Important: Client ID Update
A client ID is required to hold a disposition, authorization, or approval on Crown land. Applicants who need to request a client ID or existing disposition holders who need to update their contact information must complete the Client ID Form and submit to [email protected].
If you have a Client ID inquiry, please contact [email protected] for assistance.
Effective September 3, 2021, this process applies to new aggregate applications for surface material exploration (SME), surface material lease (SML) and surface material registration that are within the 69 counties and municipal districts that are members of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA).
The guide for this new process and its accompanying fact sheet can be found here: Aggregate Pits: Municipal and Provincial Processes.
Overview
The Government of Alberta (the Government) periodically reviews its processes. We do this in response to factors such as better scientific information and shifts in regulatory expectations.
Changes to borrow activities on public land for energy operators
As of January 1, 2021, the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) has the regulatory authority to manage surface material leases and licences under certain conditions. The AER can review and issue dispositions for borrow pits subject to these conditions:
- The borrow pit is required for and is incidental to an operator’s energy resource activities.
- Only sand, silt or clay materials are removed.
- Material is to be used for non-commercial, personal use (not for sale and only in respect of an operator’s energy resource activity).
If a borrow pit application does not meet those conditions, the Government is the regulatory authority.
The Government has published the Borrow Pits on Public Lands Operational Guidance Fact Sheet outlining operational information on the application process for surface material dispositions issued by the AER. The Fact Sheet can be found here:
Additional resources can be found on the AER website.
Sand and gravel program review
Surface material extraction is necessary to build our infrastructure and will continue to play an essential role in Alberta’s future. Pit operations are regulated by the Government and produce surface materials such as sand and gravel with a small number producing marl and clay.
These surface materials are important non-renewable resources for Alberta’s economy and are found on public and private land. Extracting these materials must balance the economic and public benefits for Albertans while upholding high environmental standards to maintain biodiversity and healthy aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
The Government is committed to updating surface material extraction programs to reflect improvements in scientific knowledge as well as Albertans’ changing regulatory expectations. The Government has been conducting a review and developed draft recommendations to improve oversight and efficiencies in Alberta’s surface material extraction program.
Thank you to all that submitted recommendations for the review. We appreciate your feedback.
To read a summary of this feedback, please see:
Public lands disposition application requirements
The application requirements for new and amendment application submissions for dispositions (excluding agricultural dispositions) on public land managed by the Government and the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) can be found at:
Learn about the public lands disposition application requirements with our e-Course:
Contact
Connect with us for information on disposition management or questions about applying for a disposition:
Government of Alberta
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:
5th Floor, South Petroleum Plaza
9915 108 Street, NW
Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2G8
View all public lands disposition contacts
Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) Customer Contact Centre
Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 403-297-8311
Toll free: 1-855-297-8311 (in Alberta)
Fax: 403-297-7336
Email: [email protected]
Address:
Alberta Energy Regulator, Head Office
Suite 1000, 250 5 Street SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 0R4