Land use planning and permitting in national parks and national park reserves
Land use planning services fees
Fees for the issuance of authorizations, permits, and other land use planning administration services.
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Parks Canada has a robust review process in place to guide decisions related to development and construction projects. In limited areas where development may be permitted, such as park communities, the process exists to ensure protection of the park’s ecological and commemorative integrity and to improve and enhance services for visitors and residents of the park. For areas outside of national parks and national park reserves, please consult your local Parks Canada office for information on land use permits.
About the land use permit application review process
Most construction and development activities in national parks and national park reserves require permits issued under the authority of the Land Use Planning Regulations. Only existing land use agreement holders may apply for a permit on leased or licenced lands.
Applications are reviewed against all applicable legislation, regulations, plans and policies to confirm the proposed work is in the interest of the park, demonstrates appropriate mitigation measures and principles of environmental stewardship and heritage conservation.
How to apply for a permit
Before submitting an application for a permit, make sure to:
- familiarize yourself with these two important documents:
- National Parks of Canada Land Use Planning Regulations: the regulatory framework that ensures land use proposals, construction projects, and renovation activities are assessed in a rigorous and transparent manner
- Guidelines on the Administration of the Land Use Planning Regulations: a process document which describes how to administer the land use planning process in accordance with the LUPR
- review the steps involved in the permit application review process
- reach out to your local Parks Canada staff to discuss preliminary project plans
- submit an application package with all required documents and any applicable fees
If your project takes place in more than one national park or national park reserve, contact your local Parks Canada staff to confirm requirements.
Stages of the permit application review process
In this section
- Optional: Pre-application meeting
- Stage 1: Development permit review
- Stage 2: Building permit review
- Stage 3: Project completion
Optional: Pre-application meeting
Before submitting your permit application, it's recommended to meet with local Parks Canada staff to discuss your project proposal. At the meeting, you will be expected to share the basic details of your proposal so staff can understand the scope of work, identify application requirements, and answer any questions about the process, including timelines and fees. Meeting with staff early on can improve your application and reduce any back-and-forth that may cause delays.
For inquiries about your proposed project, please contact the local Parks Canada office where your project is located.
Stage 1: Development permit review
In this stage, your proposed project is reviewed to ensure it aligns with Parks Canada's plans and policies. This includes checking that your project meets design, location, and built form requirements. Depending on your project, this stage may involve consultation with Indigenous peoples, public engagement, and an assessment of potential environmental and cultural impacts. You can find more details on the impact assessment process in the Guide to the Parks Canada Process under the Impact Assessment Act.
It's a good idea to contact your local Parks Canada office ahead of time to learn about submission requirements before you prepare your application package for a development permit as requirements for a submission package may vary depending on the proposal.
Stage 2: Building permit review
After receiving your development permit, you can apply for a building permit, if required.
A building permit is necessary for any project involving work regulated by safety codes. If Parks Canada determines that a building permit isn't needed, you can move on to the project completion stage.
To apply for a building permit, you'll need to submit detailed construction plans, technical specifications, and reports to Parks Canada. They may also require a building code review by a certified professional from your province or territory. Parks Canada may require that this professional inspect your project at different stages, like the foundation, framing, and completion stages.
If the superintendent confirms that your project meets all safety codes and any applicable legislation, they may then issue a building permit. Where a building permit is required, it must be approved and issued prior to starting any work.
Stage 3: Project completion
The final phase in the permit review process is obtaining a Certificate of Completion, which may include authorization to occupy the land, building, or structure. You cannot occupy a newly built or installed building until the superintendent has issued an occupancy authorization.
Once you've finished your project, notify Parks Canada and provide any required inspection reports. If the superintendent is satisfied that your project meets all the terms and conditions of the development and building permits, as well as any other approvals, they may then issue a Certificate of Completion.
Need more information or assistance?
If you need additional information or assistance, it's best to contact the local staff responsible for the location of your project. If the location of your proposed work is not listed, please use the Find A National Park tool.
Kootenay National Park
Email: llyklotissementsurbains-llyktownsites@pc.gc.ca
For more information, see their local website.
