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This briefing note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) tracks progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG 8)—focused on inclusive economic growth and decent work—within Canadian cities. Using five indicators derived from Statistics Canada data, the document analyzes trends in GDP per capita, GDP per employed person, median income, unemployment rates, and youth unemployment from the 1990s through 2016.

This briefing note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) in Canadian cities. It evaluates health and well-being indicators—including neonatal mortality, chronic disease, substance abuse, and health worker density—using data from Statistics Canada and other national sources to compare trends across various Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs).

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development outlines strategies to enhance the climate resilience of water supply and sanitation systems in Alberta's urban centres, specifically Calgary and Edmonton. It advocates for a transition from highly centralized infrastructure toward a 'multi-barrier' approach incorporating redundancy, decentralization, and low-impact development (LID) to mitigate risks from extreme weather, such as droughts and floods.

This research paper develops and tests indicators of adaptive capacity to climate change for agriculture across 53 Census Divisions in the Canadian Prairie region. Using a framework of six determinants—economic resources, technology, infrastructure, information/skills/management, institutions/networks, and equity—the authors created an aggregated index to identify regions of high and low adaptive capacity. The study finds that adaptive capacity is strongly correlated with proximity to urban centres and highlights a significant data gap regarding surface and groundwater resources. By comparing census-based indices with field interviews, the paper concludes that while statistical indicators provide a useful spatial perspective, site-specific research is essential for designing effective adaptation policies.

This report examines how farmers in the Canadian Prairie agroecosystem, specifically in Saskatchewan, adapt to increasing weather variability and climate change. Using the CRISTAL tool, the research identifies key weather stresses, their impacts on farm resources, and the coping strategies employed by producers. The findings distinguish between 'status quo' farmers and 'innovative' or 'leading' farmers, concluding that resilience is closely linked to diversification, the adoption of new technologies like zero-till farming, and a reduced dependence on government programs.