Economic Development
Affordable Housing in Rural Communities
Affordable housing is a pressing issue in many small rural communities, this webinar features Lisa Byers, Executive Director of OPAL (“Of People And Land”) Community Land Trust on Washing State’s Orcas Island. Providing affordable housing that’s place-appropriate is the real challenge facing many rural and remote communities across North America. There are different approaches that…
Read MoreLocal Manufacturing Big in Rural America
Local manufacturing matters in rural America, employing more than 3.5 million workers. As rural America’s second largest sector, manufacturing employs 14% of rural civilian employees and produces 15% of total rural US earnings – that exceeds the retail sector, and is more than double agriculture’s presence in the US rural economy. After an era of…
Read MoreBC Rural Dividend grants over $10 million
On Friday, October 13, the BC Government announced over $10 million in new grants to rural communities through the BC Rural Dividend. Here’s the official press release: The B.C. government is distributing $10.1 million in new grants to help rural communities stabilize their economies and create long-term local employment, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural…
Read MoreCafé Culture Comes to Rural Ontario
Café culture stirs the pot in rural Bath One of the first things young people look for when considering a move from an urban centres to a rural setting is the availability of great places to eat & drink. When Lauren Gamble returned to rural Ontario after working in Australia for a number of…
Read MoreSmall Town, Big Change
Small town, big change. Dale Williams was mayor of the small rural North Island New Zealand town of Otorohanga (pop. 2,700), and Chair of the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs. A certified motorcycle engineer by trade, Dale has first-hand experience launching and growing successful motorcycle dealerships and training young people through apprenticeship programs. Passionate about helping…
Read MoreRural Revitalization, Iowa-Style
Rural revitalization Iowa-style. There are plenty of small towns badly in need of economic and social renewal across North America. Earlham, Iowa was one of them. Through a combination of community resilience and tenacity, and newcomers of means who seem to have truly understood — and respected — the local culture, Earlham is poised…
Read MoreHow can rural B.C. thrive? Australian expert offers lessons from his country
‘Is a town too small? No. Is a town likely to die? Yes, if they aren’t prepared to adapt’ CBC News Posted: Jun 22, 2017 6:55 PM PT Last Updated: Jun 22, 2017 6:55 PM PT What can rural B.C. learn from rural Australia? Quite a lot, says an economic development specialist from the…
Read MoreEconomic development in the Lower Columbia region — a chat with Terry Van Horn of LCIC
Economic development in the Lower Columbia region has been bolstered since 2010 by an organization formed through a partnership featuring the City of Rossland, the City of Trail, the Village of Warfield, the Village of Montrose, the Village of Fruitvale and electoral areas A & B of the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary. The Lower Columbia Initiatives Corporation (LCIC) was…
Read MoreSicamous mayor Terry Rysz speaks out on rural economic development & a new community forest initiative
Sicamous mayor Terry Rysz candidly admits that his community — like many other small, rural, forestry-dependent communities across BC — was hard-hit when the major sawmill in the area closed, taking with it around 200 well-paid jobs. For him, spurring rural economic development — or rural economic culture — is extremely important. Recognizing the importance…
Read MoreSeabird Island First Nation showcases its capacity for partnerships
The Seabird Island community is well positioned within British Columbia with natural beauty, abundant natural resources, and sound agricultural and light industry business sectors. The community has a population of 850 people and is located in the Upper Fraser Valley, three kilometres northeast of Agassiz, British Columbia. The following video introduces viewers to Seabird Island,…
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