Alberta Coalition for Watershed Security - 2026 Provincial Budget Response

The Alberta Coalition for Watershed Security (ACWS) would like to thank the Government of Alberta for their continued efforts to steward the province’s finances during a challenging economic period. We recognize that difficult choices are required in times of fiscal constraint, and we believe that the strongest path forward for our province is one that balances stability with long-term resilience. With the Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program (WRRP) in its final year, we are keen to discuss replacement investments for natural infrastructure. As a neutral, solutions-oriented partner, we offer our response to the 2026 Government of Alberta budget to highlight opportunities for collaboration to advance nature-based solutions and natural infrastructure in our province. 

The Opportunity: Natural Infrastructure 

Natural infrastructure offers a practical, cost-effective solution to Alberta’s water challenges and supports the Government of Alberta’s priorities of responsible spending and fiscal discipline. Investing in natural infrastructure, alongside traditional infrastructure, presents significant economic benefits: 

• Job creation: In 2022, Alberta’s natural infrastructure sector employed more than 21,000 Albertans and contributed $2.9 billion to the provincial economy.¹ Estimates including direct, indirect and induced economic impacts increase employment to 39,000 people and $5.1 billion generated in GDP. These findings are comparable to the economic impacts of the irrigation sector in Alberta, showcasing how natural infrastructure provides service delivery and job creation.

• Effective return on investment: $50 million in WRRP program funding has generated an estimated $253 million in annual economic value, based on standard methods for valuing natural assets and their benefits for people. This is a 5x return on investment, demonstrating a strong economic business case for investing in natural infrastructure.²

• Flood and drought protection: WRRP projects provided nearly $74 million in annual economic value through flood and drought reduction and by boosting water availability and watershed health.²

• Leveraging funding: Natural infrastructure funding attracts additional contributions and in-kind support from municipalities, First Nations, landowners, industry and community groups, stretching each provincial dollar further and amplifying the impact. For ALUS, WRRP funding generated an average of $1.75 in additional contributions for every dollar invested.³

The WRRP invested directly in numerous natural infrastructure projects to protect and restore wetlands, river valleys and creeks, among others. Intact landscapes are our first line of defence against water challenges and protecting our industries and economy. Alberta’s remaining healthy watersheds provide water availability and storage, drought and flood mitigation, water filtration, and other services that our industries, municipalities, communities, and grey infrastructure rely on. Investing in natural infrastructure is a proactive way to build capacity for other critical infrastructure and strengthen public safety and resiliency.

Budget Alignment: Opportunities for Natural Infrastructure

Through the lens of long-term economic prosperity, we are highlighting a critical opportunity for the Government of Alberta to protect the province’s watersheds for generations to come. While we understand that difficult choices were made in Budget 2026, such as concluding the WRRP, we believe there is a compelling case for expanding the Drought and Flood Protection Program (DFPP) to include natural infrastructure. The expansion could include:

1. Expanding the definition of eligible applicants to include non-profits,  

2. Expanding eligibility criteria to include projects focused on natural infrastructure, or 

3. Establishing a dedicated funding stream for natural infrastructure-specific projects.  

Our Role: Collaborate to Focus on What Matters

The Alberta Coalition for Watershed Security is working to restore and protect Alberta’s watersheds through coordinated advocacy, capacity-building and long-term systems change. Our coalition is committed to working collaboratively with the Government of Alberta to identify practical, cost-effective opportunities to strengthen watershed security across the province. 

We see clear opportunities for collaboration in the following areas:

• Funding opportunities for the Government of Alberta to invest in critical natural infrastructure work within the funding allocated in the budget, or potential alternative funding mechanisms that will ensure Alberta’s water resources are protected and remain a source of prosperity for decades to come. 

• Alberta’s Aquatic Invasive Species Program: we see value in the modernization of, and funding towards this program. We welcome the opportunity to partner with the government in this initiative to support Alberta’s environment and economy.

The Alberta Coalition for Watershed Security is ready to contribute practical solutions aligned with Alberta’s economic priorities. We welcome the opportunity to work alongside the Government of Alberta to advance these ideas, and would value a collaborative discussion to support the province’s long-term environmental and economic resilience.

1. Killen et al. (2023). Natural Infrastructure and Prairie Prosperity. The International Institute of Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/natural-infrastructure-prairie-prosperity

2. Associated Engineering and Green Analytics. (2025). Economic Value of Ecosystem Services from Alberta’s Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program – Approach and Results Memo. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55775efbe4b02c5614691727/t/697245af20112a01ea521586/1769096623884/WRRP_EcosystemServicesValue_Memo_2025-10-20.pdf

3. ALUS. (2026). Eight years of watershed resilience: what WRRP has meant for Alberta’s working landscapes. https://alus.ca/alus_news_and_events/what-wrrp-has-meant-for-albertas-working-landscapes/