Olds, Alberta Goes High Tech

Olds, Alberta agrees with the following statement: “It’s difficult to argue against the observation that the 21st economy is increasingly dominated by new and emerging technologies. Cities and towns that fail to acknowledge and act upon this are destined to become — or remain — economic backwaters.” Olds (pop. 9,200) has become a leading example…

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Digital Nomads Are Redefining Work in the Kootenays

A year ago, the Revelstoke Mountaineer noted that the workplace is changing beyond recognition, thanks to new technologies like web collaboration tools, smartphones, and next generation internet connectivity, freeing folks to work from wherever they want. We have entered the Age of Digital Nomads. Henning Schipper is amongst the new class of digital nomads freed…

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Off-Grid in Northern BC

In this video, we meet Jeff, Rose, and their five girls who are living completely off-grid on a 40-acre piece of land in northern BC. They built their own off-grid house for less than $25,000 with cedar posts sunk into the ground like a pole barn, log rafters, plywood, foam insulation, and a living roof.…

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Rural Transportation Proposal from Greyhound Canada

rural transportation

Providing rural transportation is a challenge across BC. Four months after making a request to the B.C. Transportation Board to drop several routes, Greyhound Canada has proposed a solution to save inter-city bus service in rural areas. The transportation provider is asking the B.C. government to create what it calls a Connecting Communities Fund. “We’re drawing this directly from…

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Aging BC Doctors an Issue

The phenomenon of aging BC doctors and  its implications for patients, especially in rural BC, is looming as  a real challenge, . Almost 15 per cent of British Columbians don’t have access to a regular family physician, and a new report published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal suggests the problem will only get worse as…

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Rural Schools Matter — a Brief Summary

Rural schools matter — a small town without a school is often a community without hope. This brief BC Rural Centre summary will be of interest to anyone who cares about the future of rural towns and villages whose schools are threatened with closure.     For a more in-depth look at the issue of…

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Kaslo First Impressions Summary

A brief summary of the impressions and suggestions registered by a “secret” team of visitors to Kaslo from New Denver and the Slocan Valley is now available.  

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The Arts & Rural Revitalization

On November 28, 2017, the BC Rural Centre hosted its first-ever webinar, on the topic of the arts and rural renewal. Sarah Calhoun of White Sulphur Springs, Montana, and John Davis of Lanesboro, Minnesota discussed their respective experiences in helping bring positive change to small, remote communities.     Sarah Calhoun Sarah has been called…

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