rural revitalization Archives

The State of Rural Canada

The State of Rural Canada report provides a comprehensive overview of the diverse challenges and opportunities facing rural, remote, and northern communities across the country. While each region has its unique context, several overarching themes emerge from this fifth version of the report that paint a picture of rural Canada as a complex mosaic of…

Keeping it Clean – Video

The forested watersheds of British Columbia’s Interior are a primary water source for aquatic ecosystems and human populations. The mountain pine beetle (MPB) infestation and associated salvage harvesting have the potential to affect the amount, timing, and quality of water originating from these watersheds. Watch the video on the MPB Hydrological Impacts and Watershed Management…

Facing Fire: Building Resiliency to Wildfire | VIDEO

WILL WE MANAGE FIRE OR WILL FIRE MANAGE US? The question isn’t if fire will happen, but rather when it will strike. Fire is an intrinsic part of our ecosystem’s evolution. For over a century, we’ve believed we knew the best way to tackle wildfire in North America. The mindset that “the only good wildfire…

Rural Resident Retention and Attraction Guidebook

Introduction to Rural Resident Retention and Attraction What is Resident Retention and Attraction? Resident retention and attraction (RRA) initiatives position communities to address issues associated with population size (e.g., low or declining number of residents) or population composition (e.g., aging population) — whether that be a shortage of skilled workers, low school enrolment, or a…

Strategic Planning for Economic Development

Using the Strategic Planning Toolkit as a foundation, we’ll explore in-depth a handful of stages in the strategic planning process. You’ll hear from your peers in B.C. communities who have used the Strategic Planning Toolkit in different ways: Gold River’s community consultation process; 100 Mile House’s engagement with the municipal council; and the Regional District…

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,…

The Heartbeat of Rural Communities: The Power of Volunteering

In the vast tapestry of our interconnected world, small rural communities often stand out as threads weaving the fabric of resilience and solidarity. Amidst the towering mountains, grasslands, and close-knit communities, the reliance on volunteering becomes evident as we take a look at what assets our rural communities foster and how many of them are…

Not Enough Being Done to Prevent Future Flooding

Living in Merritt is like living on an active volcano, says city manager, as concerns loom over flood risk Residents and municipal officials worry not enough is being done to prevent future flooding Residents of Merritt, B.C., watch a flooded street on Nov. 15, 2021. Municipal leaders in the city say they are concerned about…

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…

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…