Plans & Studies

The Municipal Development Plan (MDP) is an important part of planning for Leduc’s future as it influences how we interact with built and natural environments on a daily basis, including the roads we drive on, the businesses we shop at, and the neighbourhoods we call home. The MDP was updated in 2020 to ensure that planning and development aligns with our unique local and regional priorities, and accurately captures our community’s vision.

A further MDP amendment was made and approved in 2024 to align the MDP with AVPA regulation changes to support future development in the revised contour areas. These changes include designating land on the east of Leduc (south of Telford Lake) to allow for residential and commercial development; introducing the concept of Urban Village Nodes, which means more compact and walkable neighbourhoods with residential and mixed-use development; aligning the plan with updates to the Regional Agriculture Master Plan (RAMP); and removal of references to the City of Leduc – Leduc County Intermunicipal Development Plan.

The Urban Centre Redevelopment Plan (UCRP) provides direction on future land uses in Urban Centre including housing types, phasing of redevelopment, urban design, and overall character.

The plan sets the stage for an accessible, safe, and inclusive Urban Centre with diverse housing, business opportunities, high-quality urban design, and transportation connection options. The UCRP will encourage mixed-use development, walkability, and a cohesive neighbourhood design while maintaining flexibility for future growth.

The implementation plan will guide revitalization of the Urban Centre. Community feedback helped shape the plan through engagement sessions held during each phase of the project. The first phase was focused on understanding, visioning, and gathering initial public input. Feedback collected during the second phase informed the plan’s vision, goals, objectives, major themes, and guiding principles.

The City’s Transportation Master Plan (TMP) is a long-term strategy for developing and managing a resilient, adaptable transportation network that responds to the City and region’s evolving needs. The TMP is a required plan to support offsite levy updates and is updated every seven years to ensure long-term infrastructure planning aligns with projected growth. The TMP update was developed over several phases of exploration, evaluation, and engagement before approval in 2025.

The Urban Agriculture Plan (UAP) is a roadmap to strengthen local food systems in the City of Leduc by supporting sustainable food production, improving access to fresh food, and fostering community connections. The plan focuses on urban farming, urban/community gardens, food-sharing initiatives, and educational programs to enhance skills and awareness. The implementation of the plan will boost the local food economy, improve affordability, and create a healthier, more resilient community.

The Downtown Master Plan (DMP) was a comprehensive, long-range plan for revitalizing Downtown Leduc. It addresses key economic, environmental, and social issues for a comprehensive approach to revitalizing our city’s downtown over time. Since approval in 2012, the City has led and collaborated on a number of Downtown Master Plan implementation projects.

In 2019, the University of Alberta’s School of Urban and Regional Planning Graduate students completed a parking study for downtown Leduc, which is one of twelve priority action items identified within Leduc’s Downtown Master Plan. The intent of this study was to understand the role that parking supply and management practices in downtown Leduc had in achieving the vision for downtown Leduc. The City has implemented reduced and waived parking requirements for non-residential uses within the Downtown based on findings of the Downtown Parking Study (PDF).

Area structure plans provide a general planning framework for subdivision and development in the land areas addressed by the plans without getting into detailed subdivision layouts. The area structure plans provide principles and objectives to guide future development in areas of the municipality by identifying general locations for major land uses (residential, commercial, industrial, schools, parks), major roadways, utility servicing, trail systems and potential population density.

• Area Structure Plan Guidelines
• 65th Avenue
• Banks of Crystal Creek
• Black Stone
• Brightwell
• Deer Valley / Creekside
• Eaton & Emery
• East Telford Lake
• Fraser
• Harvest Industrial Park
• Lakeside Industrial
• North Leduc Industrial Park
• Robinson
• Sawridge Business Park
• Southeast Leduc
• Southfork
• Suntree
• West Area
• West Haven
• Windrose

The Housing Strategy 2025-2029 outlines high-level objectives and actions to support housing development in the city. This strategy complements other City plans and policies by providing clear actions, outcomes, and indicators for measuring success. It emphasizes the importance of partnerships and collaboration to achieve these objectives. The strategy aims to ensure Leduc remains a desirable, prosperous, and equitable community for all residents.

The strategy was built with input from residents, City partners, and a detailed Housing Needs Assessment.

