In the rural areas of the Province of Alberta, the road allowances, which are owned by the Crown, are under the direction, control, and management of the municipality (Municipal Government Act, Section 18). Municipal Rights-of-Way Bylaw No. 1400 contains penalty provisions for any person, corporation, and other entities that fail to obtain municipal consent or fail to comply with terms and conditions of that consent.

Individuals should use the application form provided.  Corporate bodies may choose to submit the application in letter form that contains reasons as well as plans and specifications for the installation. You may download the following application form:

Utility Installation Application Form

The application should contain the reason for the project as well as plans and specifications (e.g. size of the pipe, proposed depth of ground cover, etc.). A sketch plan must be part of the application. If the proposed route is not surveyed, the plan should show where the road allowance will be affected in relation to some point of reference (e.g. intersection, farm/field access, etc.). The plan should be drawn to scale with measurements being as accurate as possible.

If the application is approved, a Memorandum of Agreement must be executed with the Municipal District prior to the commencement of the project.  The agreements for the various utilities are accessible through the links listed below.

If the applicant is agreeable with the terms of the applicable agreement, the application may be approved by the Municipal Utilities Officer. If a variance of any of the provisions is desired, the applicant should so indicate on the application and it must be then referred to Council for a decision.

Municipal Utility Requirements:

Power Lines: Overhead or underground, must be installed in accordance with Electrical Safety Codes and Regulations, as well as adhere to any other conditions of approval the Municipal District may require. Although somewhat standardized, these additional conditions are determined on a case-by-case basis. 

Water/Irrigation Pipelines: The owner shall assume responsibility for payments of all costs associated with meeting the requirements of the Water Act and Regulations. For more information, visit: Alberta Water Act

Water wells, if constructed within municipal setbacks will require a development permit that allows the development by granting a variance of the setback (see Development Department). Required setbacks are as follows: 22.9 meters (75 feet) from the right-of-way boundary of any developed or undeveloped public roadway, not designated as a numbered highway under the Public Highway Development Act. An additional permit from Alberta Transportation may be required for any installation within 300 meters (1000 feet) of a numbered highway.

Applications can be submitted at md26@mdwillowcreek.com