A pilot project in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland will reduce red tape and streamline regulatory approvals to help attract new investment and create good jobs for Albertans. The Designated Industrial Zone, or DIZ, aims to make industry operating in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland more competitive by addressing application backlogs, increasing efficiency and transparency, and supporting economic development, while achieving environmental outcomes. Several important initiatives are in place or well underway in the Designated Industrial Zone, including:
- a streamlined renewal process for Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act approvals, reducing timelines from an average of 18 months to six months
- an applicant advisory service to help proponents of major new projects navigate the unique and streamlined processes that apply in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland
- identifying opportunities to improve baseline environmental knowledge and address data gaps through improved monitoring and enhanced environmental modeling
- increasing standards for air pollution abatement equipment
The Industrial Heartland Designated Industrial Zone framework is on track to be formally implemented on October 1, 2022. Following the end of the pilot phase in September 2024, the government will assess lessons learned and best practices to determine how they could be applied to other potential designated industrial zones in Alberta.
Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3D596Wm
