M.D. OF BONNYVILLE – Five parcels of municipally owned land around Moose Lake and Muriel Lake are getting their official reserve designations back, decades after those protections were removed from their land titles.

M.D. of Bonnyville council gave second and third readings to Bylaw No. 1943 during its October 27 regular meeting, approving the designation of four properties as environmental reserve and one as municipal reserve.

The decision doesn’t create new parks or transfer ownership of any land. Instead, it corrects a longstanding issue with how the properties are legally classified.

How did the designations disappear?

The issue emerged while the M.D. administration worked on its Municipal Reserve and Environmental Reserve Education Campaign.

During that work, staff identified five properties originally designated as reserve lands that no longer carried those designations.

According to administration, the designations were removed through historical subdivision processes in 1981 and 1983.

Despite the change in legal status, the properties remained under M.D. ownership and continued to be used for reserve-related purposes.

The new bylaw brings their official land titles back in line with how the municipality has been managing the properties.

What’s the difference between municipal and environmental reserve?

While both designations involve land held for public purposes, they serve different roles.

Municipal reserve land can be used for public parks, recreation areas, open spaces and buffers between different land uses.

Environmental reserve land is intended to protect environmentally sensitive areas, particularly shorelines, wetlands, drainage areas and land vulnerable to flooding or erosion.

The environmental designation helps preserve natural features, reduce pollution risk, and protect areas where development may not be appropriate.

In this case, the M.D. is restoring municipal reserve status to one parcel near Moose Lake, measuring approximately 1.5 acres.

Three additional parcels around Moose Lake and one near Muriel Lake will receive environmental reserve designations.

The municipality says the designations will help protect the lands for their intended long-term purposes.

What happens to the properties now?

For residents, the most important distinction is that these lands were already publicly owned.

Council isn’t purchasing additional property or announcing new recreational developments.

The change ensures the legal protections match the properties’ existing purposes.

Under Alberta’s Municipal Government Act, municipalities can designate land they already own as municipal or environmental reserve through a bylaw.

With Bylaw No. 1943 approved, administration can now submit the necessary documentation to Alberta Land Titles to formally register the designations.

Once that process is complete, the M.D. will also update its land inventory, mapping system and planning records.

No public concerns received

Council gave the bylaw first reading on September 22, 2026.

The proposal was subsequently advertised on the M.D.’s website beginning October 2, and administration reported receiving no concerns.

A public hearing was not required because the municipality is retaining ownership of the properties and is not proposing to sell, lease or dispose of them.

The decision involves no major project costs. The existing Planning and Development operating budget will cover minor land-title registration and documentation expenses.

With council’s final approval, the five parcels can have their reserve designations restored, formally recognizing the public and environmental purposes they have served for decades.