Municipal Affairs is reviewing the Land and Property Rights Tribunal (LPRT).
In a release on March 4, Minister Richard McIver announced that an external consultant has been hired to "review the LPRT business processes to ensure they are effective and responsive to the needs of Albertans."
"Albertans’ property rights are a top priority for our government," said McIver, in the release. "That's why we have brought in an external consultant to review the business processes of the LPRT. This review will help ensure that the LPRT is effective, responsive and accessible when Albertans need them the most.”
The release notes that "land ownership and property rights" are pillars of "a free and prosperous society" and are valued by Albertans.
"The LPRT holds an important role in ensuring Albertans’ property rights are protected by ensuring a fair and impartial appeal process for property assessments, surface rights, compensation, land use planning and other matters that affect land ownership and the municipalities where they live," notes the release.
The consultant will, as part of the review, engage with municipalities, developers, industry groups, assessors, and other parties while also checking the LPRT's performance and effectiveness related to its mandate, goals and outcomes.
"A cooperative and functional relationship between landowners, energy companies, and the Alberta Government is critical to the success of both our agricultural and energy industries," said Spencer Hilton, chair of the Wheatland and Area Surface Rights Society.
The general public will be able to participate in the review through a public survey available online until March 30.
The LPRT was created in 2018 with the merger of the Municipal Government Board, the New Home Buyer Protection Board and the Surface Rights Board.
While the province regularly reviews the boards in its purview, this will be the first such review of the LPRT.
