Recent changes to the Municipal Government Act (MGA) require that all municipalities within the province of Alberta with a shared boundary must complete and adopt an IDP, unless both municipalities are part of a growth region or have a mutual agreement for an IDP exemption.

Strathcona County shares a boundary with Beaver County, the Town of Bruderheim, the City of Edmonton, the City of Fort Saskatchewan, Lamont County, Leduc County and Sturgeon County.

Because Strathcona County and the following municipalities are both part of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board (EMRB), we are not required to complete IDPs: the City of Edmonton, the City of Fort Saskatchewan, Leduc County, and Sturgeon County. However, Strathcona County is working on IDPs with the Town of Bruderheim and Beaver County because these municipalities are not members of the EMRB.

An intermunicipal development plan (IDP) is a high-level statutory plan jointly developed by two or more neighbouring municipalities.

IDPs ensure that land use decisions within the IDP area are thoughtfully considered through a cooperative planning approach to support the long-term interests of both municipalities.

Municipal Development Plans (MDPs) provide a comprehensive long-term land use policy framework, including direction on subdivision and rezoning. The IDP’s have been developed using the existing policy areas of each municipalities MDP, and as a result the proposed IDP will not affect existing land use zoning.