The News
The latest articles and news relating to rural living...
Rural Coloradans Step Up to Help Their Community
According to a recent article in the Colorado Sun, when state-mandated shutdowns of restaurants and other businesses deemed non-essential began, residents of rural Phillips County in eastern Colorado knew they had to figure out a…
News for Rural Employers re. CEWS Expansion & Extension
The BC Rural Centre has just received this letter from Kirsten Mattison, Canada’s new Director General for Rural Economic Development. It includes potentially important information for rural employers and their employees. Good morning, As…
BC Rural & First Nations Health & Wellness Summit
Add your voice to improve rural healthcare! Collaboration can be a powerful tool for change. In January 2019, provincial healthcare partners met to explore how to work together to improve and transform rural healthcare…
COVID-19 risks divide rural and urban areas in the U.S.
There is a division between how rural and urban areas are handling the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. Many states are starting to reopen even while cities within them remain under stay-at-home orders. Washington Post…
UBC Launches Study on Rural and Remote Communities Tech Usage During Covid-19 Pandemic
UBC is calling on rural BC residents to participate in a 20-25 minute online survey for a chance to win one of three $100, or a $400 pre-paid Visa card! This study is being done…
No plan to reopen B.C. schools yet, says education minister
This report was posted by CBC News on Apr 28, 2020 An empty classroom at Magee Secondary School in Vancouver. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press) Although some jurisdictions have announced plans to reopen schools, B.C. isn’t ready…
New Medical Transport & Virtual Care Resources Announced for BC Remote, Rural, and First Nations Citizens
The B.C. provincial government has announced new and expanded resources to service rural, remote and Indigenous communities battling COVID-19 across the province. In an announcement on Monday, Premier John Horgan and Indigenous Relations Minister…
BC COVID-19 Update, April 20, 2020
COVID-19 BC CASE SUMMARY As of the latest numbers on April 18: • Total confirmed cases in B.C.: 1,647 • New cases since April 17, 2020: 29 • Hospitalized cases: 115 • Intensive care: 54…
COVID-19 Updates for BC, April 17, 2020
Trudeau announces aid for struggling energy sector, including $1.7B to clean up orphan wells Most in B.C. think they’re great at physical distancing but critical of others, survey suggests B.C. preparing to ease some…
COVID-19 BC Update, April 16
CBC: What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. on April 16, 2020 Here’s some of the financial help available in B.C. during the COVID-19 crisis How to apply for EI and COVID-19…
COVID-19 Info For Rural, Remote & First Nations British Columbians
Helpful Information Government of Canada’s COVID-19 updates Government of Canada’s COVID-19 responses Public Health Agency of Canada’s COVID -19 information BC’s Pandemic Provincial Coordination Plan BC Centre for Disease Control COVID-19 information BC Parks are…
BC Premier to Deliver COVID-19 Address Today
VICTORIA — British Columbia Premier John Horgan is expected to give an update Wednesday on the province’s response to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The premier’s statements will be carried live beginning at 1:15…
COVID-19 — Information Sources for Rural, Remote, and Rural First Nations British Columbians
These are challenging times for all of us, whether we live in Lombardy or London, Bhutan or rural British Columbia. Access to the best possible information regarding COVID-19 is crucial. Which is why we have…
First Nations, Rural and Remote Real-Time Virtual Medicine — an Update
In a recent update, Dr. Ray Markham, Executive Director of the Rural Coordination Centre of British Columbia (RCCbc), notes that The Collaborative Centre for Rural and First Nations Virtually Enhanced Care was established last year.…
Building Capital & Capacity In Our Communities
For over a decade, the BC Rural Centre has researched and advocated for the establishment of community investment fund programs in British Columbia, inspired by successful models in Nova Scotia, Alberta, and the USA. In…
Community Investment Guide Webinar, March 10
The longer a dollar can circulate within a community, the greater its economic and social impacts. Few know this as well as Eden Yesh, Chair of the BC Community Impact Investment Coalition and Manager…
We Want to Hear From You!
A major part of our mandate here at the BC Rural Centre is to provide timely information and tools that help rural & remote residents, communities, and First Nations deal with some of…
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…
Rankin MacSween’s “Keeping It Rural” Keynote
Rankin MacSween, who gave an amazingly inspirational keynote speech at our 2015 Keeping It Rural conference, one that people still talk about, followed that up with an equally inspiring address at our most recent Keeping…
Imagination, Co-Operation Help Secure Future in Atlantic Canada’s Small Towns
Luck and pluck. For some small towns in Atlantic Canada the path to survival has been just that: one of luck and pluck — or should that be the other way around? After all, the…
Preserving Critical Rural Business Sevices
Many rural communities are experiencing the closure of retail businesses like grocery stores, hardware stores, and service stations that provide important services to their residents. From the newsletter put out our good friend and colleague,…
Healthcare in Rural BC Gets a Closer Look
Overview In 2017, the Joint Standing Committee on Rural Issues (JSC) tasked the Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc) with visiting every Rural Subsidiary Agreement (RSA) community between 2017 and 2020. These visits will connect…
First Nations Health Authority and Rural Coordination Centre of BC sign Memorandum of Understanding
The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) and the Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in late 2019 at the FNHA’s Northern Regional Gathering in Prince George. The MOU formalizes the…