Rural challenges Archives | BC Rural Centre

20 Years of Fallout in the Forestry Sector

More than 20 years ago, a tiny insect changed B.C.’s forestry future. The fallout is still happening Job losses being seen across the province have been predicted for more than a decade, industry leaders say No one is surprised by the news of Canfor shutting down one of its pulp mills in Prince George. Not…

A Post-Pandemic Policy Agenda for Rural and Smaller Canadian Communities

Many of us know someone who, at the height of the pandemic, picked up and moved from an urban centre to a smaller, more rural Canadian community. Though small and rural communities face unique challenges across this country, we know one thing: inclusive and sustainable growth principles are becoming foundational to economic decision-making across the…

Housing Development in Rural Communities

There are numerous complex and urgent problems facing rural Canada that require interdisciplinary, intersectoral and diverse solutions to address them. This webinar is one in a series by Athabasca University (AU) & Alberta’s Rural Development Network on community issues in rural contexts highlighting research and best practices that can be adapted to rural communities throughout…

Working Professionals and Retirees Moving Out of the Lower Mainland

Working professionals and retirees make up the majority moving to Penticton – Most people are moving from the Lower Mainland A growing number of working professionals between the ages of 31 to 44 are moving to Penticton, many of whom have children, according to new data collected by the city. Of the 300 new residents…

An Infrastructure Gap Slows Down Adoption of EV

‘The gap is large’: B.C.’s small towns illuminate urban-rural divide in EV infrastructure There’s an infrastructure gap that’s slowing down the adoption of electric vehicles across B.C. Here’s what three small towns — urban and rural — are doing to close it. In areas with less population density, British Columbians outside of city centres are…

BC Town Fighting to Recruit Family Doctors

Kootenay community of Creston has its own professional headhunter to find physicians Dr. Nerine Kleinhans came to Creston, B.C., from Saskatchewan. She says the town has had a successful recruiting push, but there are still too few family physicians to go around. (Dan Caverly/CBC News) Whoever said an apple a day keeps the doctor away…

A Digital Divide Persists Between Rural and Urban Canadians

Are you getting the internet speeds you’re paying for? A digital divide persists between rural and urban Canadians. CIRA is mapping this divide through their Internet Performance Test (IPT) platform so they can help communities understand how best to tackle internet access issues in their area—but they need your help! Run an IPT today! It’s…

Housing Shortages and Rural Migration

When non-metropolitan communities do not have enough housing supply, or not enough appropriate housing, community and economic development faces challenges, and social and economic momentum can be lost. Attracting new residents, housing a larger workforce, and enabling seniors to comfortably age in place, all while maintaining a high quality of life for all residents, becomes…

A New Hotline for Rural BC!

The BC Rural Centre has a new direct phone number to call when you need to talk to someone about Rural Issues, Challenges, Opportunities, and Inquiries. Over the past few months, the BC Rural Centre has been adjusting to a few key changes, new staff, including a new Executive Director and a revisit of the…

A new way of valuing housing density could lead to truly affordable housing

Patrick Condon doesn’t buy the argument that sky-high housing prices in Vancouver and Toronto can be pinned down to a problem of supply and demand. “A lot of people think that just by adding new supply to the city of Vancouver, things will get cheaper,” he says. “But that’s not been proven to be the…