Caribou sub-regional task forces

In August 2019, the province created three caribou sub-regional task forces that will advise government on land-use planning at a local scale, including caribou recovery actions. Sub-regional plans will be built on a foundation of science and socio-economic assessments, which help us to understand how sub-regional plans work within local and regional economies.

Initially, the task forces will focus their efforts on providing recommendations to government on draft sub-regional plans for Cold Lake, Bistcho Lake and Upper Smoky planning areas, which will address recovery outcomes for the Bistcho, Cold Lake, Narraway, and Redrock-Prairie Creek caribou ranges.

Click below for maps of sub-regional planning areas:

Each Caribou Sub-regional Task Force will include representatives from local municipalities, Indigenous peoples and communities, the energy sector, the forestry sector, trappers, recreational users, environmental non-government organizations, and other local stakeholders and knowledge holders.

Task force membership will be determined by early September. Other stakeholders and affected land users will have opportunities to contribute to working groups or planning committees working under the guidance of the task forces. It is expected that the sub-regional task forces will begin their work this fall.

Task force recommendations for the Cold Lake sub-regional plan are expected to be drafted by the end March 2020, with Bistcho following in summer of 2020 and Upper Smoky in fall of 2020.

There will be future opportunities for all Albertans to shape plans before they are finalized. The province will conduct public and Indigenous consultation related to any draft sub-regional plans that flow from recommendations of the task forces.

Draft Provincial Woodland Caribou Range Plan

Alberta's 2017 Draft Provincial Woodland Caribou Range Plan built upon previous work to develop actions and strategies to meet provincial and federal caribou population and habitat objectives. That draft plan is available to the caribou sub-regional task forces as a resource when considering caribou outcomes within each sub-region. To review the draft plan, see:

Related information

Federal Recovery Strategies and Guiding Documents