Rural BC at a Crossroads — Supporting Seniors to Age in Place

Rural British Columbia is aging rapidly. Keeping seniors safe, healthy and socially connected where they live — “aging in place” — requires more than goodwill: it needs targeted housing, transportation, home‑support and health workforce responses built for rural realities. This article synthesizes recent evidence and practice, highlights Alert Bay as a BC example, and sets…

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Budget 2026 – The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

The quick context Budget date: Feb 17, 2026. Provincial operating spending up $3.9B over the plan; deficits: $13.3B (2026/27), $12.2B, $11.4B. Taxpayer‑supported capital $37.7B over three years; taxpayer‑supported debt rising to ~$189B by 2028/29 (Budget tables summary, Part 1, pp.1–2, 11–12, 17). 2026_Budget_and_Fiscal_Plan The good (positive for rural, remote & First Nations): First Nations equity…

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Dark Sky Tourism and Rural Development: Lessons From The Jasper Dark Sky Festival

Journal of Rural and Community Development Dark Sky Tourism and Rural Development: Lessons From The Jasper Dark Sky Festival Authors: Clark Banack & Glen Hvenegaard Publisher:Rural Development Institute, Brandon University. Editor:Dr. Doug Ramsey Open Access Policy:This journal provides open access to all of its content on the principle that making research freely available to the…

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Exploring the Use of Ai in Health & IHSTS

THE RURAL HEALTH LINKED SECTORS Presentation Overviews: The Institute for Health System Transformation and Sustainability (IHSTS) presents the Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) Network: Uniting communities, healthcare providers, and partners across British Columbia to support type 2 diabetes. The presentation will explain why the T2D Network exists, how it operates, what programs and initiatives it oversees,…

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Virtual Health Supports | Webinar

This engaging session will spotlight innovative virtual health solutions transforming rural care in British Columbia Discover how virtual health services, including HealthLinkBC 8-1-1, are transforming rural care by improving access, reducing Emergency Department congestion, and enhancing health outcomes across British Columbia. Guest Speakers: Dr. Kendall Ho is a professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the…

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New Draft Guidance Released for Rural Initiatives in British Columbia

The BC Public Service has released draft guidance to help ensure government policies, programs, and services are responsive to the needs of rural communities. This guidance introduces a consistent approach for assessing the impact of proposed measures on rural areas, considering factors like population size, remoteness, and access to transportation. Key Changes and Initiatives: Rural…

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Building Climate-Resilient Rural Communities

CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE GLOBAL CONTEXT   Scientific evidence shows that our climate is warming. Global average surface temperatures have risen by 0.9°C in the last 100 years, which can be attributed to increases in human driven greenhouse gas emissions (for example, by burning fossil fuels). This rise in temperature has been accompanied by observed increases…

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Economic Resilience Action Plans: Toolkit for Plan Development

How to Use this Toolkit This toolkit was developed to accompany an in-person economic resilience planning process and help communities to fill gaps, expand their thinking about particular issues, and keep track of relevant questions to answer towards economic resilience. The toolkit explains each section of the plan and provides case studies, suggested activities, and…

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The State of Rural Canada

The State of Rural Canada report provides a comprehensive overview of the diverse challenges and opportunities facing rural, remote, and northern communities across the country. While each region has its unique context, several overarching themes emerge from this fifth version of the report that paint a picture of rural Canada as a complex mosaic of…

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