More than 60 per cent of Alberta’s land mass is public land, which means it is not privately owned, held by the federal government for a national park, held by the provincial government for a provincial park, or First Nations reserve lands. Much of our province’s oil and gas activity takes place on public land. As Alberta continues to grow and prosper, the amount of oil and gas activity on our public lands will also grow. The Public Lands Act is provincial legislation that ensures that oil and gas activity—as well as other land-use activity—on public land is done in a way that is safe and orderly and that protects the land for future generations. The Responsible Energy Development Act gives us the authority to administer parts of the Public Lands Act. We are responsible for administering the Public Lands Act as it relates to approving public land use for oil, gas, oil sands, and coal activity. Simply stated, this authority allows us to regulate the entire life cycle of an energy resource project on public land. We Read our fact sheet for more information about how we regulate energy resource development under the Public Lands Act. Explaining Land-Use Dispositions The following are the types of formal dispositions that a company may request from us: See the Public Lands Administration Regulation (PLAR) for more detailed information on formal dispositions. Our Public Lands Act responsibilities are specific to energy development. AEP holds authority over all other sectors (agricultural, commercial, industrial, etc.) and is responsible for policy, regulation, and legislation development regarding use of public land. Please note that we do not accept a renewal application if a disposition has expired. Companies with an expired disposition should email @email. Submit an Application Companies must apply through OneStop for a new formal disposition or to renew or amend an existing one. Review timelines depend on whether an application requires only an automated (baseline) review or also requires a manual review. Factors that determine the level of review include the disposition type, purpose, and activity. Companies must also use OneStop to apply for a regulator temporary field authorization (RTF; previously temporary field authorization [TFA]). However, the Temporary Field Authorization form, available on AEP’s website, must continue to be used when applying for a temporary field authorization for waivers or reclamation work. In preparing their disposition applications, companies are encouraged to use the Energy Development Planning Tool (EDPT) to If a wildlife survey is required, companies must include it in their submission. We may also request all wildlife survey documentation at any time. Other Information to Include Public Lands Act applications must also include Note: we do not review or approve oil sands exploration programs, coal exploration programs, and geophysical applications under this process. Please see Table A2 in the PLAR for more information. Review Process Term Timelines Amendment Applications Companies must use the following application processes and forms when applying for development under the Public Lands Act. Please be aware that forms may be removed from this page as we continue to transfer application processes to OneStop. Application Business Processes Forms Many of these forms are hosted by Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP). Visit the AEP's Forms page for more information. We will consider a commercial user’s request to use a road licensed to another person in relation to an energy resource activity if they are unable to reach an agreement for use with the licence holder. We have this authority under section 98 of the Public Lands Administration Regulation and under the Specified Enactments (Jurisdiction) Regulation. Who can file a request? How to File a Request Alberta Energy Regulator We may dismiss the request if the information is insufficient or if we consider it How to Withdraw a Request Our Dispute Resolution Process We will consider a commercial user’s request to use a road licensed to another person in relation to an energy resource activity if they are unable to reach an agreement for use with the licence holder. We have this authority under section 98 of the Public Lands Administration Regulation and under the Specified Enactments (Jurisdiction) Regulation. Who can file a request? How to File a Request Alberta Energy Regulator We may dismiss the request if the information is insufficient or if we consider it How to Withdraw a Request Our Dispute Resolution ProcessWhat We Regulate Under the Act
Companies wanting to use public land must apply to us for a “formal disposition.” In doing so, the company is expressing its interest in developing resources—in a specific way—on public land for a period of time.What We Don’t Regulate
Application Process
Additional Information
A new disposition will be granted an initial term of up to 25 years. Upon an amendment or renewal of a disposition, a term of up to 25 years will be considered. Pipelines are exceptions and are not given a specific tenure term. Depending on the purpose and disposition type, the term is subject to change.
Companies that submit amendment applications should note the following:
A commercial user (as defined in the Public Lands Administration Regulation) may file an application if they
Commercial users must follow these steps to file a request:
Law Branch, Road-Use Disputes
Suite 1000, 250 – 5 Street SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 0R4
If a commercial user decides to withdraw their request, a letter of withdrawal must be sent to the above address.
After we have reviewed the request,
A commercial user (as defined in the Public Lands Administration Regulation) may file an application if they
Commercial users must follow these steps to file a request:
Law Branch, Road-Use Disputes
Suite 1000, 250 – 5 Street SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 0R4
If a commercial user decides to withdraw their request, a letter of withdrawal must be sent to the above address.
After we have reviewed the request,