Green Prairie Economy

The Building a Green Prairie Economy Act

The Building a Green Prairie Economy Act was introduced as a Private Member’s Bill by the late Honourable Jim Carr and became law in December 2022. The Act requires the federal government to develop a framework for cooperation and engagement in the implementation of federal programs across various sectors to build a greener regional economy on the Prairies.

Read the full text of the Act.

Regional consultations

From February to July 2023, Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) led consultations to inform the development of the Framework. It was the department’s largest consultation to date, including over 130 engagement meetings and roundtables in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Input was also invited online and via e-mail, where more than 130 submissions were received. Through these efforts, we heard from more than 500 organizations, including provincial and municipal representatives, Indigenous communities, industry and industry associations, organized labour, academia, think tanks, and people living and working across the Prairies.

Read a summary of the stakeholder input.

The Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy

The Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy was launched on December 18, 2023. It represents a commitment by federal government to work differently, to enhance local cooperation and engagement, and ensure responsive federal programs. The Framework sets a vision for “[a] green Prairie economy that is prosperous, sustainable, and benefits all people living and working on the Prairies.” It provides a principles-based approach to local and regional collaboration that respects provincial jurisdiction and supports economic reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. It commits to closer linkages with provincial governments and other stakeholders to drive strategic investments in the region and improve access to federal programs. The Framework also commits to tracking results and regularly reporting back to Parliament.

Read the full text of the Framework.

Implementation and updates

Implementation of the Framework is ongoing and supported by ten federal departments. PrairiesCan is coordinating work with these departments to enhance coordination to advance sustainable economic opportunities across the Prairies.

This work is guided by the five initial areas for collaboration identified by Prairie stakeholders during our consultations:

• Growing key regionals sectors
• Effective movement of goods, people and information
• Expanding and capitalizing on clean electricity
• Community economic development
• Economic reconciliation and inclusive growth

In March 2025, PrairiesCan released a Minister’s Statement, and an update on early accomplishments.