Rural Canada is doing immigration differently. Although historically not sites of large-scale immigration, rural communities and regions throughout Canada continues to welcome new immigrants. This session explores how rural communities and regions are building strategies to attract, settle, welcome, and integrate new immigrants. These strategies, however, can not simply replicate urban-based strategies. This session highlights lessons learned from the pers...
On March 20, 2019, Dr. Ryan Gibson and Ashleigh Weeden (PhD Student & Research Assistant, University of Guelph) joined Gemma Mendez-Smith (Executive Director, Four County Labour Market Planning Board) and Patrick Jilesen (Director, Ontario Federation of Agriculture) to discuss the challenges and opportunities of the current labour market in Western Ontario. Hosted by the Town of Saugeen Shores, the event focused on the specific challenges facing the fa
During the 2019 Rural Symposium, five graduates supervised by Dr. Ryan Gibson, presented their research focused on evidence-based policy, rural policy interventions, rural innovation, opioid crisis, trail development, and rural infrastructure. Copies of the presentations and posters can be found below:
Making a Difference: Provincial Policy Reflections on Knowledge Mobilization (Ashleigh Weeden)
Creating Effective Rural Policies: Rural Lenses and thei...
Ashleigh Weeden (PhD student, School of Environmental Design & Rural Development, University of Guelph) will share insights and reflections on knowledge mobilization and provincial rural policy through a webinar hosted by Joshua Barrett and the Rural Policy Learning Commons on March 19, 2019 at 3:00pm (EST).
Titled "What’s the evidence on evidence-based policy? Reflections on knowledge mobilization in provincial rural policy," the webinar will share i...
Dr. Ryan Gibson and Ashleigh Weeden (PhD student, School of Environmental Design & Rural Development) hosted a workshop at the Ontario Good Roads Association's 2019 Conference in Toronto yesterday (February 26, 2019) to launch the "Building the Future: Rural Infrastructure & Regional Economic Development" research initiative.
Over 125 delegates participated in discussions focused on the opportunities and challenges facing rural communities in ma...
Communities across rural Ontario are exploring new strategies for economic development opportunities. In partnership with the Ontario Good Roads Association, rural planning and development students in the economic development course discussed the future of rural economic development with over 150 municipal leaders from across Ontario. Building on Michael Fenn's report on the six megatrends impacting rural Ontario, students facilitated a series of small gro
A new research initiative aimed at investigating the influence of rural communities' capacity to respond to infrastructure challenges on their immediate and long-term economic development potential is underway. Dr. Ryan Gibson is the lead investigator of the project, which includes researchers and policy experts from across Canada, including University of Guelph PhD student Ashleigh Weeden.
Funded through the research partnership program between the Ont...
On January 24, 2019 Ashleigh Weeden (PhD Student, School of Environmental Design & Rural Development) presented her early-stage research on place-based rural innovation systems at the 2019 European Regional Science Association's (ERSA) Winter School, co-hosted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Trento, Italy.
The 2019 ERSA/OECD Winter School was themed around spatial productivity and local development and Ms. Weed...
On January 14, 2019, the federal government announced a new Minister of Rural Economic Development. Dr. Gibson was recently interviewed by the Manitoba Co-operator newspaper for reaction to the new announcement and the implications for rural Canada. You can read a copy of the article, "Rural Canada has a new voice, say rural advocates" here: https://www.manitobacooperator.ca/news-opinion/news/rural-canada-has-a-new-voice-say-rural-advocates/?module=under-c
On January 15, 2019, the federal government announced the creation of a new minister of rural economic development. Bernadette Jordan (Member of Parliament for South Shore-St Margarets in Nova Scotia) takes on the new minister role. What does it mean for rural Canada? What should the priorities be for moving forward? Dr. Gibson joined eleven CBC Radio station morning programs to discuss the recent announcement, potential strategies for focus, and why urban...
