Land Use Planning Policy & Guidance
Last updated on June 10, 2024The B.C. government is modernizing land use planning in British Columbia. Land use planning projects are led in partnership with First Nations, and with collaboration and engagement of local governments, stakeholders, industry, and communities. Policy and guidance to support land use planning will be provided here as they become available.
Current Policy and Guidance
Guidance for provincial and Indigenous government land use planners who intend to work in collaboration in developing land use plans to meet community and government goals and objectives:
- Modernized Land Use Planning: A Guide to Effective Stakeholder Engagement - 2021 (PDF, 3.3MB)
- Modernized Land Use Planning: Best Practices for Writing Plan Content – Goals, Objectives, and Strategies - 2021 (PDF, 1.9MB)
- Modernized Land Use Planning: A Guide to Giving Legal Effect to Land Use Plan Content - 2021 (PDF, 0.9MB)
- Socio-Economic and Environmental Assessment Guidance for Modernized Land Use Plans - 2022 (PDF 3.9MB)
- Land Use Planning Principles - 2024 (PDF, 0.8MB)
Guidance for establishing, amending, or canceling land use objectives through a legal order under the Land Use Objectives Regulation (LUOR) for the purposes of the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA):
Archived Policy and Guidance
Archived materials are provided for reference.
New Direction for Strategic Land Use Planning (2006-2009)
- Synopsis of the New Direction for Strategic Land Use Planning - 2006 (PDF)
- New Direction for Strategic Land Use Planning in B.C. - Initiating Planning Projects and Developing a Business Case: Policies and Procedures - 2007 (PDF)
- New Direction for Strategic Land Use Planning in BC - Amending Strategic Land and Resource Plans: Policy and Procedures - 2007 (PDF)
- Guidelines for Socio-Economic And Environmental Assessment (SEEA): Land Use Planning and Resource Management Planning - 2007 (PDF, 0.7MB)
Sustainable Resource Management Plans
- Sustainable Resource Management Planning - A Landscape-level Strategy for Resource Development - 2002 (PDF)
- Sustainable Resource Management Planning Standards Guide - 2004 (PDF)
- Resource Analysis Guide to Sustainable Resource Management Planning - 2004 (PDF, 1.8MB)
- Writing Resource Objectives and Strategies: A Guide to Preparing Effective Resource Management Plans - 2004 (PDF, 3.6MB)
Land & Resource Management Plans & Regional Land Use Plans
- LRMP: A Statement of Principles and Process - 1993 (PDF)
- Public Participation Guidelines - 1993 (PDF, 5.4MB)
- Diamond LRMP - A Model Report - 1995 (PDF, 6MB)
- Policy for Local Government Involvement in Land and Resource Management Plans -1996 (PDF)
- Integrated Land Use Planning for Public Lands in British Columbia - 1997 (PDF)
- Provincial Monitoring Framework For Strategic Land Use Plans - Working Draft - 1999 (PDF)
Landscape Unit Plans
- Landscape Unit Planning Guide - 1999 (PDF)
- Regional Landscape Unit Planning Strategies: A Provincial Summary Report of the 1999 Revisions (PDF)
- Landscape Unit Planning 2000 Annual Update - Report (PDF)
- Landscape Unit Planning Guide Template Pilot Projects (PDF)
- Landscape Unit Planning Guide Training - A Summary of Participant Response (PDF, 2.5MB)
- Landscape Unit Planning Question and Answers (PDF)
Regional Training Presentations