Rural Communities in Grey Bruce and Huron Counties will soon have a manual to show them how to cope with economic downturns and how to improve local economic conditions.
University of Guelph Rural Development Professor Wayne Caldwell has received a government grant to develop a “how to” manual aimed at guiding rural communities through difficult economic times.
It will identify and explain best practices for ailing municipalities, highlight success stories of other rural areas and provide approaches to improve local conditions.
Professor Caldwell tells Bayshore Broadcasting News his goal is to assist these communities in developing responses to the problems they are facing as a result of the economic downturn.
He says rural communities recognized as leaders in economic development will be selected as case studies and their success stories will be used to help show the way for communities that are struggling.
Professor Caldwell says smaller rural communities have to stop wasting their efforts trying to land to so called big fish of employers and concentrate their development efforts on smaller local businesses.
He says it is those companies that create local employment and more economic wealth across the country than the big ones.
Professor Caldwell also says smaller rural communities have to make a greater effort at attracting new Canadians to their area as that is the only way they will be able to grow their populations in the near future.
He says smaller communities have to be more welcoming of new Canadians and doing more to make their areas more attractive to them as a place to settle and start a business.