Summary Report: Advancing Natural Infrastructure Forum 2024

The report summarizes the Advancing Natural Infrastructure Forum 2024, held in Calgary, Alberta, on February 21–22, 2024. Co-hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), the Natural Assets Initiative (NAI), and WaterSMART Solutions, the event brought together 106 participants to discuss the implementation, funding, and scaling of natural infrastructure across the Canadian Prairies to address water management and climate resilience.

• Natural infrastructure projects across the Canadian Prairies are being used to address water treatment, supply, and protection against flood and drought. Implementation is occurring in major cities such as Calgary and Saskatoon, as well as in smaller rural communities like the City of Selkirk, Manitoba, and Parkland County, Alberta.
• Experts recommend a "from green to grey" approach to infrastructure, where natural solutions are considered first to meet service delivery needs before introducing engineered grey infrastructure. This shift requires demonstrating social, economic, and environmental benefits to incentivize decision-makers.
• Indigenous-led initiatives are providing leadership in natural infrastructure, specifically through the use of Indigenous Guardians programs and the construction of beaver dam analogues to mitigate drought and retain water on the land, as demonstrated by Blood Tribe Land Management.
• Scaling natural infrastructure requires collaborative, cross-jurisdictional efforts at the watershed scale. 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.
• Financial barriers are being addressed through various funding models and programs. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities introduced the Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation program, a CAD 530 million initiative to fund over 1,400 municipal activities by 2030–31. In Manitoba, the Growing Outcomes in Watersheds (GROW) Trust provides long-term stability for conservation projects on agricultural lands.
• Local governments are integrating natural assets into formal governance and planning. The City of Selkirk was the first Canadian municipality to implement an Asset Management Bylaw with a dedicated section for Natural Assets. In Edmonton, the Stormwater Integrated Resource Plan allocates approximately half of its CAD 1.6 billion budget to dry ponds and low-impact development.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (n.d.). Summary Report: Advancing Natural Infrastructure Forum 2024. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-05/advancing-natural-infrastructure-forum-2024-summary.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Summary Report: Advancing Natural Infrastructure Forum 2024. n.d. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-05/advancing-natural-infrastructure-forum-2024-summary.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Summary Report: Advancing Natural Infrastructure Forum 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{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopmentndsummary, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Summary Report: Advancing Natural Infrastructure Forum 2024}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, 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} }