Functional responsibility:
The Provincial Planning Board was initially established as the Town and Rural Advisory Planning Board in the Town Planning Act. The board was created to assist the minister charged with the Act. At this time the Act provided that towns, on a voluntary basis, could prepare a land-use plan. This plan then had to be approved by the minister. The minister would also hear appeals concerning land-use plans. The board assisted the minister with these functions.

In 1953, a new Town and Rural Planning Act, 1953 clearly defined the functions of the Provincial Planning Advisory Board (S.A. 1953, c. 113). Under this statute, the board would administer surveys and conduct studies, hear and decide on appeals arising out of local authority planning decisions, provide consultative services to Alberta local authorities, make grants to local authorities for planning purposes, and provide a supervisory role in relation to district planning commissions.

Predecessor and Successor Bodies:
The function of land-use planning began in 1913 with the enactment of the Town Planning Act (S.A. 1913, c. 18). With the proclamation of the Municipal Government Act, the Alberta Assessment Appeal Board, Alberta Planning Board, and Local Authorities Board were combined to become the Municipal Government Board.

Administrative Relationships:
In 1934, legislation transferred the jurisdiction of the Act and the board from the Minister of Municipal Affairs to the Minister of Public Works. The Act was transferred back to the jurisdiction of the Minister of Municipal Affairs in 1948 through an amendment to the statute.

Administrative Structure:
In 1953, the Provincial Planning Advisory Board consisted of representatives of departments of the provincial government concerned with urban and rural development within Alberta. The Lieutenant Governor in Council appointed the members, as well as a director of town and rural planning, who was the executive member of the board.

In the Planning Act, the Provincial Planning Advisory Board was renamed the Provincial Planning Board, and consisted of the provincial planning director, a chair, and other members (S.A. 1963, c. 43). The Lieutenant Governor in Council appointed all the members other than the director, who was appointed in accordance with the Public Service Act. At this time, ministers of the Crown could not be appointed to the board.

Names of the Corporate bodies:
The Town and Rural Planning Advisory Board became the Provincial Planning Advisory Board in an amendment to the Town Planning Act (S.A. Chapter 71, 1950). The Provincial Planning Advisory Board became the Provincial Planning Board in the 1963 statute. The Provincial Planning Board would later be referred to as Alberta Planning Board in annual reports for the Department of Municipal Affairs.

Names of Chief Officers:
Chairs of the Town and Rural Planning Advisory Board
Oran L. McPherson 1929-1934
Richard Gavin Reid 1934
John J. MacLellan 1934-1935
William A. Fallow 1935-1948
Clarence Edgar Gerhart 1948-1950

Chairs of the Provincial Planning Advisory Board
Clarence Edgar Gerhart 1950-1953
Edgar W. Hinman 1954-1955
Alfred John Hooke 1955-1958
John H. Holloway 1958-1963

Chairs of the Provincial Planning Board
John H. Holloway 1963-1965
Angus Wylie Morrison 1965-1973
William Donald Isbister 1973-1984
Archie Ray Grover 1984-1993