New Publication: Assessing the Effectiveness of Agricultural Advisory Methods in Ontario

New Publication: Assessing the Effectiveness of Agricultural Advisory Methods in Ontario
How effective are agricultural advisory methods in Ontario by different stakeholders? A new publication was recently released in theThe Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension examining this question. A brief description of the publication by Ataharul Chowdhury, Khondokar H. Kabir, Nasir Abbas Khan, Ryan Gibson, and Mike McMorris can be found below: Extension and advisory services (EAS) are crucial for farm success and rural well-being in Canada

Review: 2024 Rural Symposium

Review: 2024 Rural Symposium
Throughout the week, the Rural Planning and Development social media accounts (Facebook, LinkedIn, and X/Twitter) are sharing reflections and contributions from the 2024 Rural Symposium. Presentation and poster contributions from the 2024 Rural Symposium can be found online - https://journal.lib.uoguelph.ca/index.php/ruralReview. Details about the 2025 Rural Symposium are forthcoming - stayed tuned.

Help Wanted: Innovative Approaches to Workforce Development

Help Wanted: Innovative Approaches to Workforce Development
How are rural and northern Ontario businesses attracting and retaining workers? Ryan Gibson, Heather Graham, Paul Sitsofe, Niju Mathew, and Sarah-Patricia Breen share insights on this question in a recent publication in the Y Magazine of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute. The article, titled "Help Wanted: Innovative Approaches to Workforce Development in Rural and Northern Ontario", identifies challenges rural and northern businesses face in work

Transferring Rural Research: From Letterfrack to Rural Ontario

Transferring Rural Research: From Letterfrack to Rural Ontario
Researchers, policymakers and practitioners recently gathered in Letterfrack, Ireland for the 2024 North Atlantic Forum. The Forum focused on sustainable livelihoods and sought to engage new ideas in rural development, policy practice, and the social economy. To facilitate knowledge mobilization a series of rural research summaries were created by graduate students on innovative approaches to sustainable livelihoods. The summaries provides a snapshot of r

Rural Research Summary – Farmland Preservation and Urban Expansion in Ontario 

Rural Research Summary – Farmland Preservation and Urban Expansion in Ontario 
Farmland preservation is critical to the future of rural Ontario. The Connecting the Dots initiative is excited share the first Rural Research Summary - Farmland Preservation and Urban Expansion in Ontario. This summary sheds light into the challenges and strategies associated with balancing farmland preservation amidst growing urban development pressures, providing implications and practical recommendations for policymakers, planners, and community stakeh

Advancing Green Infrastructure Solutions in Rural Regions

Advancing Green Infrastructure Solutions in Rural Regions
  Congratulations to Jay Maloney, Sean Markey, Ryan Gibson, and Ashleigh Weeden for their recent peer reviewed journal publication titled "Advancing Green Infrastructure Solutions in Rural Regions: Economic Impacts and Capacity Challenges in Southwest Ontario, Canada". The abstract for the article published in Rural and Regional Development is listed below: Green infrastructure (GI) is a growing topic in urban planning, asset management, and clima

Congrats to Josh Barrett

Congrats to Josh Barrett
  Congratulations to Josh Barrett (PhD candidate in Rural Studies, University of Guelph) who received the Best Student Paper Award at the 2024 American Association of Geographers in April 2024 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The manuscript, co-authored by Kelly Vodden, focuses on how rural local governments in Newfoundland and Labrador are using entrepreneurial approaches and partnerships to achieve local development. The article, titled "Partnerships in Plac