Modernizing Land Use Planning in British Columbia

The B.C. government is modernizing land use planning in partnership with First Nations to ensure responsible stewardship and management of land and resources that includes the unique values, perspectives, and knowledge of First Nations.

Land use planning supports preservation of cultural values, healthy ecosystems, and opportunities for economic activities by setting broad strategic direction for plan areas — providing clarity for ‘what’ can occur ‘where’ on land and water. It is a transparent and inclusive process that can be modified over time to address changing needs.

On this page

• What is land use planning?
• Why is land use planning being modernized?
• Who is involved in land use planning?
• How does land use planning support B.C.’s commitment to conserving 30% of lands and waters by 2030?
• What is integrated planning?
• Factsheets

What is land use planning?

Land use planning is an integral part of British Columbia’s system of natural resource stewardship. Land use planning:

• Addresses complex, strategic land use issues;
• Sets land use direction under a variety of legislative frameworks;
• Advances reconciliation and partnerships with First Nations; and
• Achieves ecosystem conservation and economic development objectives.

Land use planning principles

The B.C. government has developed a set of land use planning principles (PDF) in collaboration with First Nations. These principles clarify the intended scope of the land use planning program and set out standards for projects to follow when developing their unique processes, structures, and products together in partnership. They are expected to evolve over time to address the needs of land use planning projects and align with strategic direction from the B.C. government and First Nations.

Land use planning process

Land use planning involves the B.C. government partnering with First Nations rights holders to develop a shared vision for resource management and stewardship. The partnership model aligns with B.C.’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, and with B.C.’s commitment to reconciliation and a shared approach to land stewardship.

Land use planning is a transparent and inclusive process that involves engagement with local governments, stakeholders, communities, and the public. It seeks to support the needs of a growing population and economy while promoting ecosystem health, biodiversity, and resilience in the face of emerging challenges, including cumulative effects and climate change.

A land use planning process can be separated into four broad stages:

1. Pre-planning and Initiation: Scoping the project and getting ready.
2. Plan Development: Develop planning options, engage, and draft a plan.
3. Plan Evaluation and Approval: Evaluate and approve the plan; communicate results.
4. Ongoing Implementation: Implement the plan and assess its effectiveness.

A land use planning process results in the creation of a new land use plan or modification of an existing plan. New land use plans require agreement from both the B.C. government and partner First Nation, and are developed through collaboration and engagement with local governments, stakeholders, and communities. Once approved, the management direction in a plan becomes policy and may be further implemented with the appropriate legislation or regulation.

The B.C. government understands management direction to be comprised of the following elements: 

• Plan Area is the geographic boundary that encompasses the area for a land use plan. Plan areas are determined by the B.C. government and partner First Nation(s) and are typically defined by natural landscape boundaries and First Nation’s territory boundaries.
• Zones are geographic boundaries established within the plan area. Each zone has a defined management intent based on the values present (for example: conservation, general use, special management).
• Objectives describe the desired future state of values present within a zone and provide management actions to achieve that state over time.

Land use planning outcomes

Through respectful and inclusive dialogue, modernized land use planning can achieve the following outcomes:

Reconciliation

Land use planning is part of our commitment to reconciliation and aligning with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Recognizing and upholding Indigenous rights is not only a matter of legal obligation but also a step towards healing and building stronger communities.

Strong, sustainable economy

Land use planning promotes dialogue between the B.C. government, First Nations, industry, and communities. It helps build relationships and leads to clarity and predictability on the operating land base. Predictability is important to ensure investment and development is only considered in appropriate areas, which in turn can save costs and increase efficiencies. Land use planning is important for advancing economic opportunities for rural communities and creating lasting economic benefits for all residents of B.C.

Resource stewardship

Land use planning seeks to foster ecosystem health, biodiversity, and resilience in the face of a changing climate. Planning activities provide direction on management and conservation of ecosystem health and biodiversity over a plan area including identification of areas where conservation is needed to meet stewardship objectives.

Healthy ecosystems are key to the health and well-being of communities and human use and enjoyment of B.C.’s lands and waters. Land use planning supports sustainable management of lands and waters and provides direction on use and access to areas for recreation and tourism activities.

Why is land use planning being modernized?

Existing land use plans cover over 90 percent of provincial public land in British Columbia. Most were completed in the 1990s and early 2000s and require updates and modifications to reflect the current state of ecosystems and socio-economic landscape, and to include First Nations perspectives. Modern land use planning will identify land use objectives for reconciliation, environmental stewardship, and a strong sustainable economy. These objectives will respond to current land use challenges such as climate change and cumulative effects.

