Natural Resource Solutions

What Natural Resource Solutions does

Natural Resource Solutions Inc. (NRSI) is a Canadian multidisciplinary environmental consulting firm founded in 1998 and headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario. The company employs over 70 fulltime permanent biologists with expertise across aquatic, terrestrial, and wetland biology disciplines, and delivers services from offices in Waterloo (Ontario), Calgary (Alberta), and Saskatoon (Saskatchewan). NRSI provides science-based natural environment consulting to federal, provincial, and municipal government agencies, private developers, renewable energy developers, and academic institutions across Canada, spanning the full project lifecycle from feasibility studies and characterization through environmental impact assessments, Species at Risk permitting, and post-construction monitoring.

The company offers 18 distinct service lines including Construction Support Services, Ecohydrology, Ecological Restoration, Environmental Impact Assessment, Forestry and Trees, Indigenous Capacity Building, Landscape Scale Studies, Mapping and Spatial Services, Natural Feature Inventory and Management, Municipal Infrastructure Services, Mussel and Benthic Invertebrates analysis, Invasive Species Management, Research and Training, Species at Risk, Renewable Energy Services, Waterpower Services, Watershed Planning and Secondary Plans, and Fisheries Assessments. Its underlying technical capabilities include an internal aquatic ecology laboratory for taxonomic identification of freshwater mussels and benthic macroinvertebrates, spatial technologies such as GIS, GPS, CAD, and survey-grade GNSS, and drone surveys for orthophotography and natural feature mapping. NRSI emphasizes defensible, repeatable, science-based methodologies with quality control plans on every project.

NRSI generates revenue through project-based professional services contracts with custom pricing determined by scope, complexity, and requirements, typically structured as multi-year engagements. The go-to-market model is direct sales-led engagement with enterprise, government, and academic clients across Canada. The company is privately held and wholly owned by Kitsaski Management LP, the economic development entity of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, and operates as a CCAB Certified Aboriginal Business, providing a differentiated Indigenous-owned positioning in Canadian procurement processes. The firm maintains academic partnerships with the University of Guelph and local school boards for talent pipeline development, and pursues measured, sustainable growth with an explicit focus on work-life balance and employee retention.

Name

Natural Resource Solutions

Legal name

Natural Resource Solutions Inc.

Website

https://nrsi.on.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Natural Resource Solutions Inc. is a Canadian Indigenous-owned environmental consulting firm with 70+ biologists providing ecological assessments, Species at Risk permitting, and natural heritage services to government, developers, and renewable energy clients across Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Consulting Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Permitting, Siting & Environmental Impact (EIA/NEPA) Advisory (EUAMANAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nature & Biodiversity Reporting (TNFD, natural capital) (EUAHAJAM), Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB)

Keywords

• Environmental consulting services
• Aquatic biology consulting
• Wetland assessment services
• Ecological restoration consulting
• Environmental impact assessment

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterloo

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Environmental Consulting Services: Professional consulting services including feasibility studies, characterization studies, management plans, environmental assessments, Species At Risk screenings, and post-construction monitoring for projects across Canada

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

NRSI provides environmental consulting services spanning aquatic, terrestrial, and wetland biology, supporting clients with field studies, environmental impact assessments, ecological restoration, species-at-risk work, fisheries assessments, watershed planning, and Indigenous capacity building. The firm employs 70+ fulltime biologists across offices in Waterloo (HQ), Calgary, and Saskatoon, serving government, development, renewable energy, and academic sectors. NRSI is a CCAB Certified Aboriginal Business wholly owned by Kitsaki Management LP, the economic development entity of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band.

