4. – PrairiesCan at-a-glance placemat

Prairies Economic Development Canada

About PrairiesCan

• ~330 Employees
• $278.5M* PrairiesCan 2025-26 budget
  *Of this, $125.3M is for time-limited programs
• Enabling legislation: Western Economic Diversification Act

 

Key PrairiesCan contact

Diane Gray, President
diane.gray@prairiescan.gc.ca
780-495-5772

 

PrairiesCan goals

• Businesses are growing across the Prairies
• Communities are developing economically in the Prairies
• Prairie businesses are commercializing and adopting technology

 

Past PrairiesCan results

Since its creation in 2021, PrairiesCan has directly invested $1 billion in over:

• 340 communities
• 380 SMEs
• 850 not-for-profits

These investments supported over 115,000 jobs and leveraged over $1 billion in private sector investment across the region.

Since 2021, PrairiesCan investments have helped support the creation of 10% of jobs and 22% of growth in export sales in the region.

 

PrairiesCan service locations

PrairiesCan is business-centric. Small- and medium-sized businesses are our clients.

 

The Prairie region

• 19% of Canada’s population
• 22% of Canada’s nominal GDP
• 28% of Canada’s total capital expenditures
• 34% of Canada’s international goods exports

Top 5 sectors on the Prairies include:

• Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (21%)
• Real estate and rental leasing (11%)
• Manufacturing (8%)
• Construction (7%)
• Health care and social assistance (7%)

Alberta

• Nominal GDP: $452B (2023)
• Population: 4.9M (Q4 2024)
• Exports to U.S.: $162.1 billion (30% of Canadian exports to U.S.)
• Key int’l exports include oil and gas, plastics, beef, wheat, and canola.
• Highest economic output per capita in Canada.
• Home to Canada’s largest wind generating facility and two largest solar facilities.

Saskatchewan

• Nominal GDP: $110B (2023)
• Population: 1.2M (Q4 2024)
• Exports to U.S.: $26.7 billion (5% of Canadian exports to U.S.)
• Key int’l exports include oil, potash, wheat, canola, lentils and uranium.
• Largest share of Canada’s total farm area.
• Home to critical minerals and rare earth elements that are in global demand.

Manitoba

• Nominal GDP: $92B (2023)
• Population: 1.5M (Q4 2024)
• Exports to US: $14.5 billion (3% of Canadian exports to US)
• Diversity of exports including pharmaceuticals, wheat, pork, canola, agricultural machinery, and electricity (hydro).
• One of the cleanest electricity grids in the world.
• Steady growth in prosperity and minimal decline in recessions.

 

Key Prairie economic opportunities and challenges

• Growing value-added agriculture could add thousands of jobs and billions of dollars to the economy.
• Expanding clean technology development and use could increase productivity and lower emissions.
• Region is trade exposed. Investing in trade infrastructure will help goods reach new markets.
• Extreme weather such as wildfires and droughts are becoming more frequent and severe.

 

Permanent Grants and Contributions programming

Businesses receive zero-interest repayable funding. Not-for-profits receive non-repayable funding.

Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI)

• Business Scale-up and Productivity: support for SMEs to grow and become more productive
• Regional Innovation Ecosystem: funding for innovation and SME growth through not-for-profit organizations

Community Economic Development and Diversification (CEDD)

• Support for communities to grow and diversify their economies

Prairie Business Services Network (PBSN)

• Support group of not-for-profits that help entrepreneurs start or expand small businesses

Economic Development Initiative (EDI)

• Support economic development in Official Language Minority Communities

 

Temporary Grants and Contributions programming

Regional Homebuilding Innovation Initiative

• Support to advance new homebuilding methods and boost productivity (active until 2026)

Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative

• Investment to help drive AI adoption by SMEs and sectors across the country (active until 2029)

Regional Quantum Initiative

• Deliver funds in support of the ISED-led National Quantum Strategy (active until 2029)

Prairie Performing Arts Initiative

• Support for performing arts organizations based in the Prairies (active until 2027). Intake closed.

Black Entrepreneurship Strategy

• Supports Black business owners (active until 2030)

Canada Coal Transition Infrastructure Fund

• Helps communities impacted by transition away from coal (active until 2026)