Outline plans provide a more specific planning framework for an area within an area structure plan and conforms with the general principles and concepts established in the area structure plan.

• NW 1/4 Section 12-50-25-W4
• SW 1/4 Section 1-50-25-W4; SE 1/4 Section 12-50-25-W4; NE 1/4 1-50-25-W4
• Saurabh Park (NE 1/4 Section 12-50-25-W4
• NW 1/4 Section 1-50-25-W4; Part of the SW 1/4 Section 1-50-24-W4
• NW 1/4 Section 36-49-25-W4
• NE33 Outline Plan (NE33-49-25-W4)
• Woodbend (SW 1/4 Section 33-49-25-W4) as amended
• Crystal Creek (NW 1/4 Section 28-49-25-W4) as amended
• Leduc Industrial Outline Plan (SE 1/4 Section 1-50-25-W4)

Neighbourhoods are designed with the right mix of housing, good transportation networks, quality park space, easy access to stores and services to meet daily needs.

Current development practice is to create new residential neighbourhoods developed using the principles of an area structure plan. These plans are completed by the developer and identify where development will occur (low, medium and high density residential and commercial), the basic road network, the location of parks and possible school sites, the identification of environmentally sensitive land and how the area will be serviced with municipal infrastructure (water, sewer, storm sewer). All plans must be approved by city council.

This long-term facility plan is the result of significant consultation with community partners, members of the public, city administration and council. Projects arising from the plan include the library expansion and repurposing the Leduc Civic Centre to meet growth demands in these areas over the next decade.

Other priorities reviewed during the planning process include:

• Fire Services/emergency Services
• RCMP and Community Policing
• Recreation and cultural facilities
• Transit

The plan also outlines:

• Future facility space requirements to accommodate current and future program and service needs of residents and the city
• Locations to accommodate identified requirements
• Estimated costs and timelines for facility development that includes land acquisition, design, construction and occupancy
• Direction on disposal of land/facilities no longer required by the city
• Strategic principals and objects to direct activities related to facilities and land

In Alberta, provincial government regulations pertaining to airport noise and related protection areas were first developed in the 1970s in reference to Calgary International Airport. Referred to as Airport Vicinity Protection Area (AVPA) regulations, these rules governed the development of lands affected by aircraft noise using mapped protection areas called Noise Exposure Forecast (NEF) contours.

In 1981, similar rules and NEF contours were applied to Edmonton International Airport under separate AVPA regulations that supersede any local planning document. There are two sets of AVPA Regulations in Alberta – one set pertaining to the Calgary airport and one set pertaining to the Edmonton airport.

In May 2022, changes were made to the Edmonton AVPA Regulation, which will have significant, positive, long-term impacts on the City of Leduc and our ability to grow for decades to come.

Three key changes have been made to the AVPA Regulations:

• New NEF contours have been calculated to reflect updated assumptions based on advancing aviation technology and modern-day airport operations.
• Many restrictions on commercial and industrial development have been removed.
• Restrictions on residential development have been relaxed in many areas of the city.

In its previous state, the AVPA Regulations hindered our community’s ability to grow and develop because more than 80 per cent of the City of Leduc was covered by NEF contours. The City of Leduc has worked hard, alongside many stakeholders and regional partners, to advocate for these amendments. This collaborative work has included Edmonton International Airport, the Province of Alberta, industry leaders, neighbouring municipalities, residents, businesses and City staff.

Moving forward, the City will need to update a range of planning documents that the regulations have changed. This includes the Municipal Development Plan, the Land Use Bylaw, and numerous Area Structure Plans. Some of these updates may only take a few months while others are more complex and will require more time.

The process to update various documents will involve several opportunities for public input, including public engagement sessions (e.g., open houses) and formal public hearings at City Council meetings. Information about these opportunities will be communicated to residents through a variety of communication channels; however, the City’s website is the best place to look for updates.

Information for developers 
The AVPA Regulations will allow development in some areas where it was not permitted before. The industrial and commercial areas within the city are now much less restricted and so there are more opportunities to develop these lands. Additionally, there are now more opportunities in Leduc for residential infill and densification, and new residential projects in undeveloped areas.

