Building economies that grow with nature
Nature is one of Canada’s greatest assets. It supports our economy, protects our communities from floods, fires and drought, and plays a vital role in our health and well-being. Nature also shapes who we are—it’s at the heart of our identities and cultures. At the Smart Prosperity Institute (SPI), we explore real-world solutions that show how protecting and restoring nature can create jobs, grow the economy and build a more resilient future. Our work shows that:
- economies that integrate nature-based solutions (NBS), such as conserving and restoring natural landscapes, are more resilient and empower Indigenous leadership
- decision-making that includes nature is good economic policy with social, environmental and health benefits; and,
- conservation, restoration and sustainable management of nature can boost our global competitiveness, create high-value jobs and help ensure Canada’s future prosperity.
What are we working on?
Economic opportunities for NBS
We already know nature provides benefits like clean air and water, pollination and carbon storage, but we often undervalue them in our decision-making. Restoring and protecting nature to strengthen these services isn’t just good for the environment—it makes economic sense. Climate-related disasters like floods, storms and extreme heat are driving up costs and disrupting our lives, infrastructure and food systems.
There’s strong evidence that NBS can reduce these risks while creating jobs, boosting GDP and saving money. But putting them into action hasn’t been easy.
At SPI, we go beyond just showing the value of NBS. We build tools and frameworks that help governments, businesses and other sectors make better decisions, unlocking cost savings, lowering risk and delivering social benefits.
Related publications
- Unlocking the Economic Power of Natural Climate Solutions
- Extending the Funding Canopy: A guidebook on estimating the economic value of nature-based solutions
- Investing in the Future of Ontario's Greenbelt: a conservation finance blueprint for Southern Ontario
- The Nature of Health: integrating health considerations in urban nature-based solutions
Related blog posts
- Canada’s “30x30” needs to be more than a numbers game
- Nature: Canada’s hidden economic powerhouse
- Natural Climate Solutions Webinar recap
- Missed our deep dive on natural climate solutions?
- Flood-proofing our future
- Conserving and restoring nature makes environmental and economic sense
Scaling nature finance and investment
Meeting Canada’s biodiversity and climate goals by 2030 will take more funding, and not just from governments. We need smart financial tools that attract private investment in NBS with policies that help turn ecosystem services into reliable sources of revenue.
We explore how public and private sectors can work together to grow Canada’s nature investment market. This includes partnerships with the Nature Investment Hub and our colleagues in Sustainable Finance to shape the policies and strategies that make nature a strong investment.
Related publications
- Invest in Nature
- Investing in the Future of Ontario's Greenbelt: A Conservation Finance Blueprint for Southern Ontario
- Nature Based Solutions: Policy Options for Climate and Biodiversity
- Infographic: A policymaker's guide to integrating biodiversity into climate policy
Conservation economies and support for Indigenous-led initiatives
Indigenous leadership is essential to achieving lasting conservation goals. Indigenous-led initiatives that combine natural-resource management with stewardship offer powerful alternatives to extractive economic models that have harmed ecosystems for generations. These approaches are rooted in reciprocal relationships with the land, and they show us new ways forward.
As a non-Indigenous organization, we aim to uphold Indigenous rights in all our work. When invited, we’re honoured to support Indigenous-led efforts by sharing our research, tools and expertise to help advance their goals.
These efforts also help shape conservation economies that protect nature while creating long-term, community-driven economic opportunities.
Related publications
- Unlocking the Economic Power of Natural Climate Solutions
- Inuit-led Economic Development: An Overview of Nunavut’s Blue Conservation Economy
- Conservation Economies in Nunavut: Aviqtuuq Case Study
Related blog posts
- Making the case for boosting investment in Indigenous Guardians
- Untapped potential of Indigenous agriculture
Sustainable management of natural resources with a focus on forestry and agriculture
How we manage forests, agriculture and mining has tremendous impacts on land and water across Canada. Regulations and voluntary opportunities by industry, landowners and business owners can influence environmental outcomes significantly, including biodiversity, water quality, nutrient use, fire risk and more. Our work, particularly related to forests and agriculture, looks at the incentives and regulations that encourage management practices that have smaller environmental footprints and deliver greater environmental outcomes.
Related publications
- Policy Brief: Protecting Northern Peatlands
- Efficient Nitrogen Fertilizer Management
- Improving On-Farm Agri-Environmental Outcomes
Related blog posts
- Deep roots, stronger fields: How grasslands fortify drought resilience in the Prairies
- It's tough for Canadian farmers when you're in the red
- Cultural burns and wildfire management
- Fighting fire with water
- Saving Canada’s grassland biodiversity
How we work
To make NBS a bigger part of how we grow and adapt, decision-makers need trusted, non-partisan information. That includes clear guidance, strong evidence and expert insight to support smart choices—whether in government, business or local communities. We support this need by:
- analyzing data and developing tools to inform decision-making
- analyzing policy to identify viable solutions
- proposing frameworks and recommendations to overcome regulatory barriers to accelerate implementation; and,
- researching and promoting actions that facilitate inclusive economic transitions.
Active and recent collaborations
- Agriculture and Agri-food Canada
- Canadian Climate Institute
- Co-operators
- Douglas First Nation
- Forest Stewardship Council Canada
- Greenbelt Foundation
- Métis National Council
- Natural Assets Initiative
- Nature Investment Hub
- Nature United
- Resolve Canada
- Real Estate Foundation of B.C.
- Stein Nahatlach Initiative
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada
- WWF Canada
Meet the team
The team is led by Michael Twigg, Director of Nature Economies, who specializes in development economics, ecosystem service valuation, and participatory policy design. Michael is joined by Talha Awan, a Research Associate specializing in urban and Indigenous-led planning; Elizabeth Daigle, a Research Associate who specializes in environmental sustainability and species-at-risk mapping; Dr. Bianca Cecato, a Research Fellow specializing in environmental economics and how to support sustainable forestry, and Dr. Paige Olmsted, Nature Finance Specialist, whose cross appointment with the Nature Investment Hub enables synergies on scaling nature finance in Canada.
Our nature-based solutions team collaborates closely with colleagues on agricultural initiatives and sustainable finance activities as they relate to nature. We encourage other researchers and practitioners in this space to reach out at info@smartprosperity.ca.
Related content
Our work in the news
- CBC News: Conservation economies present 'unprecedented opportunity' for Nunavut communities: report
- The Hill Times: Unlocking the economic potential in Canada’s lands, forests, and waters
- The National Observer: Investors swap suits for boots in land restoration success
- RCI: Conservation an important path forward for Nunavut’s economy, says report
- The National Observer: In the fight to prevent extreme wildfires, nature can help
- The National Observer: Inuit communities forge a path to sustainable wealth
- Canadian Geographic: Protectors of Aqviqtuuq
- Environment Journal: Unlocking the power of natural climate solutions with SPI and Nature United
