British Columbia Planning Law and Practice

William A. Buholzer, B.A., M.A. (Planning), LL.B., practiced local government law in Vancouver for 33 years, focusing on the law of planning and land use management, environmental law and building regulation, while providing opinions on a broad range of local governance issues.

Mr. Buholzer has an M.A. in Community and Regional Planning from the University of British Columbia, and worked in the planning profession in Alberta and British Columbia before returning to U.B.C. for a law degree. He is a member of the Planning Institute of B.C. and the College of Fellows of the Canadian Institute of Planners.

He was extensively involved in professional development activities for planners throughout his legal career, including frequent seminars and courses sponsored by the Simon Fraser University City Program, the Planning Institute of B.C., the Local Government Management Association, and numerous local governments and community-based organizations. Mr. Buholzer has taught planning law at the School of Community and Regional Planning at U.B.C. and at Vancouver Island University. He is the author of British Columbia Planning Law and Practice, a legal practice manual for planners published by LexisNexis Canada in 2001 and updated regularly, and Local Government: A British Columbia Legal Handbook, published by the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia. He authored the Planning and Zoning title in Halsbury’s Laws of Canada. He is a past chair of the Municipal Law Section of the B.C. Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, and has served on the executive of the CBA’s National Municipal Law Section.

In 2025 Mr. Buholzer was the recipient of the CBA’s Award of Excellence in Municipal Law.