Land-use administration

Managing access and use on park lands

Parks are established to maintain the province’s natural heritage, conservation, preservation and management and to ensure responsible land stewardship on Crown land now and for future generations. As a consequence, access to land under the Provincial Parks Act (the act) and regulations, follow a separate administrative process than for access onto public Crown land.

Activities that may be granted on park land are issued through a disposition or permission.

Dispositions

The act defines a disposition as follows: “A disposition means an instrument by which an estate or interest or any other substantial right in or to Crown land, including access to any land, is or was conveyed by or on behalf of the Crown, with conditions attached, to a person other than the Crown”.

Section 8 of the act advises that a disposition authorization is required before entering onto or initiating any activity or work on public lands in a park. Park land managed and administered under this legislation includes:

• agricultural activities
• cottages
• industrial activities
• recreation (commercial or non-profit)
• utilities

A disposition for an activity in a park will have different conditions and fees than for the same activity outside of a park.

To apply for a disposition for an activity in a park, contact the [email protected] mailbox.

Permissions

Permissions include several other types of authorizations issued on park lands. Permissions include a permit, licence, approval, authorization, consent or other form of concurrence that is or may be issued or otherwise given pursuant to the act but does not include a disposition.

Examples of permissions:

• Research and collection permit:
  The landscapes protected by parks are good locations for scientific research and collection related to flora and fauna, archaeology, paleontology, and the social and economic aspects of park use.
• Temporary field authorization (TFA):
  TFA’s are issued in the applicable region for approved temporary activities within a park. To see if your activity may be approved by the department contact your regional office.
• Firearms discharge permit:
  Issued in the applicable region as a tool to address, communicate and enforce public safety requirements where hunting is permitted.

Contact

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 310-LAND (5263) (in Alberta)
Toll free: 1-833-310-5689
Email: [email protected]

Address:
Public Lands Disposition Management Section
5th Floor, South Petroleum Plaza
9915 108 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta  T5G 2K8