Strengthening Adaptive Capacity in Two Canadian Provinces: ADAPTool analysis of selected mining policies in Manitoba and Saskatchewan

The report evaluates mining policies in Manitoba and Saskatchewan to determine if they support planned climate adaptation and possess the autonomous capacity to respond to unanticipated changes. Using the ADAPTool, the analysis identifies gaps in transportation and building-related adaptation, a lack of foresight methods like scenario planning, and a reliance on outdated historical baselines. While environmental assessment acts scored highly for their breadth and stakeholder engagement, most policies are purely regulatory and lack a mix of economic or institutional instruments. The report recommends updating baselines with climate projections, ensuring closure funds are sufficient for future scenarios, and establishing a multi-province working group to address sector vulnerabilities.

• The analysis identified specific climate stressors relevant to the mining sector in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, including increased temperatures, excessive moisture, and increased drought.
• There is a notable lack of policy support for adaptation actions related to transportation and building codes, particularly during the development and operations phases of mining.
• Most analyzed policies rely on historical baselines that may become inaccurate or inadequate due to climate change, specifically regarding water quality measurements and building codes.
• Financial funds designated for mine closure, remediation, and unforeseen events are vulnerable because they may be insufficient to cover costs under projected climate change scenarios.
• There is a significant deficiency in the use of foresight methods, such as scenario planning, to determine climate impacts and address policy gaps in both provinces.
• Environmental assessment acts in both provinces were found to be highly adaptive due to their broad scope, use of expert reviewers, and opportunities for multistakeholder deliberation.
• The majority of the assessed policies are regulatory; the report suggests that incorporating a mix of economic, expenditure, and institutional instruments would increase adaptive capacity.
• Policy review processes vary by province: Manitoba's Mining Branch policies have not been reviewed since the early 1990s, while Saskatchewan's reviews are often informal or not publicly reported.
• The Hazardous Substance and Waste Dangerous Goods Regulations in Saskatchewan was identified as the least adaptive policy, failing in areas of stakeholder capacity, deliberation, decentralization, and regular review.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2014). Strengthening Adaptive Capacity in Two Canadian Provinces: ADAPTool analysis of selected mining policies in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/adaptool_mining_synthesis.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Strengthening Adaptive Capacity in Two Canadian Provinces: ADAPTool analysis of selected mining policies in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. 2014. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/adaptool_mining_synthesis.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Strengthening Adaptive Capacity in Two Canadian Provinces: ADAPTool analysis of selected mining policies in Manitoba and Saskatchewan |date=2014 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/adaptool_mining_synthesis.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2014strengthening, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Strengthening Adaptive Capacity in Two Canadian Provinces: ADAPTool analysis of selected mining policies in Manitoba and Saskatchewan}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2014}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/adaptool_mining_synthesis.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }