The News
The latest articles and news relating to rural living...
Creative Placemaking, Attracting Young People to Rural Places
Creative placemaking: what is it, and can it serve as an effective toolkit for rural communities wanting to attract young people? Attracting and keeping younger adults is a challenge that many small cities and towns…
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Rural American Fairs & Festivals
It’s Fall, and across rural North America, festivals and fairs are in full swing, celebrating everything from the harvest to local history. These celebrations play a number of important roles in the communities that host…
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BC Community Forests Make a Difference
A report entitled Community Forests — Community Benefits: The Economic Contributions of Community Forests to Rural BC Communities, recently released by the Southern Interior Beetle Action Coalition (SIBAC), in cooperation with the BC Community Forests…
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CEDIFs an Investment Model for Rural BC?
The BC Rural Centre believes that a vehicle like Nova Scotia’s Community Economic Development Investment Fund (CEDIF) would be an ideal way to repatriate a portion of the investment funds currently leaving British Columbia, stimulate…
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“Overtourism” Protests Spreading Throughout Europe
Rural BC communities seeking to reinvent their formerly resource-based economies, communities that happen to be located in beautiful areas — so-called “high amenity” places — face a unique challenge. In many cases these communities have…
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Millennials Make the Move to Rural Ontario?
Tony Scott is a Millennial, and the founder and president of Akira Studio, an established tech company based in London, Ontario that designs, develops, and hosts websites for over 450 companies across the globe. Akira…
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Western Juniper?! ‘Why Not?’ Says Small Mill Owner
Western Juniper is a native species in Central Oregon. Over the past century, it has begun to outcompete other native vegetation and interfere with the balance of the local ecology. Because harvesting Western Juniper in…
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Help for BC Rural Small Businesses Hurt by Wildfires
Straight.com reports that hundreds of wildfires in B.C. this summer have not only wreaked havoc on evacuees, they’re also putting some businesses in jeopardy. In response to this, the BC Government Minister of Forests, Lands,…
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Wildfires Linked to Climate Change?
Wildfires are sweeping B.C. Close to 900 have burned through 600,000 hectares so far this year, blanketing western North America with smoke. Fighting them has cost more than $230 million—and the season is far…
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Kaslo Jazz Fest 2017 Rocks!
Kaslo Jazz Fest 2017, just ended, the biggest and best ever by all accounts. The Festival was completely sold out. For three days, Kaslo Bay looked more like the south of France than the Kootenays,…
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Latest on the BC Wildfire Situation
According to Vancouver’s News 1130, British Columbia’s wildfire situation is expected to get worse before it gets better. There are currently 125 fires burning across the province, including a “monster fire” at Elephant Hill. Sixteen…
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Newcomer Engagement in Ontario Report
When newcomers and other community residents enjoy mutually beneficial relationships, rural communities are more likely to be healthy. The Rural Ontario Institute recently released a report, Newcomer Engagement and Social Capital in Rural Communities, that…
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Rural Youth Engagement Showcase
In this brief video produced by the Rural Ontario Institute, we’re introduced to Emily Morrison, a young woman working to break the cycle of youth unemployment in rural communities.
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Local Food, the Secret Ingredient for Vibrant Downtowns
Whether you are a foodie or a farmer, local food is something to embrace. In small towns, the local food movement is doing more than putting meals on plates—it is nourishing economies by keeping farms…
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BC’s Wildfire Situation
We are re-posting this article from the BC Government on the province’s current wildfire situation. The latest information on the current wildfire situation in British Columbia, including Wildfires of Note. Wildfires of Note “Wildfires of…
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Doug Donaldson BC’s New Minister Responsible for Rural Development
The new BC Government has named the Honourable Doug Donaldson as Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations & Rural Development. Prior to becoming an MLA, Doug worked for Storytellers’ Foundation, a non-profit organization focusing on…
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BC wildfires: calmer weather helping firefighters, but winds expected to return
Number of active fires has dropped below 200 for the 1st time in days This article by Mike Laanela, CBC News was first posted: Jul 12, 2017 8:41 AM PT Last Updated: Jul 12, 2017 2:08 PM PT Smoke…
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How can rural B.C. thrive? Australian expert offers lessons from his country
‘Is a town too small? No. Is a town likely to die? Yes, if they aren’t prepared to adapt’ CBC News Posted: Jun 22, 2017 6:55 PM PT Last Updated: Jun 22, 2017 6:55 PM…
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Peter Kenyon, Founder, The Bank of I.D.E.A.S., delivers an inspirational keynote
Peter Kenyon, renowned Australian rural development expert, delivers an entertaining — and inspirational — keynote at the KEEPING IT RURAL 2017 conference hosted by SIBAC/BC Rural Centre, on June 20 in Kelowna. Click…
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Community Forests Important Says Report
An important report, Community Forests — Community Benefits: The Economic Contributions of Community Forest to Rural Communities, on the significant value of our province’s community forests, was released today. This timely effort is an economic analysis that quantifies the…
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Keeping It Rural 2017 Just Got Even Better!
The old Norwegian proverb, “It’s never so good that it couldn’t be better” is a great way to describe this year’s exciting Keeping It Rural 2017 conference in Kelowna (June 20-21). For two days, rural…
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all that jazz… a conversation with Paul Hinrichs
All those mountains, and all that jazz… For over 25 years, the tiny West Kootenay village of Kaslo has played host to one of the world’s most celebrated outdoor music festivals. USA Today has…
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Old Masset Turns Up the Heat!
Energy/heat in the village of Old Masset on Northern Haida Gwaii, as in many remote BC First Nations and rural BC communities, has always been hugely expensive. On Haida Gwai, hydro is provided by diesel generation,…
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Ants in your pants? Red Ants Pants founder Sarah Calhoun speaks out!
Do you have ants in your pants? Sarah Calhoun does. Or rather Sarah has created a successful clothing business, foundation, and music festival, all under the catchy title of Red Ants Pants. Sarah has…
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