The Case for Natural Infrastructure in the Canadian Prairies

The executive summary advocates for a shift from traditional 'grey' water infrastructure to natural infrastructure in the Canadian Prairies to combat climate vulnerabilities and infrastructure deterioration. It highlights the region's significant loss of wetlands and the need for policy and funding reforms to support nature-based solutions.

• Natural infrastructure, which includes conserved or restored ecosystems and nature-based engineered features, provides a low-cost alternative to traditional grey infrastructure for managing water flow, treating wastewater, and sequestering carbon.
• The Canadian Prairies are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts such as wildfires, droughts, and floods, and have experienced a 40% to 70% loss of wetlands due to urban expansion and agricultural drainage.
• Despite the existence of successful community-led natural infrastructure projects, grey water infrastructure—such as pipes, ditches, and dams—remains the default choice, while funding for this aging infrastructure has not kept pace with its deterioration.
• Scaling natural infrastructure in the region requires four primary actions: strengthening the business case for return on investment, supporting capacity building for local governments, ensuring sustainable funding (especially for rural communities), and implementing supportive policies across all government levels.

APA

Bath, S., Méthot, J., & Rawluk, A. (2023). The Case for Natural Infrastructure in the Canadian Prairies. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-05/case-for-natural-infrastructure-canadian-prairies.pdf

Chicago

Bath, Sumeep, Josée Méthot, and Ashley Rawluk. The Case for Natural Infrastructure in the Canadian Prairies. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2023. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-05/case-for-natural-infrastructure-canadian-prairies.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bath |first1=Sumeep |last2=Méthot |first2=Josée |last3=Rawluk |first3=Ashley |title=The Case for Natural Infrastructure in the Canadian Prairies |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=May 2023 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-05/case-for-natural-infrastructure-canadian-prairies.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bath2023case, author = {Bath, Sumeep and Méthot, Josée and Rawluk, Ashley}, title = {{The Case for Natural Infrastructure in the Canadian Prairies}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2023}, month = may, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-05/case-for-natural-infrastructure-canadian-prairies.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }