The News
The latest articles and news relating to rural living...
Civic Engagement Goes Online in the Cowichan Valley
As we approach province-wide municipal and regional elections later this month, the subject of civic engagement looms large. Specifically, the common problem in rural communities across BC of a lack of civic engagement. How can…
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Civic Engagement on Vancouver Island — 2 Conversations
With elections looming later this month across BC, the challenge of getting folks involved in local and regional decision-making is a timely subject. If the goals of an effective rural regional or local government…
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Seniors’ Housing
Slocan seniors’ housing hosts grand opening Sept. 27 Years of hard work, stamina and emotion have gone into the creation and construction of Slocan City Suites, the new seniors’ housing that celebrates its grand opening…
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Innovation Can Transform Small Towns!
There are only two approaches to dealing with the often-wrenching changes sweeping over small towns these days — stick with the ol’ “tried & true,” and be overwhelmed by the tsunami of change that seems…
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Technology and Innovation provide Enhanced Rural Healthcare
Technology will play an increasingly important role in providing rural and First Nations citizens living in remote regions with adequate healthcare.
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Innovation & Technology Make a Big Difference in Rural BC
Innovation in rural BC — its importance, and how it can be deployed to help with everything from boosting local economies to coping with a changing climate — is an enormously important issue. We…
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Creating Community: Affordable Housing on the San Juan Islands
Creating community is a phrase that can describe and include many things — including ensuring everyone has access to a home. Community Land Trusts are uniquely positioned to provide affordable housing appropriate to the places…
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Land Leases & Affordable Housing — an Animated Tale!
“In conclusion, middle-income housing affordability in Canada has become a profound social and economic crisis worthy of serious and concentrated public policy attention.” — Canada’s Middle-Income Housing Affordability Crisis, Frontier Centre for Public Policy, June…
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Community Land Trusts, Land Leases & Shared Equity Affordable Home Ownership — a New Report
This report on Community Land Trusts, land leases & shared equity approaches to creating affordable rural housing was written by Gordon Borgstrom, Executive Director of the BC Rural Centre. The report is based on research…
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Rural 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…
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Small Stores a Big Idea?
This article by the New York Times‘ Kim Severson showcases some intriguing ways innovative entrepreneurs are ensuring folks in small towns and urban neighbourhoods have access to healthy food. The Freshest Ideas Are in Small…
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Contractor Sustainability: A Personal Perspective
By the time you read this our family business of three generations— and ninety years—will have left the forest industry. So begins a powerful personal story, penned by Graham Lasure in Truck Logger BC (click…
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Small Town Canada Strives to Survive
Here’s an informative report by CBC on how rural Canadians are striving to cope with change in the 21st century. TRANSFORMATION How Canada’s small towns are trying to survive and thrive in changing times All…
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Young City Couple “Escape the City”!
Rochelle and Jean-Michel Longval are typical young urbanites. Or are they? Both are professionals. They have no children, an extremely cute dog named Geo, and a nice home in a leafy Calgary neighbourhood. Life for…
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Healthcare a Hot Topic In This Kootenay Community
Healthcare — access to adequate health services — is an ongoing problem across rural BC. The challenge for one community to recruit new physicians could have a drastic effect on the emergency room hours for…
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Radio Free Kaslo — a Rural BC Summer Treat!
Nothing tops off a BC rural summer celebration like some good radio! There’s nothing quite like a summer evening, pretty much anywhere in rural BC. Friends and family enjoying a backyard barbecue. Or maybe a…
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New Rural Dividend Intake Begins June 1, 2018, July 31 Deadline
New Rural Dividend Intake Announced The BC Rural Dividend provides $25 million a year to assist rural communities with a population of 25,000 or less to reinvigorate and diversify their local economies. It was developed…
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Escape the City Winners Announced!
It’s like a law of physics — you know, for every action an equal reaction. As our major centres grow ever larger and more congested, attracting young people from rural areas with the promise of…
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Tale of Three Cities — Rural BC Tech-Based Innovation
Innovation is about staying relevant. We are in a time of unprecedented change. As a result, what may have helped a community or organization be successful in the past could potentially be the cause of…
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Rural Innovation — Communities As Engines Of Change
by Rupert Downing, June 1, 2018 This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Highland and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in Scotland, one of the most impactful examples of community partnerships for change in rural areas anywhere. It…
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Highlands & Islands Enterprise — Prickly Thistle
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is an ambitious Scottish organization with a unique mandate, one that successfully integrates economic and community development in rural northern Scotland. HIE, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, works…
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Small Town Love Campaign Spreads in Northern BC
Love Northern BC had its beginnings in Quesnel, B.C. with the launch of Small Town Love in 2011. Quesnel entrepreneur Amy Quarry developed a vision through her company, Small Town Love Media Inc., to help…
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Internet Expands in Rural BC & First Nations
The B.C. government has shared details on funding to bring high-speed internet connections to more rural and Indigenous communities. The province announced more than $11 million in funding through the Connecting British Columbia program, which…
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Peter Kenyon Coming to BC!
The BC Rural Centre is very pleased to be bringing Peter Kenyon back to BC, to deliver a series of asset based community development (ABCD) workshops in multiple towns across BC, starting May 30th. The…
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