Environmental Innovation

Alberta’s people and economy rely on a healthy and sustainable environment. In 2020, more than 4% of the workforce were environmental workers. Environmental Innovation is designed to propel Alberta towards sustainable resource management and thriving communities through strategic, holistic, and cross-sectoral investments and initiatives.

Through the programs we fund, we are providing decision makers with scientific and technical expertise on natural resource management, economic diversification, emissions reduction, and water and land issues.

Focus Areas

Water Innovation

Water is vital for life, our communities and the economy. Alberta’s population and demand for water are expected to grow in the coming decades, along with increasing impacts from climate change. The water innovation (WI) focus area is designed with the goals of the Water for Life Strategy in mind including safe, secure drinking water; healthy aquatic ecosystems; and reliable, quality water supplies for a sustainable economy.

The WI focus area builds on a history of world-class research and innovation. It helps create and apply relevant, reliable knowledge that will lead to a high-performing, responsive water system for the province of Alberta.

See our program guide for more details and funding priorities.

Making Waves

We’re proud to present Making Waves magazine, an annual Alberta Innovates publication highlighting water solutions we support.

Explore the Spring 2024 and Fall 2022 issues of Making Waves.

Land Management Solutions

Alberta’s primary natural resource industries provide tens of thousands of jobs and are pillars of the provincial economy. They operate in highly competitive global markets and are heavily reliant on broad access to the provincial land base to sustain operations. The land management solutions (LMS) focus area is designed to help ensure that natural resources industries continue to thrive now and into the future.

The LMS focus area has been designed to support innovation that leads to:

Efficient land use management that enables Alberta’s natural resource sectors to access and utilize land resources while successfully balancing the needs of other critical land uses;
Functional terrestrial ecosystems that support sustainable communities through the continued provision of ecological goods and services;
Conservation of Alberta’s biodiversity legacy for the enjoyment and benefit of future generations.

See our program guide for more details and investment priorities.