Career Overview
Urban and land use planners develop plans and recommend policies for managing land use, physical facilities and associated services for urban and rural areas and remote regions.
People in this career work for all levels of government, land developers, engineering and other consulting companies, or as private consultants.
Duties
Urban and land use planners perform the following duties:
- Compile and analyze data affecting land use, such as demographics, economics, law, politics, culture, sociological factors and physical characteristics
- Meet with civic leaders, social scientists, lawyers, land developers, the public and special interest groups and municipal, provincial and federal authorities to develop land use and community plans
- Prepare and recommend land development concepts and plans for zoning, subdivisions, transportation, public utilities, community facilities, parks and agricultural and other land uses
- Prepare plans for environmental protection, such as wildlife preserves, protection of watersheds and national and provincial parks
- Present plans to civic, rural and regional authorities
- Hold public meetings to present plans, proposals or planning studies to the general public and special interest groups
- Review and evaluate proposals for land use and development plans
- Prepare recommendations for land use and development plans
- Process applications for land development permits
- Carry out land use plans and zoning by-laws
- Plan long-range goals and policies regarding future land use and the protection of the environment
- Supervise and coordinate work of urban planning technicians and technologists
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
2,935% Employed Full Time
74%Work in this occupation is typically performed in a structured environment, such as an office.
Career Pathways
Promotion to management positions in planning is possible with experience.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
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For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Job Titles
Education, Training and Skills
- A bachelor's degree in urban and regional planning, geography, architecture, engineering or a related discipline is required
- A master's degree in one of these disciplines may be required
- Membership in the Canadian Institute of Planners is usually required
- Membership in a provincial planning institute may be required in some provinces
- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification is offered by the Canada Green Building Council and may be required by some employers
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Geography (Arts)
- Geography/Earth Sciences Related
- Architecture
- Community and Regional Planning (Science)
- Community and Regional Planning (Arts)
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations and the environment will affect outcomes.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, while meeting the goals of the system.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
2,935Employment by Region
Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
---|---|---|
Cariboo | 60 | 2.0% |
Kootenay | 95 | 3.2% |
Mainland/Southwest | 1,810 | 61.7% |
North Coast and Nechako | 50 | 1.7% |
Northeast | 35 | 1.2% |
Thompson-Okanagan | 215 | 7.3% |
Vancouver Island/Coast | 665 | 22.7% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2023-2033)
1,140Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2023-2033)
Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
---|---|---|
Cariboo | 20 | -0.3% |
Kootenay | 30 | 0.6% |
Mainland/Southwest | 670 | 1.2% |
North Coast and Nechako | 10 | 0.1% |
Northeast | 10 | -0.2% |
Thompson-Okanagan | 90 | 1.4% |
Vancouver Island/Coast | 330 | 1.8% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
Industry | Job Openings (2023-2033) |
---|---|
Public Administration | 560 |
Professional, Scientific And Technical Services | 260 |
Transportation And Warehousing | 70 |
Information, Culture And Recreation | 40 |
Construction | 40 |
Resources
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Canadian Association of Certified Planning Technicians (CACPT)cacpt.org
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Canadian Association of Planning Students (CAPS)www.caps-aceau.org/en
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Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP)www.cip-icu.ca
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Canadian Journal of Urban Research (CJUR)www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/ius-canadian-journal-of-urban-research
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Canadian Urban Institute (CUI)www.canurb.org
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CivicInfoBC – Careerswww.civicinfo.bc.ca/16.asp
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CivicJobs.cawww.civicjobs.ca/index.asp
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Planning Institute of British Columbia (PIBC) – Job Postingswww.pibc.bc.ca/content/current-job-postings