How do approaches to rural economic development differ between rural Ontario and rural Ireland? What can be learned from decades of rural economic development practice in both Canada and Ireland? For five days in May, staff and board members from Community Futures across Ontario engaged in conversations with rural economic development leaders in Ireland. During the five day forum discussions were held with policy makers, local economic development practitioners, researchers, and businesses from across Ireland.

The workshop was funded through a Connections Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Further information on this research initiative can be found at www.ruraldev.ca/ecdev/. Watch the website for further details emerging from the workshop in the coming weeks.