Rural challenges Archives

The State of Rural Canada Report 2021

The Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation recently released its annual State of Rural Canada report. The first edition of the State of Rural Canada described rural British Columbia (BC) as a dynamic and evolving landscape. This remains an apt description. Who and what are rural is not static. Read the latest report here.

Brad Pommen and Smrt1 Technologies — an Example of a Rural Success Story

Over the last five years Canada has been a high-tech job creation machine. Year after year, the Toronto area alone has generated more technology jobs than San Francisco, Seattle or any other U.S. city. Vancouver has seen a similar economic boom. Both cities, with top universities and hospitals, a high quality of life and an enormous…

Rural Challenges, National Opportunity

This report from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities provides a useful rural Canadian overview in this report, including recent rural-centric Statistics Canada data, and topics ranging from rural housing to broadband; from connecting to global markets to climate change.

Rankin MacSween of Cape Breton’s New Dawn Enterprises, on Community Development

Rankin MacSween, who gave an amazingly inspirational keynote speech at our 2015 conference, one that people still talk about, followed that up with an equally inspiring address at this year’s Keeping It Rural conference. For over three decades, Rankin has led Canada’s oldest – and most successful – community development corporation, New Dawn Enterprises, on Cape…

Rural Healthcare in BC — Where Are We & Where Are We Going?

Rural healthcare — access to excellent medical care on a timely basis — is a challenging issue for many rural British Columbians. The BC Rural Centre invited Dr. David Snadden, Doctors of BC’s UBC Chair in Rural Health, to lead a conversation on issues and innovations on British Columbia’s rural healthcare front. From a BC…

For Sale: One Deserted Village Left Behind In Rush To New Zealand’s Cities

Rural de-population is a global issue, as evidenced in this article from New Zealand by reporter Eleanor Ainge Roy. An entire village which has been deserted for three decades is up for sale in New Zealand. Lake Waitaki village was built in the 1930s as workers accommodation for dam labourers but has lain largely empty since…

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…

Mobilizing Rural Investment Capital

The Need for Rural Investment Capital in BC Access to investment capital is crucial to business and economic development anywhere – but is especially important in rural areas. However, research completed by SIBAC and others has noted that it is often difficult to access business financing – and specifically patient equity investment financing – in…