Economic Impact

Funding programs have a big impact on Saskatchewan’s economy

The results of an economic impact study on two Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) funded programs delivered by the Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan Inc. (ACS), show that the funding from these programs, and the additional funding leveraged from them, have had a significant economic impact on Saskatchewan’s agriculture and agri-food sector as well as the provincial and national economies.

Over $24.4 million had been disbursed as of April 29, 2008 to 1,129 eligible projects since 1996 thanks to funding from the Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food Saskatchewan (ACAAFS) and the Canadian Adaptation and Rural Development in Saskatchewan (CARDS) programs. To date, ACS has approved 1,194 projects for a commitment of approximately $37.38 million under the CARDS and ACAAFS programs. Under the CARDS program alone, industry matched the $20.5 million AAFC funding with their own $36.2 million contribution.

The study, which was completed by Insightrix Research in the last half of 2008, found the total increase in the value of goods and services sold as a direct result of CARDS and ACAAFS funding was estimated to be $66 million. On account of these expenditures, Canada’s GDP increased by $24.7 million, including $16.9 million to people as income. In addition, funding provided by ACS generated a direct total of 468 new jobs in Canada, which would not have been possible without the AAFC funding.

ACS Economic Impact Study - please click the image below for a PDF version (1 MB)

For more information on ACS and programs delivered by the council, please call (306) 975-6847, toll free at 1-800-641-8256, or send an E-mail here.