Have you ever wondered what immigration to rural areas of Canada look like? Check out Episode 13 of Rural Routes Podcasts with Michael Haan. "Canada is a land of immigrants” is a phrase we hear often. And while that is certainly true in many ways, immigration is a complex issue we don’t spend nearly as much time talking about as we should. Michael Haan is Canada Research Chair in Immigration and Ethnic Relations at Western University in London, Ontario, an
How can a region experiencing population decline and decreasing economic opportunities change their future? Community leaders, nonprofit organizations, and businesses gathered in St Anthony to discuss the future of the Northern Peninsula region of Newfoundland. The Our Way Forward: Sharing Knowledge and Building Capacity for Regional Development conference facilitated knowledge sharing from the multi-year research initiative called Canadian Regio
Dr. Gibson had the opportunity to connect with owner representatives and branch managers of Libro Credit Union at the 2016 Fall Forum on October 29. The event was an opportunity for Libro Credit Union to conduct strategic discussions on the future and to celebrate their achievements over the past year. The event also provided an opportunity for the newly announced Libro Professor of Regional Economic Development in Southwestern Ontario to formall...
Dr. Gibson testified before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance to discuss alternative local economic development strategies that could be pursued by the federal government on October 20, 2016 in Québec City. The presentation was an opportunity to identify and encourage new strategies the federal government could implement to build stronger and more vibrant communities. The presentation was formed by the work of the Canadian Commun
On October 19, Dr. Gibson contributed to a panel discussion on enhancing investment in rural and northern communities at the Invest in our Communities, Our Future meeting in Plum Point, Newfoundland. Dr. Gibson shared research on community-based collective endowments that communities can utilize to support their local priorities. The presentation pulled on research related to philanthropy, inter-generational wealth transfers, and the recent State
During the Building Vibrant Rural Futures conference, Dr. Gibson and Logan Horrocks presented a poster titled Facilitating Rural Policy Connections. The poster presentation highlights the work of the Policy Fora team of the Rural Policy Learning Commons. The Rural Policy Learning Commons (RPLC) is a multi-year partnership striving to enhance rural prosperity by identifying and analyzing policy options relevant to rural areas. The initiative is ev
On September 28, Dr. Gibson delivered a keynote presentation at the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Ministry of Housing's Northern Planning Authorities Workshop in Sudbury. The Workshop, themed Culture Shift, was an opportunity for approximately 150 municipal planners, planning practitioners, and members of Council to discuss new opportunities related to planning, changes in public policy, and case studies of success from across Northern Ontario.
What is the future of rural Canada? This was the focus of the State of Rural Canada webinar hosted by the Rural Policy Learning Commons on September 20, 2016. Drs. Al Lauzon and Ryan Gibson served as panellists on the webinar, both presenting research from the report. The webinar brought together over 70 participants from across Canada!
The webinar focused on the recently released State of Rural Canada book (www.sorc.crrf.ca). The State of Rural Canada
On September 16, 2016, I delivered a presentation titled “Re-embedding Wealth? Place, Philanthropy, and Policy” at the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development’s Symposium Series. A brief description of the presentation is listed below.
Rural communities are at a critical turning point in Canada after having witnessed decades of dramatic changes. The future of rural communities is largely viewed as dependent on external actors and external f...
On September 12, 2016, Dr. Gibson participated as a discussant at the rural proofing workshop hosted by the Swedish Agency for Growth Policy Analysis. The Swedish Agency is exploring how to ensure future national policies have positive impacts on rural and northern communities. The workshop brought together researchers from Finland, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Canada to discuss their experiences in rural proofing. Dr. Gibson shared research on the expe...
