Natural Infrastructure and Prairie Prosperity

This appendix details the research methodology, definitional framework, and economic forecasting used to assess the natural infrastructure sector in the Canadian Prairies. It establishes a statistical framework based on NAICS codes to quantify the sector's current economic impact and projects growth through 2030 under three different investment scenarios.

• The natural infrastructure sector in the Canadian Prairies is defined as including "conserved, restored, and nature-based constructed infrastructure" and is divided into four subsectors: Watershed management, Municipal natural infrastructure, Education, training, and capacity building, and Regulatory and public administration.
• In 2022, the combined natural infrastructure sector across the Prairie provinces supported 33,454 direct jobs and contributed CAD 4,144,863,000 to direct GDP. When indirect and induced effects are included, the total employment rises to 58,553 jobs and the total GDP contribution reaches CAD 7,091,396,000.
• The report projects three growth scenarios for the sector by 2030. The Business-As-Usual (BAU) scenario forecasts 37,823 direct jobs and CAD 4,403,131,000 in direct GDP. The Intermediate Growth scenario, based on a CAD 40 million annual investment across the three provinces, projects 39,552 direct jobs and CAD 4,571,969,000 in direct GDP. The Stretch Growth scenario, based on a CAD 100 million annual investment, projects 42,147 direct jobs and CAD 4,825,227,000 in direct GDP.
• Alberta represents the largest portion of the sector's economic impact. In 2022, Alberta's natural infrastructure sector supported 21,823 direct jobs and generated CAD 2,955,881,000 in direct GDP. Under the Stretch Growth scenario for 2030, these figures are projected to increase to 26,065 direct jobs and CAD 3.19 billion in GDP.
• For Manitoba, the Stretch Growth scenario (based on a CAD 25 million annual provincial investment) projects that by 2030, the sector will directly support 7,244 jobs and generate CAD 737 million in GDP, with total jobs (including indirect and induced) reaching 11,865 and total GDP reaching CAD 1.2 billion.
• For Saskatchewan, the Intermediate Growth scenario (based on a CAD 10 million annual provincial investment) projects that by 2030, direct GDP will reach CAD 829 million and direct jobs will reach 8,097. Under the Stretch Growth scenario, direct jobs are projected to reach 8,837 and direct GDP to reach CAD 895 million.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2023). Natural Infrastructure and Prairie Prosperity. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-11/natural-infrastructure-prairie-prosperity-appendix.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Natural Infrastructure and Prairie Prosperity. 2023. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-11/natural-infrastructure-prairie-prosperity-appendix.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Natural Infrastructure and Prairie Prosperity |date=November 2023 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-11/natural-infrastructure-prairie-prosperity-appendix.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2023natural, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Natural Infrastructure and Prairie Prosperity}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-11/natural-infrastructure-prairie-prosperity-appendix.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }