What makes a healthy rural community was the central question and discussion at the inaugural RuralTalks session held in Exeter on June 23. RuralTalks was designed to bring community leaders, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and community residents together to facilitate conversations on how to build vibrant, robust, and sustainable rural futures. The RuralTalks event was co-hosted by the Canadian Centre for Rural Creativity and the Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health. This initiative builds on the momentum of the recent inquiry by the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation to engage leadership candidates for both the federal Conservative Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party. Results from that conversation can be found here.

Dr. Gibson and Dr Al Lauzon were invited to share their insights on critical challenges confronting rural areas and key opportunities for moving rural areas forward. In his insights, Dr. Gibson shared information from the rural philanthropy research initiatives, the Community Collaboration Project, and the Canadian Regional Development project.

The Canadian Centre for Rural Creativity and the Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health will host future RuralTalks in the late summer 2017. Stay tuned for more information on the details!

 Building Vibrant Rural Communities: Ideas and Inspiration (Gibson)

 Canadian Centre for Rural Creativity

 Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health

 Rural Routes Podcasts

 Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation