Rural Initiatives
A Memorandum of Understanding on Local Government Financial Resiliency
The Province and Union of BC Municipalities will work together to review the local government finance system in B.C. to ensure that municipal governments and regional districts remain resilient in the face of economic changes. Municipal Affairs Minister Josie Osborne, Finance Minister Selina Robinson, and UBCM President Laurey-Anne Roodenburg have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Local…
Read MoreLocal Immigration: Assessing the Policy Capacity of Smaller Communities
Who should decide whether a smaller community is ready to welcome foreign-born residents? Who should participate in the design and implementation of a local immigration strategy? There has been an increasing policy interest in encouraging immigration settlement in smaller communities, as evidenced by the introduction of Rural and Northern Immigration pilots and soon-to-be Municipal Nominee…
Read MoreRural Development Success Story
Originally Posted on: Nelson Chamber of Commerce 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,…
Read MoreRural-Urban Inequities in Palliative Care
Many rural communities have few or no palliative care beds. And as financial burdens increase, some health authorities are agreeing to staff new beds only if the local community pays for the design and building costs of new palliative care facilities. When built, residential hospice palliative care programs have often been at least 50% funded…
Read MoreAkbal Mund & Sheldon Louis: First Nation-Rural Community Partnerships
Akbal Mund of the City of Vernon, and Sheldon Louis of the Okanagan Indian Band provided some interesting historical and current background and information regarding the relationship between these two neighbours.
Read MoreOkanagan Correctional Centre: Creating Jobs
Rural Innovation — How It Happens, How To Inspire More
Rural innovation — how does it happen and how can it be encouraged? A researcher in the USA has received funding to zero in on these questions, as reported in the following article by Matt Swayne, originally published in the Penn State News. “When we think about innovation, we tend to think about big…
Read MoreInnovation In Small Town BC
There seems to be general agreement that innovation — the embracing of fresh new ideas and revolutionary new technologies — is crucial to the growth and health of urban economies. But what about our small towns, rural areas, and First Nations? As described in a recent BC Rural Centre Success Story, the Cowichan Valley is…
Read MoreRural Renewal Contest a Rousing Success!
When the BC Rural Centre launched its Escape the City contest in the early Spring, the provincial non-profit focused on helping rural communities and First Nations identify ways of tackling their most vexing challenges & seize their opportunities, held its organizational breath. Were there really any big city Millennials out there actually interested in…
Read MoreHealthy Food for Everyone — Is It Possible?
Healthy Food for All? Healthy food for everyone — is it possible? On October 16, World Food Day, BC-based environment organization Wildsight’s Elk Valley Branch presented FOOD for THOUGHT: Food Security For Our Communities – an online event designed to educate, connect & inspire anyone interested in food security. The web-based event brought together thought leaders,…
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