AbstractsBusiness Management & Administration

Alberta regional plans aim to integrate the management of water, land, air and biodiversity resources. Designing a process that balances various interests and reaches consensus is essential for these plans. This research aims to understand the procedural justices in the context of the process of developing the Alberta regional plans by exploring the perception of the stakeholders involved in various levels of the regional planning process, with focus on water issues and challenges. The research is based on an analysis of data from three sources: policy documents, in-depth interviews, and opinions posted on various blogs and web sites expressing public opinion. Grounded theory uses a combination of thematic analysis and content analysis and was used for this research. The analysis revealed that procedural justice should be improved in three main parts of the planning process: the plan’s design, the public consultation process, and the decision making process.