonomy and reduce provincial involvement in community planning. These amendments also streamline the planning and development review process, provide clarity and flexibility and improve land use planning bylaw enforcement for municipalities.

"The proposed amendments have been developed in consultation with municipal and industry stakeholders," Government Relations Minister Len Taylor said. "The amendments will allow a municipality to more effectively undertake community planning, and demonstrates our confidence in local governments."

Today's amendments are a part of a comprehensive review of the planning and development legislation. The changes:

• provide greater flexibility, autonomy and accountability for planning and zoning;

• streamline processes and improve enforcement for those municipalities with land use planning bylaws; and

• allow statements of provincial interest to be developed to provide a framework for land use planning while maintaining municipal authority for land use decisions.

Some of the amendments will be proclaimed after the statements of provincial interest have been developed. This is to ensure that public interests continue to be protected during policy development.

Stakeholder consultation will also continue as the government looks at ways to build municipal planning capacity and support initiatives such as the Action Committee on the Rural Economy, the Long Term Safe Drinking Water Strategy and the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities' Clearing the Path.

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For More Information, Contact:

Maureen Boyle Government Relations Regina Phone: (306) 787-5959