Lake Louise Village (in Banff National Park)
Email: llyklotissementsurbains-llyktownsites@pc.gc.ca
For more information, see their local website.
Yoho National Park (including Field)
Email: llyklotissementsurbains-llyktownsites@pc.gc.ca
For more information, see their local website.
Jasper National Park
Email: developpementjasper-jasperdevelopment@pc.gc.ca
For more information, see their local website.
Prince Albert National Park (including Waskesiu)
Email: Waskesiuadmin@pc.gc.ca
For more information, see their local website.
Riding Mountain National Park (including Wasagaming)
Email: RMNP.Development@pc.gc.ca
For more information, see their local website.
Waterton Lakes National Park
Email: immobilierwaterton-watertonrealty@pc.gc.ca
For more information, see their local website.
Banff National Park (excluding the Town of Banff and Lake Louise Village)
Email: banffpark.development-banffpark.developpement@pc.gc.ca
For technical support, general questions about the land use permitting process at Parks Canada, or to provide feedback, please email: permits-permis@pc.gc.ca.
Land Use Planning Framework
Framework narrative — Text version
The image depicts a hierarchy of different legal and policy instruments that provide the framework of how land use planning is implemented from the national scale to the local scale. An arrow on the left indicates a gradient from "Less specific" at the top to "More specific" at the bottom to indicate the level of specificity in each document. The diagram from top to bottom shows the following:
- Legislation (for example, Canadian National Parks Act) is at the top of the hierarchy and is the least specific, providing broad legal authority, principles and frameworks.
- Regulation (for example, National Parks of Canada Land Use Planning Regulations) follows, offering more detailed and specific rules on how to implement the broad principles laid out in legislation.
- Management Plans (for example, Banff National Park Management Plan) follow and provide a long-term vision for a specific Parks Canada administered place.
- Community Plans and Area Guidelines (for example, Waterton Community Plan) then provide detailed and specific guidance for particular areas or communities which are located within parks, and help implement objectives identified in Management Plans.
- Local Land Use Policies (for example, Town of Jasper Land Use Policy) are at the bottom of the hierarchy, representing the most specific level, focusing on very particular provisions related to a specific place or area.
There is an arrow on the left that shows an increasing specificity as you move down the hierarchy, from national to local scales.
- The Guidelines on the administration of National Parks of Canada Land Use Planning Regulations are on the right of the hierarchy. The positioning of this document shows how the guidelines are the document which guides the application of regulations within the overarching framework.
Parks Canada administered places have unique characteristics, which are reflected in the detailed principles, objectives, goals, and priorities outlined in various guiding documents for land use management. This graphic shows the regulatory and policy framework that guides local land use planning and permitting decisions. From top to bottom, documents range from less specific (for example, legislation that applies nationally) to more specific requirements (for example, policies specific to one townsite).
All proposed projects must demonstrate they are in the interest of the park and in compliance with all local plans and land use policies. The Land Use Planning Regulations, under the Canada National Parks Act, provide the legal framework for approving development and construction projects in national parks and national park reserves. These regulations set minimum assessment criteria, list exceptions, describe enforcement rules and specify application requirements.
It is important for applicants to review the Land Use Planning Regulations (LUPR) and Guidelines before submitting your application.
Guidelines on the Land Use Planning Regulations
The guidelines help facilitate a consistent, transparent, and decision-making process for planning permit applications. Before applying for permits and contacting Parks Canada, you should review these guidelines to understand the general process.
The guidelines inform how Parks Canada applies the Land Use Planning Regulations within national parks and national park reserves. They include information on:
- when you need permits for construction, renovation, and other land use projects
- how Parks Canada evaluates and makes decisions on permit applications
- the process for obtaining other types of planning authorizations
- how fees are administered and what service standards apply to land use planning services
- how Parks Canada enforces and ensures compliance with its decisions
It is important to note that local places may have additional processes and requirements in order to reflect their unique local contexts, and you should always verify requirements with local Parks Canada staff.
Read the guidelines on Open Government.
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