Modernizing land use planning is an opportunity for the B.C. government to partner with First Nations, and work together with local governments, stakeholders, and communities to establish durable natural resource management direction throughout the province.

Land use planning helps by:

• Advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and the B.C. government’s commitment to a shared approach to land stewardship, consistent with the B.C. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
• Supporting a growing economy by addressing increased demand on natural resources to bring greater clarity and predictability for natural resource economic activities.
• Addressing complexity on the land base and responding to cumulative effects and climate changes impacts (wildfires, flooding, and drought) at a strategic level.
• Ensuring communities and stakeholders are engaged in land and resource planning.
• Committing to stewardship of our province’s abundant land and water resources to secure future opportunities for all British Columbians, including implementing the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework and achieving the commitment to conserve 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030.

Who is involved in land use planning?

Land use planning includes partnerships with First Nations, collaboration with local governments, and engagement with communities, industry, stakeholders, and the public.

Partnerships with First Nations

First Nations in British Columbia have unique Treaty, affirmed and inherent rights which must be recognized and upheld in specific circumstances. The B.C. government is committed to implementing the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (PDF) and direction provided in the B.C. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. Partnering with First Nations on land use planning projects supports these commitments.

The B.C. government has developed guidance to support partnerships with Indigenous governments outlined in the Distinctions Based Approach Primer to support the recognition and application of a distinctions-based approach in all its relations with Indigenous Peoples.

Collaboration and engagement with local governments, stakeholders, industry, and communities

Collaboration and engagement with local governments, stakeholders, industry, communities, and the public is a core principle of land use planning to assist in building healthy, thriving communities.

The B.C. government recognizes that local governments have a unique role and perspective in land use planning and decision-making processes related to provincial public lands within, and bordering, their jurisdictional boundaries. Local government interests, including employment, services, recreation, and the local economy may be affected by provincial land use decisions.

In 2021, the B.C. government and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) renewed their commitment to work together to advance lasting and meaningful reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in British Columbia. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) between UBCM and the B.C. government highlights reconciliation as a shared, cross-government responsibility. The MOU strengthens the partnership between the B.C. government, UBCM and local governments to share information and create discussions and partnerships with Indigenous Peoples in B.C. that will benefit people at the community level.

Engaging with stakeholders, industry, and communities in land use planning helps build lasting solutions to complex land use issues. Engagement occurs iteratively throughout a project to ensure input is understood and considered in planning-related decisions and direction. Project planning teams are developing project-specific engagement strategies early in the process to guide engagement throughout the life of the planning project.

How does land use planning support B.C.’s commitment to conserving 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030?

British Columbia is committed to conserving 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030 to address biodiversity decline, mitigate the effects of climate change, and maintain a strong, sustainable economy. The 30 percent target is one of 23 targets in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework that was adopted at the 15th Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in December 2022.

Land use planning is the preferred approach to considering new conservation areas because it is conducted in partnership with First Nations rights and title holders and includes engagement with local governments, stakeholders, and communities. It also considers how conservation proposals will help to achieve broader environmental, economic and reconciliation outcomes.

Land use planning also supports initiatives related to B.C.’s commitment to stewardship including:

• Old Growth Strategic Review
• Together for Wildlife Strategy
• Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework
• Coastal Marine Strategy and Planning
• Wild Salmon Strategy and Planning
• Water Security Strategy
• Species at Risk and Recovery Planning
• Forest Landscape Planning
• Water Sustainability Planning

What is integrated planning?

Over time, various planning programs have been developed including land use planning, forest landscape planning, water and watershed planning, species at risk and habitat planning. The B.C. government recognizes this suite of planning can be confusing to understand, and difficult to identify which planning approach is needed for values of concern. 

The B.C. government is moving towards a more integrated approach to planning. Discussions with partner First Nations, and input from stakeholders and communities, will be required to develop a coordinated process for achieving objectives at multiple planning scales. This approach will support uniting or combining aspects of different planning processes into a single process. This has the benefit of transitioning from individual planning programs into more comprehensive “planning for lands and waters” that spans different scales and levels of direction in planning.

Factsheets

• Land Use Planning in British Columbia: Frequently Asked Questions – May 2024 (PDF)
• Land Use Planning in British Columbia: Working With Communities – May 2024 (PDF)
• Land Use Planning in British Columbia: Mineral Exploration and Mining – June 2024 (PDF)
• Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas and Expressions of Indigenous-led Stewardship – May 2024 (PDF)