The Regional Policy Statement (RPS) provides an overview of the resource management issues of Canterbury. It sets out how natural and physical resources are to be managed in an integrated way with the aim of sustainable management. This means providing for the needs of current and future generations, aiming to improve the quality of the environment.
Section 368 of the Resource Management Act 1991 provides for certain existing instruments such as bylaws, water quality classifications to become a Transitional Regional Plan. The instruments are set out in this plan, together with the type of consent required in terms of the Resource Management Act 1991 as defined in Section 369.