Profile of Major Industries

Oil and Gas Industry in South East Saskatchewan

Oil and gas is an integral part of Saskatchewan’s economy, accounting for about 18% of provincial Gross Domestic Product. In the Saskatchewan south east region it is the major economic driver accounting for $553 million annually in revenue, or 38.08%, of the $1.4 billion in oil and gas revenue the province generated through royalty tax and land sales in 2009.

Mining and Power Generation 

Mining is Saskatchewan’s third largest industry, a significant contributor to the provincial economy spending over $3 billion annually on wages, goods and services, and generating over $2 billion annually to the provincial government revenue through royalties and taxes. The future looks very positive for this industry with over $10 billion in new mines and expansions underway.

Agriculture

Agriculture in south east Saskatchewan is more than subsistence farms, which were mainly designed for single family or local daily needs.  With the population growth and advances in agricultural science, many crops now are grown for profit, and large herds of animals are kept for large-scale livestock operations. In the earlier days, cash crops were only on a small scale, or completely non-existent and farmers only had as many animals as needed by the family. Subsistence crops and farms are now few and far between in southeast Saskatchewan. Today, the types of crops grown and animals raised are planned around internationally markets, ensuring that farms have a strong economic base.

Manufacturing

In the broadest sense of the term “manufacturing” includes the use of machines, tools and labour to make things for use or sale. The concept of adding value to a raw material is also a factor in the manufacturing process.

Key manufacturing clusters in the Province of Saskatchewan include machinery, transportation and industrial equipment; food, crop and beverage process; wood products; and chemical manufacturing. Emerging clusters include aerospace and defence, automotive accessories, and electronics and instrumentation.

Tourism

Tourism is an economic generator in Saskatchewan. Many communities have developed a tourism market for products, services, events and attractions to appeal to visitors from inside the province and abroad. A short list of these, definitely not exclusive, includes: regional, provincial and national parks, annual community sporting and cultural events, festivals, historic sites and trails.