The new Regulations require that, beginning in May 2023, a caveat must be filed against title to lands within the defined Protection Area that are approved for subdivision or residential development. The caveat will provide notification to prospective landowners within these areas that their property is situated in the Protection Area – the caveat is not intended as a restriction on or impediment to development.

Please keep in mind that sites previously impacted by the Regulations may require amendments to the City’s statutory plans in instances where there is a change in land use. If you have a site that you believe was previously impacted, or you would like more information on your options, please email [email protected].

The City will be looking for ways to support developers and industry leaders through the process; more information will be shared as it becomes available.

Information for residents 
Initially, many residents will not likely notice big day-to-day changes; however, the amended Regulations will allow homeowners in some areas (e.g., mature neighbourhoods) new opportunities to develop or re-develop their property. For example, secondary suites and garden suites may now be considered in certain areas to encourage aging in place, along with potential subdivision and other residential redevelopment opportunities.

All development is still required to follow the City’s Land Use Bylaw and all other applicable regulations, some which now need to be updated. For more information about your specific situation and options, please email [email protected].

Aircraft noise will not get louder or become more noticeable due to the updated Regulations as operations at Edmonton International Airport will not change because of the amendments. The airport is still able to change their own operations from time-to-time, which could impact the noise you hear.

Information for businesses
There will be more opportunities for new businesses to open and for existing businesses to expand because restrictions around commercial and industrial land uses have been removed from the Regulation. For more information, or to be involved in discussions moving forward, please contact [email protected].

The City’s Stormwater Master Plan assesses the performance of our stormwater management infrastructure against the most severe storms Leduc may face. The plan identifies current stormwater infrastructure deficiencies and constraints and also guides the implementation of stormwater system improvements. It identifies and prioritizes areas of concern, capital improvements, and stormwater operations costs for the City of Leduc.

For the city to continue to provide reliable sanitary service and to meet wastewater servicing demands, they initiated a Sanitary Servicing Study to identify existing capacity constraints and develop servicing strategies to meet future sanitary servicing needs of the city.

The Transportation Master Plan (TMP) is a long-term plan for the city’s transportation network. The TMP is a critical plan in making wise investment choices in our transportation infrastructure, including roads, sidewalks, trails, transit and goods movement, as these decisions will shape the future mobility of our city. The TMP is scheduled to be updated every seven years. The next update occurring in 2023 and anticipated to be completed in 2025.

The City of Leduc has experienced significant population growth in recent years. Analysis of the water system will assess the effect growth has had on the existing infrastructure, as well as identify and plan for new and future infrastructure. Learn more about Leduc’s Water Master Plan.

In 2010 ISL was retained by the City to develop conceptual alignment alternatives for the realignment of Highway 2A that respected the previously proposed interchange location, limited intrusions in to the Southfork development, respected the active well site within the County, and provided connections to the City’s roads, while maintaining the design and functionality requirements outlined by Alberta Transportation. View the Highway 2A Function Planning Study here.

Range Roads 245 and 250, and the connecting section of Township Road 500, are presently gravel roads that form the east boundary between Leduc County and the City of Leduc. The purpose of the Range Roads 245 and 250 Functional Planning Study is to provide the County/City with a long-range plan to assist in construction programming and right-of-way protection, and to assist developers with land-use planning.

The purpose of the 65th Avenue Planning Study is to identify the ultimate requirements for the future Queen Elizabeth (QEII) and interchange within the City of Leduc. The study will analyse the existing conditions and traffic operations within the general study area, which ranges from approximately 800 metres south of the Hwy 2A interchange to approximately 800 metres north of Airport Road along the QEII.

The study will also review the results of previous studies and generate options for a short-term strategy to provide for a 65th Avenue connection to the QEII.

The City of Leduc’s Parks, Open Spaces and Trails (POST) Master Plan provides a foundation for the development and management of the city’s parks and multiways. These services and the experiences they provide are essential to Leduc’s quality of life. Ensuring they continue to align with community needs is an important part of providing high-quality recreational opportunities well into Leduc’s future.

The City of Leduc approved its next 10-year Environmental Plan in 2024. This plan will guide the City’s environmental actions for the next 10 years, addressing key focus areas: waste, water, land, ambient impacts, and climate and energy.