Did you know that...

More than 26 federal departments and agencies are working together to improve access to federal programs and services in rural areas, support cross-government rural partnerships and coordinate policy that focuses on rural community development.

Our goal is to make rural Canada a full partner in Canadian society by working together to help rural citizens remain in their communities and prosper. This is best achieved through partnerships with community groups in rural and remote areas, including the private sector, the voluntary sector, cooperatives and other levels of government. This brochure is designed to give the reader a sample of the programs and services available to rural residents in Saskatchewan.

In Saskatchewan, 130 young people (ages 15-30) were hired through the Schoolnet Digital Collections program to digitize information of historic or cultural value in their communities. Young people acquire skills in digitizing information and building Internet web sites, while their communities benefit from having information online for the rest of Canada to appreciate.

This summer, the Government of Canada is partnering with 14 rural communities across Saskatchewan to open student employment centres. Run by local students, these centres help youth in the community prepare for and find work.

The Government of Canada, in partnership with other levels of government, farm groups, producers and industry, develops and conserves the area's soil and water resources, and encourages diversification into new crops, value-added processing and other wealth-creating opportunities. For example:

• The Shelterbelt Centre in Indian Head produces and provides seedlings for shelterbelt, conservation and reclamation planting. Technical assistance is available free of charge.
• The Rural Water Development Program (RWDP) provides technical and financial assistance to rural residents to develop secure water supplies.
• The Community Pasture Program preserves wildlife habitat and maintains a permanent cover that protects marginal soils from erosion while providing summer grazing for patrons' cattle.

The Farm Credit Canada is Canada's largest agricultural term lender. Its variety of programs and services are exclusively dedicated to financing the needs of Canada's primary producers and small to medium-sized agribusiness ranging from food processing plants, agricultural input suppliers and biotechnology to non-agricultural, farm-based businesses such as machinery repair or bed and breakfasts.

Community Futures Development Corporations provide loans to small and medium-sized businesses and entrepreneurs, supply business training in the area of accounting, financial management, business plan preparation and other related areas, and help rural communities expand local economies by looking at new approaches to business development and providing access to business resources and financial assistance.

Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan works with women considering business, starting a business or operating an existing business by providing business management and development advice, financial assistance and entrepreneurial skill development.

Strategis, Canada's largest business information Web site, gives you direct access to extensive expertise and information resources to help you identify new markets, explore opportunities for growth, find partners, form alliances, discover and develop new technologies or processes, or assess new ventures and much more.

Forty-nine per cent of farmers have a computer and 12 per cent access the Internet. Ninety-two per cent of those connected use the Internet for agricultural information, 47 per cent use it to access agriculture experts and 10 per cent use it to order agriculture products and services.

The Community Access Program has assisted 185 Saskatchewan rural communities to set up computers in schools and libraries to offer free public access to the Internet, as well as Internet training and other services.

There are about 50,000 registered Indians who are members of 70 First Nations residing in rural Saskatchewan. The Government of Canada provides funding to First Nations to deliver programs and services to their members in the areas of governance, education, social services, economic development and community infrastructure.

Under Gathering Strength - Canada's Aboriginal Action Plan the Government of Canada is committed to "Renewing the Partnerships", "Strengthening Aboriginal Governance", "Developing a New Fiscal Relationship", and "Supporting Strong Communities, People and Economies".

The Government of Canada and Saskatchewan partners renewed a $13 million Multi-Party Training Plan that has given northern Saskatchewan the highest rate of Aboriginal mining employment in Canada.

The Government of Canada paid over $1.7 billion in pension and disability to Saskatchewan in 1998. Over two-thirds of these residents are rural.

The Canada-Saskatchewan Business Service Centre offers a convenient single window to information on federal and provincial government programs, services and regulations and has developed an Interactive Business Planner. These services will soon be available through 18 regional access sites across Saskatchewan.

International Trade Centres (ITCs) are located across Canada help Canadian firms take advantage of trade opportunities in foreign markets.

The Government of Canada helps Canadians maintain and improve their health by sharing provincial health care and hospital services costs through annual transfer payments to provincial governments and by offering a variety of services to the public through its various branches. Some of these services include:

• Developing and enforcing regulations under consumer and environmental protection laws such as the Food and Drugs Act, Tobacco Act and Canadian Environmental Protection Act;
• Providing community health services to First Nations people living on-reserve. Partnership arrangements are being developed with First Nations to transfer the delivery of these health services to their control;
• Focusing on determinants that influence health during childhood, adolescence, mid-life and later life. Specific community based initiatives include the Community Action Program for Children, Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program, Aboriginal Head Start Program, Aids Community Action Program and Population Health Fund; and
• Studying the health needs of Canadians, supporting the development and delivery of health policies and programs, administering the Canada Health Act and being responsible for the Canadian Health Information System.

Saskatchewan's six National Parks and Sites attract about 265,000 visitors each year and employ about 240 staff, 98 per cent of whom are in rural areas.

The Government of Canada provides environmental information and publications, in addition to personal weather consultations with a meteorologist and customized weather forecasts and other commercial weather packages, as well as historical and climate statistics.

Funding is available to non-profit groups for community environmental projects through the EcoAction 2000 program.

For further information on these and other programs and services available to rural Canadians, please call 1-888-781-2222 or visit our rural web site at www.rural.gc.ca to find links to the programs and services listed in this brochure.

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