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Canadian Trade Commissioner Service - Saskatchewan

Sector Snapshots

Agriculture – Food and Beverage

Saskatchewan contains 41% of Canada’s arable land – it is Canada’s natural leader in crop and livestock production. Crop production primarily includes:

There are more than 100 specialty crop processors and 50 specialty crops in Saskatchewan including canary seed, coriander, caraway, wild rice, honey, wild berries and fruit. Organic farming and food production continues to become more and more prominent, taking note that Saskatchewan accounts for 35% of Canada’s organic food production.

The Province is home to 30% of the nation’s beef herds and leads in hog and bison livestock production. Over 3.5 million cattle and 2 million hogs are raised in Saskatchewan, ensuring long-term industry growth. Saskatchewan also raises dairy cattle, elk, poultry, sheep and lambs.

The Saskatchewan Food Processors Association estimates the value of food and beverage shipments from Saskatchewan manufactures as $2 billion. The largest food categories in Saskatchewan by number of firms are meat products and grain and oilseed milling. Other processed products include honey, fruits and vegetables, spices and condiments, beverages, confectionary and nutraceuticals.

As Canada’s leader in agriculture, export markets include the United States, Pacific Rim nations and Europe. We invite you to contact the Agri-Food Trade Service (ATS)to learn more.

Oil and gas Equipment and Services

Saskatchewan is Canada’s 2nd largest oil-producing province, and the fifth largest oil producer among all American states and Canadian provinces. The province is home to a significant portion of one of the hottest oil plays in North America – the Bakken Formation. In 2010, oil production was 154 million barrels, a value of approximately $10.8 billion. Saskatchewan is also the third largest producer of natural gas in Canada.

This cluster relies on Canada’s most advanced innovative technologies to discover, recover and refine oil. An example is the Petroleum Technology Research Centre (PTRC), International Test Centre for CO2 Capture & Storage. Managed by the PTRC, the Weyburn-Midale CO2 project is the largest monitored capture and storage project. Its development has furthered knowledge and research of carbon capture projects around the world, as well as enhanced oil recovery intelligence.

Many international oil producing states are invested in the production, technology and recovery systems of Saskatchewan energy. In June 2011, the province was ranked as the number one place in Canada for oil and gas investment based on opinions in the annual Global Petroleum Survey which was released by the Fraser Institute.

Saskatchewan companies are developing innovative products and services to support the local market and are bringing this expertise to the rest of the world.

Metals, Minerals and Equipment

Saskatchewan is the second biggest global producer of potash and uranium with $20 billion in mine expansions expected to take place over the next 20 years. Global companies, junior uranium and potash companies take advantage of the province’s abundance of resources and expertise in these areas.

Saskatchewan’s value of mineral production was over $6.8 billion in 2010, with mineral exploration expenditures at $319 million and $280 million estimated for 2011.

The discovery of the world’s largest field of diamond-bearing kimberlite pipes has led to extensive exploration and drilling for diamonds. The province also has endowments of copper, zinc, nickel, gold, coal, salt, silica sands, kaolin, sodium and potassium sulphate, clays, rare earth minerals and platinum group elements.

Saskatchewan companies are developing innovative products and services to support the local market and are bringing this expertise to the rest of the world.

Environmental Industries

Saskatchewan's cleantech sector is primarily focused on soil and ground water remediation, water and wastewater management, and renewable energies (wind, solar, biomass and biofuels). Despite the relative size of Saskatchewan companies in this sector, the vast majority look to international markets for growth opportunities in trade, investment, or R&D collaboration.

Saskatchewan companies are increasingly showing interest in various international markets such as the United States, Latin America, Europe and India.

Agricultural Technology and Equipment

This industry is a global leader in high technology manufacturing processes including precision welding and computer simulations. The industry excels in:

Canadian agriculture equipment manufacturers have experienced explosive growth in manufacturing exports over the past five years (an average 110% growth in all export markets since 2006). The Western Canadian industry transitioned from $598 million in exports to $1 billion in exports by 2009. (Industry Canada, Trade Data Online. NAICS Code 33311). The industry was not however immune to the recent global financial crisis as export sales shrunk by 8%, but are likely to recover as foreign banks provide more liquidity for international financing.

This economic success is due to an extensive cluster of agriculture manufacturing resources in the West. First, most companies are family run businesses focused on practical farming solutions. Second, the University of Saskatchewan and the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute provide innovation research and testing to ensure international export standards. Third, companies undertake high technology manufacturing processes including precision laser welding. Forth, products are linked to communications technology including high-tech measurement tools, inventory tracking and location services (i.e. GPS) which results in higher yields, better inputs of seed or fertilizer accuracy, and lower input costs (referred to as “precision farming”). In many cases, field sprayers contain more technology than a compact car. Lastly, the products are reliable and durable - they can easily survive a Canadian winter!

The annual Western Canada Farm Progress Show (WCFPS), located in Regina, Saskatchewan, showcases Canada’s farming equipment sector. It is Canada’s largest commercial ag-machinery show and one of the largest in the world. The show attracts hundreds of international buyers showcasing the newest and most advanced farming machinery.

The emerging markets in agricultural equipment include Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and parts of Northern Africa and Northern China. Surprisingly, most of these areas are similar in soil, climate and crop conditions to the Canadian prairies.

Life Sciences - Bio and Health Industries

The history and knowledge of Agriculture in Saskatchewan has made it one of the top ag biotechnology research centres in the world and home to 30% of the Canadian industry. Saskatchewan is one of the few places in the world where you can go from innovative research through bioprocessing and analysis all the way to commercial products.

The province’s agricultural roots have led to discoveries in the areas of plant and animal health and nutrition which is now expanding into the human health realm. This includes bio-pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, biotechnology, vaccines, genomics, health industries and service providers in these areas. The deep history in research is enhanced by strong supporting infrastructure through the Universities, research parks and institutions. Saskatoon is home to two of ten non-governmental Canadian science projects worth over $100 million; the Canadian Light Source Synchrotron and the Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Organization (VIDO-InterVac).

In the last decade, the number of life sciences companies in Saskatchewan have tripled, and employment in the field more than doubled. Saskatchewan companies are establishing themselves in international markets with joint research projects and product sales throughout the world.

Information and Communications Technologies (ICT)

Approximately 14,000 people in some 300 Saskatchewan companies generate more than $1 billion a year, providing innovative products and services in telecommunications, digital communications, software development, monitoring and remote sensing, computerized banking, geomatics, health and environmental systems.

The industry is moving from hardware infrastructure to software mobile solutions in both consumer and commercial applications. Leveraging provincial telecommunications Crown Corporation SaskTel, NRC-IRAP or one of three innovation parks, companies incubate to develop new technologies for English speaking market consumption. The major market for ICT is the United States with new opportunities in Europe.

Arts and Cultural Industries

Saskatchewan's arts and cultural industries include book publishing, sound recording, film and video production, as well as commercial crafts and visual arts. Cultural industries contribute over $1.9 billion to the Saskatchewan economy and directly employ over 14,000 people.

Saskatchewan's film industry is the fastest growing cultural sector. At the center is the Canada Saskatchewan Production Studios, one of the largest, most modern and technologically advanced film, video and new media production facilities in Western Canada. It is home to over 50 production and production services companies, whose sector capabilities include feature films, television series, made for television movies, documentaries, and animation. The Saskatchewan Film Employment Tax Credit Program is one of the most competitive tax credit programs in North America, offering up to a 55% rebate on each production.

The music sector in Saskatchewan showcases global talent in a number of genres. The aboriginal and traditional visual arts and crafts celebrate a unique and important prairie heritage.

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