Development Incentive Policy Advisory

Prepared for the Town of Stony Plain, Alberta

UPL1FT supported the Town of Stony Plain in modernizing its development incentive framework through research, stakeholder engagement, and comparative municipal analysis.

Engagement Context

The Town initiated a review of its Commercial, Industrial, and Multi-Unit Residential Infill Policy to ensure alignment with evolving civic priorities and market conditions.

Objectives included strengthening housing diversity, encouraging infill and redevelopment, improving non-residential tax base growth, and enhancing clarity and usability of development incentives.

UPL1FT was retained through a formal municipal Request for Proposals process to provide independent policy advisory services prior to Council consideration of an updated Development Incentive Policy.

Diagram illustrating the policy development process with five steps: existing policy review, incorporate best practices, engage stakeholders and staff, structured policy evaluation, and create council-ready framework, represented with icons and a spiral graphic.

UPL1FT’s Role

UPL1FT served as policy and development advisor, supporting Administration in evaluating and restructuring development incentives prior to Council adoption.

Scope included:

  • Review of the existing incentive and infill policy framework

  • Comparative analysis of peer municipal programs

  • Structured engagement with staff, developers, and stakeholders

  • Development of a revised incentive framework aligned with local objectives

  • Advisory support through Council consideration

The engagement prioritized policy clarity, administrative usability, and alignment with Stony Plain’s development context.

Diagram titled 'Upstream Policy Advisory Positioning Diagram' with three sections: 'UPL1FTZone, Policy Analysis and Decision Support,' 'Downstream, Policy Adoption,' and 'Downstream, Implementation.' Blue icons depict process stages, including policy analysis, policy transition, council consideration, and administration of incentives, connected by flow arrows.

 

“The structured evaluation approach provided a clear, defensible basis for discussing development incentives at Council, without positioning the work as a final recommendation.”
— Municipal Economic Development Staff
“The ability to adjust priorities by development type helped balance economic and community considerations without oversimplifying the policy discussion.”
— Town Administration
Flowchart of the integrated policy advisory framework development process with four steps: Policy and Market Research, Comparative Best Practice Review, Structured Stakeholder and Staff Engagement, and Council-Ready Policy Advisory. Each step includes subpoints such as baseline understanding, peer benchmarking, applied input, and framework for decision.

Methodological Approach

This assignment represented the first structured evaluation of the Town’s development incentive framework.

It integrated:

  • Policy and market analysis

  • Comparative municipal review

  • Structured stakeholder and staff engagement

Research findings and engagement feedback were combined to assess policy performance, identify gaps, and align incentives with Stony Plain’s housing, infill, and economic development objectives.

Policy Outcomes

Following this engagement, the Town of Stony Plain adopted Development Incentive Policy C-CAO-067 through its Council process.

The updated policy establishes a structured framework for evaluating and administering incentives across housing, infill, and business development priorities.

Public Policy Reference
Development Incentive Policy C-CAO-067, Town of Stony Plain