Product overview

Natural Resource Solutions Inc. (NRSI) is a multidisciplinary natural environment consulting firm providing ecological consulting services across Canada. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of 18 distinct service offerings spanning aquatic, terrestrial, and wetland biology disciplines. Services include Construction Support Services, Ecohydrology, Ecological Restoration, Environmental Impact Assessment, Forestry and Trees, Indigenous Capacity Building, Landscape Scale Studies, Mapping and Spatial Services, Natural Feature Inventory and Management, Municipal Infrastructure Services, Mussel and Benthic Invertebrates, Invasive Species Management, Research and Training, Species at Risk, Renewable Energy Services, Waterpower Services, Watershed Planning and Secondary Plans, and Fisheries Assessments. The company operates from three Canadian offices (Waterloo ON, Calgary AB, Saskatoon SK) and serves clients in development, academia, and government sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Construction Support Services Environmental monitoring, compliance, and biological support services delivered during construction phases of infrastructure, development, and resource projects for developers, contractors, and government clients.
• Ecohydrology Services Assessment of interactions between hydrology and ecological systems, supporting water-related environmental analysis for development, energy, and conservation projects.
• Ecological Restoration Restoration of degraded aquatic, terrestrial, and wetland ecosystems, typically delivered to satisfy permitting conditions, mitigation obligations, or conservation program requirements.
• Environmental Impact Assessment EIAs and environmental assessments prepared to support regulatory approvals and permitting for development, infrastructure, energy, and resource projects.
• Forestry and Trees Forest management, tree inventory, and arboricultural services for development, infrastructure, and conservation clients.
• Indigenous Capacity Building Training and capacity-building programs for Indigenous communities to participate in environmental monitoring, field studies, and natural resource management projects.
• Landscape Scale Studies Large-area ecological studies that integrate field data across broad geographic extents to support conservation planning, regional assessment, and multi-project programs.
• Mapping and Spatial Services GIS-based mapping and spatial analysis of ecological and environmental data to support project planning, assessment, and reporting.
• Natural Feature Inventory and Management Inventory and management planning for natural features such as wetlands, woodlands, and watercourses, typically supporting municipal planning and development approvals.
• Municipal Infrastructure Services Environmental support services for municipal infrastructure projects, including environmental assessment, permitting, and monitoring for roads, water, and other public works.
• Mussel and Benthic Invertebrates Aquatic invertebrate surveys and assessments, including freshwater mussel and benthic community work, supporting waterpower, development, and conservation projects.
• Invasive Species Management Inventory, monitoring, and management of invasive species for government, conservation, and development clients.
• Research and Training Scientific research and training services supporting academic, government, and conservation clients, often in collaboration with universities and research institutions.
• Species at Risk Field assessment, monitoring, and management services for species at risk, supporting regulatory compliance and conservation planning.
• Renewable Energy Services Environmental services for renewable energy developers, including environmental assessments, permitting support, and monitoring for wind, solar, and related projects.
• Waterpower Services Specialized environmental services for hydroelectric and waterpower projects, including aquatic impact assessment, permitting support, and monitoring.
• Watershed Planning and Secondary Plans Watershed-level planning and secondary plan support, integrating ecological and hydrological analysis for municipal and regional planning processes.
• Fisheries Assessments Fisheries population, habitat, and impact assessments supporting waterpower, development, conservation, and regulatory projects.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lac La Ronge Indian BandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNRSI is proudly owned by the Lac La Ronge Indian Band through its economic development entity Kitsaski Management LP. The company is committed to reconciliation, Indigenous partnerships, and building respectful relationships with Indigenous communities across Canada.
• University of GuelphminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing scholarships for ecology students including the Natural Resource Solutions Scholarship for Laboratory and Field Work in Ecology (BIOL3010) and the Natural Resource Solutions Prize for Field Ecology (BIOL4410), both $1000 awards.
• Waterloo Region District School BoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for the NRSI Environmental Initiative Scholarship offering $1,000 to students planning to study Biology, Ecology, or the Natural Environment at post-secondary institutions.
• Waterloo District Catholic School BoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for the NRSI Environmental Initiative Scholarship offering $1,000 to students planning to study Biology, Ecology, or the Natural Environment at post-secondary institutions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• GHD: Global engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting firm with a sizable Canadian environmental practice that competes with NRSI on larger municipal, infrastructure, and renewables tenders.
• Stantec: Large Canadian-headquartered global design and consulting firm with a substantial Environmental Services practice covering EIA, permitting, and natural sciences — competes on both provincial and renewables projects.
• WSP Global: Global professional services firm with a major Canadian environmental consulting practice (including the acquired Hemmera); competes on large multi-disciplinary infrastructure and energy projects.

Direct peers

• Hemmera (a WSP company): Canadian environmental consultancy acquired by WSP, providing EIA, natural environment, and permitting services with comparable service portfolio to NRSI.
• Dillon Consulting Limited: Canadian-owned multidisciplinary consulting firm with a substantial environmental practice covering EIA, natural heritage, and municipal infrastructure — directly competes for the same government and developer clients.
• Ecofish Research Ltd. Specialized aquatic/fisheries environmental consulting firm with overlapping services in fisheries assessments, benthic invertebrates, and EIA support, particularly for renewable energy projects in Canada.
• North Shore Environmental Consultants: Canadian ecological consulting firm with overlapping aquatic, terrestrial, and wetland biology services for government, development, and energy clients.
• Matrix Solutions Inc. Canadian environmental and engineering consultancy providing EIA, regulatory support, and reclamation services to energy and resource sectors; competes for similar upstream/downstream project work.
• Beacon Environmental Limited: Mid-size Canadian ecological consulting firm specializing in natural heritage, EIS, and Species at Risk work. Closely comparable in size, geography, and service mix to NRSI.
• SLR Consulting (Canada): Global environmental and advisory consultancy with strong Canadian ecological practice after absorbing firms like Gartner Lee; competes directly on EIA, permitting, and renewables monitoring work.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/NRSIconsulting
• Instagraminstagram.com/natural_resource_solutions
• Xx.com/nrsinews
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/natural-resource-solutions-inc.

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Natural Resource Solutions