Natural Infrastructure and Prairie Prosperity

The document highlights the economic value of natural infrastructure in the Canadian Prairies, noting that in 2022, the sector directly employed over 33,000 people and contributed over CAD 4.1 billion to the region's GDP. In Saskatchewan specifically, the sector directly employed over 5,800 people and contributed CAD 640 million to the provincial economy in 2022. The report argues that increased annual investments—such as CAD 10 million or CAD 25 million in Saskatchewan—could significantly boost direct jobs and GDP while addressing water infrastructure gaps and increasing resilience against climate impacts like floods, droughts, and wildfires.

• In 2022, the natural infrastructure sector across the Canadian Prairies (Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba) directly employed more than 33,000 people and added over CAD 4.1 billion to the regional GDP. When including indirect and induced effects, the sector's GDP contribution reached CAD 7 billion and supported over 58,000 jobs.
• Saskatchewan's natural infrastructure sector directly employed over 5,800 people and contributed CAD 640 million to the provincial economy in 2022. Including indirect and induced impacts, the sector employed over 9,400 people and generated CAD 1 billion in GDP.
• Investment scenarios for Saskatchewan suggest that an annual investment of CAD 10 million could increase direct jobs and direct GDP by 6% each, while an annual investment of CAD 25 million could increase direct jobs by 16% and direct GDP by 14%.
• In Alberta, the sector directly employed over 21,000 people and contributed CAD 2.9 billion to the economy in 2022. In Manitoba, it directly employed over 5,700 people and contributed CAD 540 million in 2022. Investment scenarios for Manitoba indicate a CAD 25 million annual investment could boost direct jobs by 21% and GDP by 17%.
• Natural infrastructure serves as a tool to address water infrastructure gaps—including wastewater treatment, flood protection, and drinking water supply—and provides a physical buffer against weather extremes such as floods, droughts, and wildfires.

APA

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

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Natural Infrastructure and Prairie Prosperity |date=2023 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-11/natural-infrastructure-prairie-prosperity-saskatchewan.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}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-11/natural-infrastructure-prairie-prosperity-saskatchewan.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }