Ashleigh Weeden (PhD Candidate, SEDRD - University of Guelph) shared insights from summer field research in northern Finland at the 2019 Canadian Community Economic Development Network's annual conference, EconoUs2019, in London Ontario today.
In a PechaKucha style presentation, Ashleigh explored opportunities for applying rural community economic development strategies from Rovaniemi at home in Canada, and encouraged participants to take their thoughts o...
Rural places are often presented as “left behind”, especially when it comes to technology. But is that really the case?
The Intersection of Things podcast interviewed Ashleigh Weeden (PhD Candidate, School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, University of Guelph) in a feature episode about the intersections of the rural and the digital. The interview covers questions about rural data, and what it might mean for national security, different inno...
How do rural communities creative livable communities for the 21st century? This was a key topic of discussion for rural geographers. The Ninth Quadrennial Conference of British, Canadian, and American Rural Geographers was hosted by Middlebury College and the University of Vermont in Burlington, USA. Rural geographers from Australia, Wales, Northern Ireland, England, Canada, Scotland, England, and the United States shared research, discussed pressing rura...
Canadian regional development today involves multiple actors operating within nested scales from local to national and even international levels. Recent approaches to making sense of this complexity have drawn on concepts such as multi-level governance, relational assets, integration, innovation, and learning regions. These new regionalist concepts have become increasingly global in their formation and application, yet there has been little critical analys...
Philanthropy in rural communities is a powerful tool for revitalization and sustainability. On June 6, 2019, Ryan Gibson shared preliminary research findings at the All In 2019 Conference, hosted by Community Foundations of Canada.
The presentation was part of a larger discussion on rural philanthropy that explored trends, the importance of place and creative opportunities happening in rural communities. Participants worked collectively to spark new think...
Stephanie Patzer, recent Rural Planning and Development graduate, shared her research on housing in Honduras at the “Inclusive Development? Expanding Circles of Development Research and Practice” Conference that took place from June 5-7, 2019 in Vancouver. Stephanie's presentation, titled "Lessons from Participatory Community Development in Informal Settlements in Honduras", explored housing development in two Honduran communities in partnership with Techo
Ashleigh Weeden (PhD Student, Rural Studies - School of Environmental Design & Rural Development) offered reflections on women's leadership in rural innovation as the opening keynote for the PEI Business Women's Association 2019 Spring Symposium on May 23, 2019 in Charlottetown, PE.
Ashleigh's keynote lecture, titled “We Can Do It – Reflections on Rosie, Robots, and Rural Innovation”, offered insights into the often untold stories of women's leadershi
Ever wondered what the implication of cannabis legalization are for rural communities or if rural communities are benefited at all? On May 7, 2019, Tracey Harvey (PhD in Rural Studies Candidate at the University of Guelph) shared information on how rural communities are transitioning with the adoption of the Cannabis Act from the Kootenay region of British Columbia. The webinar examined current challenges and opportunities associated with
On May 2, Ashleigh Weeden (PhD student, School of Environmental Design and Rural Development) shared insights from her career and research into rural community innovation with approximately 150 leaders in economic development from across Saskatchewan at the 2019 Intersections for Growth Conference, the annual conference hosted by the Saskatchewan Economic Development Alliance (SEDA).
Ashleigh's presentation focused on the importance of developing a stro
For the past ten years, the Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health has been changing health and well-being in the Huron, Bruce, Grey, and Perth counties. On May 2, 2019, community leaders, volunteers, health practitioners, and researchers marked the 10th anniversary of the Gateway and its achievements.
Gateway is a not-for-profit corporation with charitable status striving to improve the health and quality of life of rural resident
