Questions & Answers

A Municipal Development Plan (MDP) is a document which provides direction for decision-making that will guide the future development of a community, whether it be a city, town, or rural municipality. Spruce Grove’s MDP, "The Shape of our Community", will guide the evolution and growth of our city over the next 20-30 years.

Imagine trying to build a new house with no foundation, blueprints, or idea for how you want it to look, function and feel. The result would likely not be in line with what you want or need. Planning for the future of our city is just the same, but on a much larger scale. Shaping Our Community helps us identify what is important to us as a community so we can make informed decisions that will affect our future growth and development.

In addition, all Alberta municipalities are required to adopt a Municipal Development Plan bylaw in accordance with the Municipal Government Act (MGA).

Imagine the possibilities of what Spruce Grove can be in 10 years, 20 years, or even 30 years from now. As we gather feedback and build the plan, the process of Shaping Our Community reflects how we’re looking forward to guiding the future of our city. We’re partnering with the community to understand the hopes and dreams for Spruce Grove that build on what we have and create the city we want to be. The result will be The Shape of our Community, Spruce Grove’s Municipal Development Plan.

Yes, a big one! Shaping Our Community celebrates our shared values and preferences; it sets a blueprint to guide our long-term development, together. Your input is incredibly important. We’ll be asking for your ideas, preferences, and feedback throughout the process. Public engagement will take place in two phases, with the first phase completed in 2022 and the second phase expected to start in late spring of 2023. See the details at Connect Spruce Grove, where you can subscribe to receive updates by email.

Shaping Our Community is a shared vision for the future and involves significant community consultation and engagement. It’s important that we take the time to gather input and feedback from all stakeholders in our community including residents, businesses, associations, clubs, and other organizations. The first of two community engagement phases was completed in 2022 and the outcomes of that engagement are found in a What We Heard Report found here. The second phase of engagement is expected to begin in late spring of 2023.

Following each engagement phase, City staff will process the data collected, identify trends, conduct research, and continue building the plan. It is expected that the final plan, The Shape of Our Community, will be ready for final review by the community and City Council by the end of 2023.

All municipal policies, plans and regulations must be in alignment with the MDP, so it is an important decision-making tool for Council. An effective MDP provides clear direction but also allows for changes and updates based on evolving circumstances. In this way, the MDP is often considered a "living document".

The plan provides a policy framework to guide and shape growth in the city. It provides direction on future land use, development, urban design, transportation, and other service areas. Typically, topics include:

• Future land use patterns
• Growth management
• Urban form and design
• Economic development
• Heritage preservation
• Environmental management
• Housing and neighbourhood design
• Commercial and industrial development
• Parks, recreation, and culture
• Community and protective services
• Transportation
• Utilities

Once finalized, the MDP will be used by many different groups, organizations, and stakeholders when it comes to planning future development and incorporating our values and preferences into decision-making.

City Council will use it to understand the community’s aspirations and goals for the future and make decisions about new developments, land use, and amenities. City staff will use it to evaluate subdivision and development applications, coordinate future expansion of services and programming such as transportation networks, utility planning and community infrastructure and amenities.  Development professionals (architects, planners, engineers, landscape architects, etc.) will use it when planning neighbourhoods, applying for development permits, and identifying environmentally sensitive areas. Business owners and residents will use it to gain a better understanding of local issues, future growth plans and what changes they can expect to see in the city and their neighbourhood.

Yes, the current MDP Your Bright Future was adopted in July 2010. A progress report was released in 2015.