Economic Impact

As the acres dedicated to Canadian pulses increase to meet the growing global demand for plant-based protein, so do the positive impacts on our economy and environment.

See the Impact
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See The Impact

Use the slider to increase Canadian pulse acres and see the corresponding positive impacts on our economy and the environment.

equivalent annual greenhouse gas emissions of

Individual pulse crops reduced carbon emissions by: 44-78%
Two-year rotation reduced carbon emissions by: 25-51%
Six-year rotation reduced carbon emissions by: 5-21%
*When grown in a rotation with wheat and canola

  • How do Canadian pulses stack up around the world?

    According to a recent life cycle assessment1, Canadian peas at market in Western Europe have a lower carbon footprint than those grown in Russia or France, even after accounting for the impact of transportation.

    WHY?

    • Our growing practices: Canadian pulse growers use modern, sustainable practices such as precision agriculture and no-till production.
    • Our climate: The dry and cold Canadian climate provides environmental conditions that reduce emissions from soil. These same conditions, along with no-till production, capture and store carbon in the soil compared to other growing regions which may even lose carbon.

  • Climate Change Impact By Growing Region

    Climate Change Impact By Growing Region

Explore our sustainability data to uncover how you can leverage the environmental benefits of Canadian pulses.

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1. Unpublished data, 2022. Conducted by the Food Prisms Lab, University of British Columbia - Okanagan.

Impacting The Economy

With an incredible economic benefit, it’s no wonder that pulse acres continue to increase. In 2021 the estimated 8.8 million acres of Canadian pulses contributed:

$6.3B

 to Canada’s economy

$3.1B

 to Canada’s GDP

25,907

 canadian jobs

Canadian Pulses are some of the most sustainable crops in the world.

Canadian pulses improve our air, water and earth. Find out how these popular plant proteins contribute to building a better planet.

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Impacting The Environment

By fixing nitrogen from the air, pulse crops reduce CO2 emissions. In fact, this past year…

+ 3.8M

3.8M acres of peas

- 1.6M C02

Removed 1.6M tonnes of CO2

- 363K

the equivalent of taking 363,600 cars off the road for a year.

+ 183K

183K acres of chickpeas

- 63K C02

Eliminated 63K tonnes of CO2

+ 1M

equivalent to the carbon sequestered by over 1 million tree seedlings over a 10-year period.

+ 124K

124K acres of faba beans

- 51K C02

Removed 51K tonnes of CO2

+ 6B

enough to charge over six billion smartphones.

+ 426K

426K acres of dry beans

- 133K C02

Saved 133K tonnes of CO2

+ 36

equivalent to greenhouse gas emissions avoided by running 36.4 wind turbines for a year.

+ 4.3M

4.3M acres of lentils

- 1.7M C02

Removed 1.7M tonnes of CO2

+ 1 Year

enough to cover one year of electricity use for every dwelling in Winnipeg.

All facts and figures and claims have been adapted from the 2022 Economic and Environmental Impact report and Natural Resources Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator, for more information please email sustainability@pulsecanada.com

Looking to make an Impact

Canadian pulses are the answer, and we have your proof. To get an in-depth look at the benefits, download the 2022 Economic and Environmental Impact Report Summary.

Download the Summary