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(City / Conservation / Consultation / Engagement / Indigenous / Land Use / Park / Policy / Regional / Resource / Strategic / Urban / Watershed) Planner
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.
Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.
2006 NOC
2006 NOC-S
2011 NOC
2016 NOC
2021 NOC
2023 OaSIS
Community planners support civic leaders, industry sectors, and citizens to envision, develop, and realize new possibilities. They focus on:
Duties therefore vary widely. In general, community planners prepare policies and statutory plans, community plans, strategic plans or policies, and land use bylaws. They regulate and guide community development by:
Most planners work standard office hours in an office environment. Occasionally, they may work evenings or weekends to meet project deadlines or attend meetings. These could include consultation with other professionals or with stakeholders.
Planners often are expected to make site visits to locations proposed for development, redevelopment, conservation, or other uses.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2006 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Interest in synthesizing information to review and evaluate proposals for land use and development plans and prepare recommendations, and to develop long-range objectives for future land use
Interest in precision working to prepare land development concepts and proposals for presentation to civic, rural and regional authorities; and in holding public meetings to present plans, proposals and studies to the general public and special interest groups
Interest in supervising and co-ordinating the work of urban planning technicians and technologists; and in processing applications for land development permits and administering land use plans and zoning by-laws
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.
A Quick Guide
You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.
The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.
The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.
Community planners need:
They should enjoy synthesizing information, developing innovative proposals, and presenting plans and proposals. They should be comfortable collaborating with others.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 28 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Feb 11, 2022 and Dec 20, 2024.
Review these skills to learn:
| Experience: 3 years to less than 5 years | 12 |
|---|---|
| Health benefits: Vision care benefits | 12 |
| Health benefits: Health care plan | 12 |
| Health benefits: Dental plan | 12 |
| Other benefits: Paid time off (volunteering or personal days) | 10 |
| Green Job: Involves duties and responsibilities that lead to positive environmental outcomes | 9 |
| Personal Suitability: Team player | 8 |
| Personal Suitability: Effective interpersonal skills | 8 |
| Personal Suitability: Reliability | 8 |
| Personal Suitability: Organized | 8 |
Planning requires knowledge in diverse fields, including:
For this reason, planners may come from a variety of academic backgrounds. Some have a master’s of planning (M.Plan) degree or equivalent. Others have a bachelor of arts (BA) or bachelor of science (B.Sc.) degree in planning or a related discipline. Related fields could include urban studies, urban and regional planning, or geography.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
To expand or narrow your program options, visit Post-Secondary Programs and start your search with:
Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.
Certain professional titles or duties within this occupation are protected by provincial legislation. Requirements vary if you use these titles or perform these duties.
The related legislation is shown below. If there are multiple related legislations, select a certification heading to learn about each one.
Community planners study the social, economic, political and physical conditions of urban and rural communities, and lead efforts to adapt to and manage forces that affect communities, regional landscapes and resources.
Registered Professional Planner is a protected title under Alberta’s Professional and Occupational Associations Registration Act [pdf] and Professional Planner Regulation [pdf]. This means that to call yourself a Registered Professional Planner or RPP, you must be a certified and registered member of the Alberta Professional Planners Institute (APPI).
For information on what you need and other details, visit the certification profile Community Planner.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Community planners may work for:
Experienced planners may advance to management positions such as planning director. Planning directors supervise other planners, advise and assist in developing policies, and may serve on planning boards.
This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Urban and land use planners
2016 NOC: 2153
76.8% of people in this occupational group work in:
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
This section shows the short-term demand forecasted for this occupation in Alberta over a 3-year period. It also shows the number of people employed in the occupation.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2023-2025 Alberta Short-Term Employment Forecast
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
To see data for all occupations, visit Occupations in Demand.
This section shows the employment outlook for this occupation in Alberta over a 5-year period.
Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Annual growth is from 2021 to 2025. New positions created each year are in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
Good Reliability, represents a CV of between 6.01% and 15.00% and/or fewer than 30 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 50% of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $24.04 | $57.41 | $41.29 | $39.86 |
| Overall | $31.73 | $70.06 | $51.60 | $49.79 |
| Top | $39.50 | $89.67 | $61.49 | $64.62 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $99,823 |
|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific & Technical Services | $104,014 |
| Public Administration | $100,319 |
Alberta Professional Planners Institute website: www.albertaplanners.com
Canadian Institute of Planners website: www.cip-icu.ca
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 31, 2020. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.
