BC Rural Centre Archives

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 cumulative, historical economic contributions of community forests to rural communities in BC. The report was commissioned by the Southern Interior…

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 leaders and innovators from across North America will gather at the Four Points by Sheraton Kelowna Airport Hotel, giving talks,…

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 called the Kaslo Jazz Festival “one of the 10 best places in the world to enjoy outdoor music in the…

Old Masset Turns Up the Heat!

Biomass now heats community buildings in Old Masset

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, and other heating fuels are barged in 100 kilometres across Hecta Strait, not only making them expensive but also giving…

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 nearly two decades of leadership experience in both the non-profit and small business sectors, working in the outdoor education industry…

Book it! Literature lives large on the Sunshine Coast

Literature is a big deal on BC’s Sunshine Coast. The Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts, now in its 34th year, is the longest-running writer’s festival in the country. It celebrates Canadian writers from all corners of the country, and all genres, from mystery to poetry to non-fiction. The festival underscores how important…

Culture & rural development — how culture revitalized New York Mills, Minnesota

Culture & rural development — are they, or should they be, linked? Zachary Mannheimer, founder of the Des Moines Social Club, VP of Creative Placemaking for Iowa Business Growth, who has led numerous revitalization efforts in rural communities in the American Midwest, argues that the answer is a resounding yes. Mannheimer, who is particularly focused…

John Davis to speak at Keeping It Rural 2017

We’re excited to report that John Davis, executive director of Minnesota’s Lanesboro Arts organization, will be speaking at the Keeping It Rural 2017 conference in Kelowna, June 20-21. John is internationally recognized for his success in using culture as a means to turn around the economic fortunes of the small rural towns. He led the charge in founding a unique…

Keeping It Rural 2017 funding support from CBT

We’re pleased to announce that Columbia Basin Trust plans to help up to 20 Basin-based residents attend this year’s Keeping It Rural conference (June 20-21 in Kelowna), by offering up to $1,000 each to offset expenses. Here are the details: Eligibility To be eligible to receive the Trust funds, you must: be a resident in…

Paul Muir on the arts & small rural communities

For many small remote rural communities, the key to renewal and revitalization may well lie in the pent-up creativity of local residents. Culture, even if it starts out small, as it did in tiny (population 120) Rosebud, Alberta, can become a powerful change agent. Paul Muir is the Education Director of Alberta’s Rosebud School of the Arts.…