Researchers from the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development recently shared their work at the Fusion 2026 National Planning Conference in Montréal, Quebec, hosted by the Canadian Institute of Planners and l'Ordre des urbanistes du Québec. Natasha D'Souza, Ryan Gibson, and Wayne Caldwell presented "Attracting and Retaining Talent: Lessons on Rural Planning, Governance, and Skilled Migration from Bruce County's Energy Cluster."
The presentatio
At the World Community Development Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Ryan Gibson presented new research examining how rural communities in Ontario are adapting to major changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, economic shifts, technological change, and demographic trends. The conference, co-hosted by the International Association for Community Development and the University of Glasgow, brought together community development professionals and rese...
Students, alumni, and faculty from the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development (SEDRD) at the University of Guelph made important contributions to the 2026 Relational Wellness Conference, co-hosted by the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation, the North Atlantic Forum, and Grenfell Campus of Memorial University of Newfoundland. Their presentations demonstrated the breadth of rural research and practice taking place within SEDRD and highligh...
The University of Guelph is home to a wide diversity of research on rural people, places, and environments. As a leader in rural research, this video series facilitates knowledge sharing across rural Ontario and beyond.
This video highlights recent research by Uduak Edet published in 2023 titled The Influence of Information Disorder on Climate Change Adaptation Practices of Farmers in Lagos State, Nigeria. This research explores how misinformation sprea...
Professional advisors are invited to join the upcoming Lunch & Learn Workshop on May 22 (Friday) from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Bruce County Museum in Southampton, ON. Presented by the Community Foundation Grey Bruce and Brightshores Health System Foundations, this event offers valuable insights into philanthropy, tax planning, and rural wealth transfers.
Laurie Fox will introduce and update attendees on Canada’s Will Power Campaign, a national init...
Want to do more with your rural research? Join us for a workshop that teaches you how to create plain language summaries and videos on April 28 starting a 10.00 am.
Rural communities, businesses, and organizations face increasing challenges that require evidence-informed solutions. As a leader in rural research, the University of Guelph is well-positioned to support these communities through knowledge mobilization. To better address emerging complex and...
The recent Rural Symposium brought together 160 participants, both in person and online, for a dynamic exchange of ideas focused on rural research and policy. The event featured 17 presentations and 11 posters, highlighting the depth and diversity of work being done by graduate students at the University of Guelph. These projects explored a wide range of rural issues and offered practical insights for policymakers and practitioners.
The Rural Symposium is
At this year’s Good Roads Conference in Toronto, a presentation on rural and northern transit offered a clear reminder that transportation planning in Canada is not one-size-fits-all. Ryan Gibson, on behalf of Sarah-Patricia Breen and Ela Mastej, highlighted how distance, low population density, and limited infrastructure shape transit systems outside urban centres. In many rural and northern communities, transit is not about convenience—it is about access
On February 26, 2026, Sarah-Patricia Breen (Selkirk College), Ryan Gibson (University of Guelph), and Ashleigh Weeden (Brandon University) delivered a workshop to Government of Canada staff titled Harnessing the Power of Place: Practical Strategies for Federal Policy and Program Success. The workshop focused on a simple but important idea: place matters in policy and programs!
Place-based approaches challenge assumptions that programs work the same ever
Rural communities have significant strengths as well as challenges. Ryan Gibson recently participated in the 42 Canada Podcast with Laurie Cook on rural community development. Check out the podcast below or online.
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