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Canadian Rural Partnership
Rural Dialogue Town Hall Meeting Report  "Building strong urban and rural communities" Guelph, Ontario |
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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1. FOREWORD
This report is a summary of discussions that took place at the town hall meeting entitled "Building strong urban and rural communities" held in Guelph, Ontario, on February 7, 2003. Following brief presentations by speakers and the Secretary of State for Rural Development, the Honourable Andy Mitchell, participants were invited to share their comments and questions. The report also includes comments provided by participants on the town hall's evaluation forms. In order to present a true report of the free-ranging discussions, recommendations made by participants that fall outside federal jurisdiction are also included. Views expressed by participants do not necessarily represent those of the Government of Canada. The report also provides selected examples of existing Government of Canada initiatives that address some aspects of the issues raised.
2. INTRODUCTION
The Ontario town hall meeting was part of the Rural Dialogue, an ongoing, two-way discussion between the Government of Canada and Canadians from rural, remote and northern regions. Launched in 1998, the Rural Dialogue is a key citizen-engagement component of the Canadian Rural Partnership Initiative. The Dialogue process helps the Government of Canada to understand local and regional priorities, and provides rural, remote and northern citizens with an opportunity to influence Government of Canada policies, programs and services that affect them. The town hall meeting was designed to continue this dialogue and expand it to include citizens from urban communities. The objective was to increase the understanding of (1) the contributions of urban communities to rural; (2) the contributions of rural communities to urban; and (3) the collaborations between rural and urban communities.
The town hall in Ontario stemmed from the commitment made by the Honourable Andy Mitchell, Secretary of State (Rural Development) (Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario), to host a series of five town hall events across Canada in 2002-2003 to identify common priorities for urban and metro-adjacent communities, and to discuss opportunities for collaboration on community development.
The town hall brought together rural and urban citizens and stakeholders, members of community organizations from the Guelph area, and municipal and Government of Canada representatives to share their views on the quality of life in their communities. The event was sponsored by the Rural Secretariat and Rural Team-Ontario, and was attended by representatives from several federal departments, provincial ministries, and rural communities.
The event was moderated by Gilbert Héroux (Director, Collège d'Alfred, University of Guelph), and included presentations by the Honourable Andy Mitchell, Mr. Bill Winegard (urban panelist; consultant on municipal management, finance and economic development) and Dr. Mary Robertson-Lacroix (rural panelist; former General Manager of The Ontario Rural Council). In his opening remarks, the Secretary of State emphasized the importance of the interconnections and interdependencies between rural and urban communities and the need for dialogue between the two types of communities. "It is clear that in order to have a successful Canada, both of its component parts – rural and urban – must be strong", said Mr. Mitchell. Bill Winegard spoke of the importance of creating a common vision for both rural and urban areas, recognizing that each is dependant upon the contributions of the other. Mary Robertson-Lacroix cautioned that two solitudes are developing in Canada: urban and rural, and reinforced the importance of creating a vision for a united Canada.
3. COMMON RURAL AND URBAN ISSUES LINKED TO THE RURAL PRIORITY AREAS
The Ontario town hall meeting attracted a total of 69 participants from a variety of rural and urban communities. Many participants took the opportunity to ask questions, share suggestions, and provide input and comments regarding the quality of life in their communities.
Topics raised at the town hall meeting are consistent with some of the 11 priority areas identified by rural Canadians through the Rural Dialogue and outlined in the Federal Framework for Action in Rural Canada. To ensure a comprehensive account of the discussion and written comments, topics that go beyond the rural priority areas have also been reported and are found under section 4. The following is a summary of the discussions related to the priority areas and selected examples of government initiatives that currently address some aspects of the issues raised. These examples are boxed to set them apart from the information shared at the town hall meeting.
(A) Access to Government of Canada programs and services
- It is important for federal and provincial governments to recognize that a policy or program that works for an urban area may not necessarily function in a rural context. The government services valued by rural and urban citizens are the same (e.g., education, health care); however, a different approach is required to deliver those services to rural and urban communities.
| The Canadian Rural Partnership (CRP) promotes greater consideration of rural issues and concerns in the design and delivery of federal policies and programs. It encourages federal departments and agencies to scrutinize their policies and programs through the Rural Lens. The Rural Lens raises awareness of rural, remote and northern issues across federal government organizations by asking them to assess the effect of new policies, programs and services on Canadians living in rural and remote areas. |
(B) Opportunities, programs and services for youth
- Youth are the leaders of today and tomorrow; therefore, they should be engaged and have an active voice in the decision-making process.
- Youth have a great amount of enthusiasm and vision. They should be provided with the tools and training they need to move from ideas to action.
- Youth are the experts on youth issues. All levels of government should provide them support and consider their opinions and ideas, particularly at the local level.
- There is a continuing outflow of young people from rural areas, resulting in lost opportunities for these regions. Rural areas are not benefiting from the overall population growth that Canada has experienced. Rural communities should be provided with the tools they need to attract and retain young people.
| $3.6 million from FedNor's Youth Internship Program helped nearly 150 recent Northern Ontario post-secondary school graduates gain work experience in business and economic development in rural communities with the objective of leading to longer term employment in Northern Ontario. Exchanges Canada is a Government of Canada initiative that creates opportunities for young Canadians to connect with one another and experience the diversity of Canadian communities, languages and cultures. It offers exchanges to groups of 10-30 young Canadians between the ages of 11 and 18. Groups are twinned with a group of youth approximately the same age from another part of the country (www.exchanges.gc.ca). The CRP, through its Rural Dialogue activities, such as the Ontario town hall meeting and the Rural Youth On-line Discussion Group (www.rural.gc.ca/dialogue/youth/listserv_e.phtml), engages youth and solicits their ideas on youth issues and potential solutions. In April 2002, the Secretary of State further announced the launch of a National Rural Youth Network, and a National Rural Youth Conference to be held in 2003. The Government of Canada released a paper, entitled "Rural Youth Migration: Exploring the Reality Behind the Myths", which addresses the issue of rural migration by providing valuable input and information to help the development, coordination and long-term delivery of programs and services for rural youth across Canada. Proposed solutions in the document include improving job opportunities, providing better access to education and training, developing programs focussed on rural youth, and establishing solid social infrastructures. |
(C) Community capacity-building, leadership and skills development
- Many rural residents feel they have little influence on what is happening in their communities. This can result in a sense of apathy and resignation towards community challenges and a lack of community involvement.
