On February 26, 2026, Sarah-Patricia Breen (Selkirk College), Ryan Gibson (University of Guelph), and Ashleigh Weeden (Brandon University) delivered a workshop to Government of Canada staff titled Harnessing the Power of Place: Practical Strategies for Federal Policy and Program Success. The workshop focused on a simple but important idea: place matters in policy and programs!

Place-based approaches challenge assumptions that programs work the same everywhere. The workshop explored how the federal government can integrate place into policies and programs. The workshop focused on integrating place-based approaches into the design, implementation, and evaluation of policies and programs. The workshop emphasized that place-based development leads to stronger policy outcomes, better use of public funds, and improved responses to persistent regional challenges. As federal initiatives continue to evolve, place-based approaches offer a practical way to improve outcomes while responding to diverse community realities.

The workshop was hosted by Innovation, Science and Economic Development’s Rural Team.