Archive for February 2017
Economic development in the Lower Columbia region — a chat with Terry Van Horn of LCIC
Economic development in the Lower Columbia region has been bolstered since 2010 by an organization formed through a partnership featuring the City of Rossland, the City of Trail, the Village of Warfield, the Village of Montrose, the Village of Fruitvale and electoral areas A & B of the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary. The Lower Columbia Initiatives Corporation (LCIC) was…
Read MoreRural revitalization & the arts — a conversation with John Davis
Rural revitalization and the arts — few places have linked the two more successfully than the small Minnesota towns of New York Mills and Lanesboro. So what do these communities have in common? Among other things, John Davis. Currently the Executive Director of Lanesboro Arts, Davis has helped bring various community factions together in both towns,…
Read MoreRural schools are vital, says Kaslo principal Dan Rude
Rural schools are vital — it’s difficult to imagine a rural community prospering without offering its children access to an adequate school. This fact was hammered home at a open house on February 24th in Trail hosted by Linda Larson, Secretary of State responsible for rural education in BC and several Ministry of Education staff.…
Read MoreChina Creek Micro-Hydro — Hupacasath First Nation leads the green energy charge
The Hupacasath First Nation pioneered the development of a First Nation micro-hydro operation with the China Creek Micro-Hydro Power Plant that has been in operation since 2006. The China Creek Micro-Hydro Project began in 2001, when the Hupacasath First Nation focused on new forms of economic development. The primary goal of the project was to…
Read MoreRobin Billy of SX Cloud Services talks tech
Sexqeltkemc Cloud Services (“SX Cloud Services” for short) co-founder Robin Billy is a young man on a mission. He and his colleagues are determined to grow SX Cloud Services into a significant technology provider to Shuswap First Nation communities, as well as other First Nations across British Columbia. SX is focused on enabling these communities to harness…
Read MoreSicamous mayor Terry Rysz speaks out on rural economic development & a new community forest initiative
Sicamous mayor Terry Rysz candidly admits that his community — like many other small, rural, forestry-dependent communities across BC — was hard-hit when the major sawmill in the area closed, taking with it around 200 well-paid jobs. For him, spurring rural economic development — or rural economic culture — is extremely important. Recognizing the importance…
Read MoreFood, glorious food, Shuswap style
Surveys show a sizeable majority of British Columbians would prefer to buy and consume food grown close to home. Yet no more than five percent of the food we eat is locally sourced. Some see this as a problem. Others see it as a tremendous opportunity. In this podcast, the Shuswap Food Co-Op’s Ronn Boeur…
Read MoreCBT is looking for a new Chief Operating Officer for Columbia Basin Broadband
Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) is looking for a Chief Operating Officer for its Columbia Basin Broadband Corporation (CBBC) subsidiary — certainly one of the most important technology positions in rural British Columbia. CBT is looking for someone who can: Work with communities and rural areas to connect them to CBBC’s network Facilitate use of the network and…
Read MoreSmall, Remote — and Successful!
Small can be beautiful. Remoteness and rugged surroundings are often cited as negatives in discussions regarding rural communities and regions. But there are cases where these apparent challenges are turned into positives. Mountain Trek, a boutique health & wellness destination in BC’s West Kootenay region, and Newfoundland’s Fogo Island Inn stand as highly successful examples…
Read MoreShould Rural British Columbians Accept Sub-Par Emergency Services?
In this CBC News report (including the full podcast interview), BC’s Forest Safety Ombudsman Roger Harris says “many in charge think people in rural areas ‘made a choice’ to get worse care in emergencies.” A report from B.C.’s Forest Safety Ombudsman criticizes an attitude in B.C.’s emergency services that views rural living as “a choice” that comes…
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