- Rural communities should reach consensus and find bottom-up solutions to the challenges they face. The first step is to build community capacity. Government plays an important role in enabling this process by providing important tools to communities.
| Human Resources Development Canada has developed the Community Development Handbook, the Community Capacity Building Facilitators Guide and the Community Capacity Building Internet Site (http://www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/community/menu/index.shtml) in order to help communities in capacity building. In addition, the Government of Canada's 2003 Community Capacity Building Initiative aims to provide rural and remote Canada with the necessary tools to promote their long-term viability and to remain as important contributors to the nation's prosperity. Recognizing the leadership capacity of youth, the Government of Canada's CRP Pilot Projects Initiative provided $1.7 million to fund 48 projects aimed at developing youth leadership skills. |
(D) Infrastructure for community development
- A developed infrastructure is a crucial component to the economic viability of a community. Many communities are experiencing challenges with increased responsibilities in managing and funding their own infrastructure after responsibilities were shifted to them by the province (e.g. roads).
- There is a need to provide adequate funding for infrastructure development and improvement in rural areas.
| A minimum of 15 percent of investments under the Government of Canada's six-year $680.7 million commitment to the Canada-Ontario Infrastructure Program is dedicated to projects in rural areas. The February 2003 federal budget established funding of $3 billion in additional support for infrastructure development over the next ten years, including $1 billion for municipal infrastructure. |
(E) Partnerships for community development
- There is wide recognition of the valuable contribution of town hall meetings and dialogue sessions to building partnerships in community development, and there is a strong desire for these sessions to continue. Future sessions should include more urban "voices".
- While it is important to encourage "bottom-up" community driven initiatives to address needs, the government (both provincial and federal) also has a responsibility to invest in communities – it must be a partnership among various levels of government and communities.
| The Government of Canada, through the CRP, has actively engaged rural and urban citizens through the Rural Dialogue process, reaching over 14,500 people to date. Annually, FedNor/Industry Canada invests $18 million in Ontario's Community Futures Development Program. The Program is administered by a network of Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) across northern and rural southern Ontario whose aim is to help rural communities strengthen and diversify their economies. CFDCs are incorporated non-profit organizations governed by a local volunteer board of directors that represent various community interests. Federal contributions and guidance enables local CFDCs to pursue their own priorities and strategies for development by creating and implementing a strategic community plan in co-operation with their partners. |
(F) Promote rural Canada
- Education is of paramount importance in understanding issues that confront rural and small town populations. When close to 1.5 million people live in rural Ontario it is imperative that politicians and the general public have a positive and realistic understanding of rural areas.
- Canada attracts highly educated and skilled individuals from all over the world. It is important that rural areas have the ability to entice new Canadians to their communities and encourage them to stay.
- Rural Ontario should be a place where people want to visit. More importantly, it must be a place where people want (and have the means) to live and work.
- The concept of "rural" carries with it a great many pre-conceived notions. Using the term "countryside" may more adequately represent the social, economic, and historical diversity of rural areas.
| The Rural Exhibits Program has visited more than 450 venues across Canada in the last four years. The exhibit travels to fairs, trade shows, municipal conferences and shopping malls, distributing publications and providing access to the Government of Canada Web site. The Ontario town hall meeting was designed to raise awareness of the contributions of rural communities to urban communities, the contributions of urban communities to rural communities, and the collaborations between rural and urban communities. |
4.OTHER KEY ISSUES/RELEVANT TOPICS
Distinction between agriculture and rural
- Since the mandate of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food no longer includes "rural affairs", there is a concern that rural issues may be overlooked.
- People hear the word rural and they think of agriculture. It is important to recognize the distinction between the two: rural is place-based; while agriculture is commodity-based. Therefore, the unique challenges of rural areas should be treated as separate issues.
Urban Sprawl
- The rapid growth of urban and sub-urban areas exerts pressure on metro-adjacent rural areas and there is concern about the amount of farmland that urban development consumes.
- Smart growth in urban areas is vitally important so that rural communities can thrive.
- Expanded urban sprawl does not contribute to the quality of life in Canada. It is important to demonstrate the importance of healthy and viable rural communities to the country's wealth and prosperity.
5.CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS
Participants in the Ontario town hall meeting expressed much interest in increasing the involvement of urban residents in future dialogue sessions. Respondents appreciated the opportunity to hear a range of perspectives and opinions and would welcome an opportunity for small group discussion and debate. Several participants expressed a desire to move from dialogue to action, either generally or with particular emphasis on the engagement of youth in rural communities.
This third town hall meeting was an important step in continuing the discussion between urban and rural citizens on their quality of life and on related issues. The discussions will continue with the two subsequent town hall meetings. At the conclusion of the town hall series in the winter of 2003, an analysis of priorities shared by rural and urban communities and strategies for collaboration suggested by participants in the town hall meetings will be prepared and will be available on the rural Web site: www.rural.gc.ca.
To obtain printed copies of town hall reports or for further information on the Rural Dialogue, please call 1-888-781-2222 (toll-free number).
| Date Modified: 2003-04-02 |
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