Since 1998 the New Rural Economy Project has been collaborating with a number of partners to identify the issues that are vital to rural communities. We have created a digital video series that explores different parts of the country and how many different citizens and organizations are taking advantage of the opportunities they have to build sustainable and viable communities.
We have produced 8 digital videos, each telling a specific “story” about success in rural Canada, under the title Opportunities for Rural Canada. Four of the videos are available in French.
The videos are publicly available for viewing on the Opportunities for rural Canada Youtube Channel and a limited print run of DVDs has been distributed to researchers, communities and public officials. A Companion Resource Book is included in the on-line edition – full of helpful explanations and stimulating questions designed to inspire further learning.
The videos are being used in university classrooms for instruction purposes, in community meetings to stimulate discussion about potential development strategies, and in other settings to stimulate thinking about rural Canada.
Funding for the video series was made possible by SSHRC’s INE Public Outreach Grants (www.sshrc.ca). The main project website is http://www.concordia.ca/artsci/sociology-anthropology/research/nre.html?utm_source=redirect&utm_campaign=nre.concordia.ca, and the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation, the main driver of the NRE project, is at www.crrf.ca
