Supporting Rural and Remote Economies: What Canada Must Do Now

Rural, remote, and northern regions are important and should be supported, not just because of their economic contributions (they contribute to over a quarter of Canada’s GDP) but because people in all parts of Canada should have similar levels of well-being. This is fundamental to our nation’s territorial cohesion. Accordingly, there is a lot of…

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Revitalizing Downtown Hope

Planning for a Resilient Future *originally posted on Etsi-BC News For thousands of people who travel to and from the Lower Mainland, the community of Hope, located at the junction of four major highways, is a regular stopping point for information, food, fuel, and accommodation. As a new plan to revitalize Hope’s downtown rolls out,…

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The Rise Of Innovation Districts

A New Geography of Innovation in America Originally posted on Brookings.edu Written by Bruce Katz and Julie Wagner As the United States slowly emerges from the Great Recession, a remarkable shift is occurring in the spatial geography of innovation. For the past 50 years, the landscape of innovation has been dominated by places like Silicon…

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Framework for Creating a Smart Growth Economic Development Strategy

A Tool for Small Cities and Towns Many small and mid-sized cities around the United States are struggling because their economies were built largely on a single economic sector that has changed significantly. For example, jobs might once have been heavily concentrated in industries like logging, mining, or manufacturing, but technology and market forces have…

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Rural Voice Missing from Emergency Task Force

An expert task force on emergencies that will weigh in on revising the province’s emergency legislation lacks representation from the Cariboo Region and rural communities as a whole, say critics. Comprised of 14 experts appointed by the provincial government, the purpose of the panel is to provide recommendations to help B.C. be better prepared for…

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Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program (REDIP)

Program Details The Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program (REDIP) is a new grant launched by the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation (JEDI). The Government of B.C. is investing up to $33 million this year to create the Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program, which will support projects that promote the following: Economic diversification…

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Keeping It Rural Conference…Thank You

Dear Sponsors, Attendees, and Speakers, On behalf of the BC Rural Centre Society and the Keeping It Rural Conference, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude for your participation and support. Your presence and contributions made this event a resounding success, and we are incredibly grateful for your commitment to rural communities. To our sponsors, thank…

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Keeping It Rural 2023

June 1st and 2nd, 2023 in Kelowna, BC at the Hampton Inn We are planning to cover many of the challenges and opportunities facing rural BC right now. From mill closures, and mega-projects to innovation in agriculture and rural health updates. The tickets will go on sale in mid-March and due to limited seating we…

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