Saskatchewan: Change without direction

Saskatchewan represents the “null case.” Geographically remote, with a relatively backward provincial economy, there is a political consensus spanning all major parties around the idea that resources should be used to promote economic development. As a result, the provincial land use planning framework has not had to grapple with the complexities introduced into the other provinces by competing resource industries or a strong environmental movement. Changes are observed but, unlike the changes introduced by the endogenous processes of layering, drift or conversion, they lack direction. Lacking these fundamental drivers, even the appearance of new ideas fails to precipitate change in the direction of greater integration. The result is a disorganized mix of planning instruments that, as of yet, are not perceived as an obstacle to the overriding goal of economic development.