Alberta Sustainable Resource Development’s Vision

Alberta's lands, forests, fish and wildlife benefit present and future Albertans.

SRD’s Mission

Sustainable Resource Development encourages balanced and responsible use of Alberta's natural resources through the application of leading practices in management, science, and stewardship.

Ministry Structure

Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (SRD) is a ministry of the Government of Alberta and consists of:

  • The Department of Alberta Sustainable Resource Development
  • The Environmental Protection and Enhancement Fund
  • The Land Compensation Board
  • The Land Use Secretariat
  • The Natural Resources Conservation Board
  • The Surface Rights Board

Boards & Delegated Administrative Organizations

The boards are quasi-judicial as they make their decisions independently, in accordance with their own governing legislation.

Land Compensation Board (LCB)

The LCB hears compensation disputes where private property is expropriated by an authority and determines the amount of compensation payable to landowners or tenants when land is taken by an authority for public works or projects in the public interest.

Land Use Secretariat

The Land Use Secretariat provides leadership, support, and expertise to government ministries to implement Alberta’s Land-use Framework. It also helps the seven regional advisory councils established under the framework to provide advice to government on the development of regional plans.

 


Land-use Framework  (LUF)

 

Natural Resources Conservation Board  (NRCB)

The NRCB conducts public reviews of major, non-energy projects that may affect the natural resources of Alberta. It also regulates Alberta’s confined feeding operations and is an appeal body for approval officer and inspector decisions.

Surface Rights Board  (SRB)

The SRB determines compensation related to energy activities, performing activities such as issuing right-of-entry orders for oil and gas activity, power, and telephone lines as well as providing fair and timely hearings on land access disputes that may arise from these.

 

The Environmental Protection and Enhancement Fund

This fund is used for environmental emergencies and environmental protection, such as firefighting expenses, forest health initiatives, and intercept feeding and fencing programs. Funding is primarily through timber royalties and fees.

The Ministry delegates administration for certain legislative responsibilities to three delegated administrative organizations (DAOs).

Supported by legislation, DAOs operate at arms-length from government and must report annually to the minister on progress and finances. DAOs perform day-to-day operations and are self-funded, raising revenue through fees and service charges.

Alberta Conservation Association  (ACA)

ACA enhances fish and wildlife populations and habitat in Alberta through activities such as conservation projects, population studies and inventories, fish stocking, and conservation grant funding. The ACA also administers the Grant Eligible Conservation Fund.
Alberta Professional Outfitters Society  (APOS)

APOS also provides a variety of programs and initiatives that promote the development of independent outfitting and guiding services, which includes a commitment towards maintaining industry standards and ethics.

APOS administrates the regulation and delivery of non-resident, big-game hunting in Alberta and is responsible for:
  • Issuing outfitter-guide permits and guide designations
  • Managing and administering allocations
  • Selling non-resident hunting licences
  • Setting bonds to protect client deposits
  • Ensuring acceptable levels of service are provided to clients
Forest Resource Improvement Association of Alberta (FRIAA)

FRIAA promotes and initiates projects that enhance Alberta's forest resources or improve the management of forest resources on public lands through delivery of four programs:

  • Forest Resource Improvement Program: Allows industry to carry out projects that enhance the public forest resource
  • Wildfire Reclamation Program: Assists in the re-treatment of previously reforested cutblocks that are destroyed by wildfire
  • Community Reforestation Program: Sustains the Community Timber Permit program by collecting reforestation levies and delivering operational reforestation aimed at meeting provincial regeneration standards
  • Mountain Pine Beetle Program: Engages the forest industry in managing the mountain pine beetle epidemic through detection, monitoring, pheromone baiting, seed collection, and single-tree cut-and-burn control activities

Related Information

Posted: October 6, 2009
Updated: November 18, 2009