5.12 – Introduction deck: Key Prairie economic and environmental opportunities
Agriculture is part of the region’s core identity, with plenty of growth opportunities
Encompasses over 80 percent of Canada’s farmland, an area equivalent to the size of Spain.
Contribute 94 percent of Canada’s exports in key agricultural commodities like wheat, canola oil, canola seeds, lentils, peas, and beans.
Strong in producing raw agricultural products, but ratio of food manufacturing exports to crop and animal product exports is significantly lower than Canada’s ratio. Increasing the ratio on the Prairies would add billions to the economy and create thousands of jobs.
Low carbon transition and net zero economy
The oil and gas industry remains integral to the Prairies economy. In 2022, over 90 percent of Canada’s crude oil and 70 percent of its natural gas were produced in the region.
Clean technology solutions exist on the Prairies, such as exploring critical minerals potential to diversify the economy, as well as developing industries in low-emitting energy sources and innovations to reduce emissions. For example, the zero-emissions vehicles cluster in Winnipeg, Manitoba is set to manufacture of buses in Canada for the first time in over 20 years.
Immense potential for enhanced Indigenous economic participation, as well as incorporating Indigenous knowledge
Ten percent of people on the Prairies identify as Indigenous, accounting for 40 percent of those who identify as Indigenous in Canada.
The value of the Indigenous economy in Canada is estimated at more than $55 billion or 2.4 percent of the Canadian economy.
Incorporating Indigenous knowledge into areas such as land management. For example, cultural burns to reduce the impact of and/or prevent wildfires.
Young and educated population growth driven by immigration
Over 50 percent of immigrants to the Prairies are core-aged (25 to 54 years old), and over 40 percent of nonpermanent residents are 15 to 24 years old.
Over 70 percent of core-aged immigrants have completed a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree, and for nonpermanent residents the percentage is around 80 percent. This is compared to around 60 percent for non-immigrants.
