Summary Report: Advancing Natural Infrastructure Forum 2024

The Advancing Natural Infrastructure Forum 2024 brought together practitioners and leaders to discuss the transition from 'grey' to 'green' infrastructure in the Canadian Prairies. The event highlighted successful projects—such as beaver dam analogues by Blood Tribe Land Management and floating treatment wetlands at Olds College—and emphasized the need for watershed-scale collaboration and dedicated funding. Key discussions focused on the business case for natural assets, the role of Indigenous leadership, and the integration of natural infrastructure into municipal asset management and corporate reporting to address climate adaptation and biodiversity.

• Natural infrastructure is being implemented across the Canadian Prairies in both urban and rural settings to support water treatment, supply, and protection against floods and droughts. Examples include the City of Calgary's use of low-impact development in its Stormwater Strategy and the City of Saskatoon's investment of over CAD 34 million in natural infrastructure projects.
• Indigenous-led initiatives are providing critical models for natural infrastructure, specifically through the use of beaver dam analogues to slow water movement and mitigate drought impacts, as demonstrated by Blood Tribe Land Management.
• A 'green to grey' approach is recommended, where natural infrastructure is prioritized to meet service delivery needs before introducing engineered grey options. To scale this, natural assets must be embedded in asset management, accounting, and corporate reporting, such as through the Task Force on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures.
• There is a strong economic case for climate adaptation investment, with a reported 15:1 return on investment in avoided direct and societal damages, meaning every dollar spent can save between CAD 13 and CAD 15 in the long term.
• Scaling natural infrastructure requires moving beyond individual projects to watershed- and landscape-scale collaboration. Examples include the Nature Conservancy of Canada's Prairie Grasslands Action Plan, which aims to conserve over 500,000 hectares by 2030, and the Grindstone Creek Watershed Project, where natural services were valued at approximately CAD 2 billion.
• Funding remains a significant barrier, though new initiatives like the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' CAD 530 million Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation program and Manitoba's GROW Trust provide pathways for sustainable implementation.

APA

Mayer, M., Nichols, R., Méthot, J., & Le Blanc, B. (2024). Summary Report: Advancing Natural Infrastructure Forum 2024. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-05/advancing-natural-infrastructure-forum-2024-summary.pdf

Chicago

Mayer, Matt, Robert Nichols, Josée Méthot, and Brittney Le Blanc. Summary Report: Advancing Natural Infrastructure Forum 2024. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2024. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-05/advancing-natural-infrastructure-forum-2024-summary.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mayer |first1=Matt |last2=Nichols |first2=Robert |last3=Méthot |first3=Josée |last4=Le Blanc |first4=Brittney |title=Summary Report: Advancing Natural Infrastructure Forum 2024 |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=May 2024 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-05/advancing-natural-infrastructure-forum-2024-summary.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mayer2024summary, author = {Mayer, Matt and Nichols, Robert and Méthot, Josée and Le Blanc, Brittney}, title = {{Summary Report: Advancing Natural Infrastructure Forum 2024}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2024}, month = may, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-05/advancing-natural-infrastructure-forum-2024-summary.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }