At its meeting on Feb. 24, Cold Lake City Council voted in favour of adding a definition of a temporary project accommodation, and regulations for such a development, to the city’s Land Use Bylaw, should an application for such a development be submitted in the future.

While the discussion was prompted by talk of a possible workcamp in the community to accommodate the labour that will be needed for planned upgrades on 4 Wing Cold Lake, no application has yet been made. Billions of dollars’ worth of federal projects that will take more than a decade to build are planned in the area in what is described as a once-in-a-generation federal defence spend. This investment will bring a significant influx of both permanent residents and temporary workers.

Staff noted that avoiding adding a definition and regulations that would encompass potential workcamps could have unintended consequences. 

“People have a right to develop land that they own in accordance with the land use rules,” Mayor Bob Mattice said. “In this case, we would not want a situation where a workcamp was established but then regulated as a hotel or other such development because we lacked the appropriate definitions and classifications.” 

The City is readying itself with options to manage growth and maximize business opportunities in the community. The changes to the city’s Land Use Bylaw bring what would commonly be called a workcamp under a new definition of a “Temporary Project Accommodation,” and ensure that such developments can only occur on parcels of land zoned as Direct Control.

Direct Control zoning requires a motion of Council to approve a development and sets the conditions and regulations to which the development must adhere. It is the strictest form of zoning, allowing for the most oversight by the municipality. 

“Council appreciates our administration’s forward-thinking nature and the fact that we have planned for this possibility in advance of an application,” Mattice said. “This ensures that the changes to the Land Use Bylaw are measured, and not a last-minute reaction to a situation we did not anticipate.”