Regional Planning
Regional planning
Coordinating growth and colloboration across the Calgary region
The Regional Planning division
The Regional Planning Division leads The City of Calgary’s work on regional collaboration and coordinated growth. This work is guided by three main focus areas.
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Regional Partnerships
The division is responsible for fostering strong relationships with regional municipalities and other partners to advance collaborative planning initiatives. This includes such partnerships as multi-jurisdictional recreation and transit agreements.
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Land Use Compatibility
A key consideration for all Regional Planning work is ensuring that development across municipal boundaries aligns with long-term planning goals and minimizes land use conflicts between jurisdictions.
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Regional Servicing
The division coordinates the provision and management of essential infrastructure that supports the physical development and functioning of communities. This includes work on infrastructure related to water, wastewater, sanitary sewer, roads, sidewalks, and bike lanes.
Our Work
The Regional Planning Division plays a central role in shaping and guiding growth, development and collaboration across the region. Work is grounded in fostering strong relationships with municipal partners to support the coordination of shared priorities, integration of service delivery, and the ability to address challenges that extend beyond individual municipalities.
In addition to cultivating and sustaining relationships across the region, the Regional Planning Division leads the following responsibilities at The City, with support and collaboration from other City departments as needed.
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Supporting Regional Planning
Coordinating land use, growth, and planning activities across municipal boundaries to support aligned regional outcomes.
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Supporting Regional Partnerships
Building and maintaining strong relationships with municipalities, Indigenous partners, and regional interest holders to advance shared priorities.
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Supporting Regional Servicing
Collaborating with regional partners to plan and coordinate infrastructure and services that support growth across the region.
Supporting Regional Planning
Regional Planning focuses on coordinating land use, growth, and planning activities across municipal and jurisdictional boundaries. This work helps ensure that development and investment decisions are aligned across the Calgary region and reflect shared interests, long‑term objectives, and statutory requirements.
Through collaboration with neighbouring municipalities and internal City business units, The City of Calgary supports integrated regional planning approaches that recognize how growth, infrastructure, services, and environmental considerations are interconnected. This coordination helps manage growth proactively, reduce unintended cross‑boundary impacts, and support predictable, well‑aligned outcomes for the region.
Below are examples of tools The City of Calgary uses to advance Regional Planning and collaboration.
IDPs
IDPs
Intermunicipal Development Plans (IDPs)
Intermunicipal Development Plans are official documents that help neighbouring municipalities work together on land use and development near their shared borders. They aim to make sure growth happens in a coordinated way that avoids extra costs or negative effects for either side.
These plans show important features like land use, roads, parks, water and wastewater systems and environmentally sensitive areas. They also outline how the municipalities will handle planning processes, resolve disagreements and make updates to the Intermunicipal Development Plans themselves. By working together, municipalities can create well-connected, safe, and attractive areas that benefit both communities.
Intermunicipal Development Plans must be approved by both municipal councils and are used by planners to guide and inform decisions regarding land use and regional development, including servicing. They may also include agreements on how to manage shared spaces, services and infrastructure like parks, utilities and transportation across municipal boundaries.
The City of Calgary currently has three active Intermunicipal Development Plans:
ICFs
ICFs
Intermunicipal Collaboration Frameworks (ICFs)
Intermunicipal Collaboration Frameworks help neighbouring municipalities coordinate the planning, delivery, and funding of shared services such as water, waste, emergency response, and recreation, reducing duplication and improving service quality for residents. They must specify what, and how, services are funded and delivered with other municipalities that share a common boundary.
Intermunicipal Collaboration Frameworks outline what services are shared, how those services are delivered, and how costs and responsibilities are allocated. They support transparent decision‑making and provide a foundation for long‑term infrastructure and service planning.
Intermunicipal Collaboration Frameworks must include the following services:
- Transportation
- Water and wastewater
- Solid waste
- Emergency Services
- Recreation
However, Intermunicipal Collaboration Frameworks may include other services as agreed to by participating municipalities.
Annexation
Annexation
Annexation
Annexation is a provincially-legislated process governed under the Municipal Government Act. Lands are transferred from one municipality to another to accommodate future urban growth and development.
Annexing land typically involves negotiations between local governments and consultation with landowners. The annexation is reviewed by the Land and Property Rights Tribunal and the Minister of Municipal Affairs for additional recommendations. The Minister of Municipal Affairs brings forward the annexation orders to Cabinet. If approved, or approved in part, the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta signs the order.
Calgary is currently in discussion with Foothills County over a proposed annexation of 428.32 acres (173.34 hectares) of Foothills land. To learn more, visit Proposed Foothills County Annexation (2025).
To learn more about Calgary’s history of annexations, visit Calgary Annexations.