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Rural Strong: Unleashing Canada’s competitive advantage to the world for the benefit of Canadian families

It is an extraordinary time in our country’s history — one defined by global instability, strained affordability and the urgent need to rebuild Canada’s economic foundations. These challenges underscore a fundamental truth: the world needs more Canada, and as Canadians, we cannot succeed without rural Canada.

Rural Canada holds what the world needs: energy, food, critical minerals, clean technology capacity, and the infrastructure to connect it all. It is the source of nearly 60 per cent of Canada’s exports, drives 30 per cent of national GDP and powers our supply chains across every province and territory. From trade corridors and energy grids to AI-powered agriculture and data centres, rural regions are critical to the prosperity and sovereignty of our country. Rural Canada is more than a backdrop — it’s at the core of Canadian industries and the values we represent.

Rural Canada is the key to delivering on each of the recent objectives set out by the government: strengthening trade partnerships, building nation-shaping infrastructure, reducing costs for Canadians, growing skilled trades, leveraging AI, and catalyzing private investment. In addition to the government’s efforts, Canada’s main opposition parties, who represent constituents across rural Canada, continue to call for the rural voice to be heard. In many ways, rural Canada unites us as a country.

Since the launch of the Rural Prosperity Group, we have witnessed firsthand the resilience and innovation of rural communities. These communities, however, continue to face compounding pressures: trade uncertainty, declining population, aging infrastructure, climate risk, and gaps in access to transportation, education, health care, and even financial services.

As the State of Rural Canada 2024 report by the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation highlights, rural, remote and northern communities face population decline, unique vulnerabilities to climate risk such as wildfires, floods and droughts, aging infrastructure and limited access to transportation, education, health care and more. Yet, these communities are the jewels of our nation, integral to the well-being of our entire country.

Indeed, rural Canadians remain deeply committed to building “one Canadian economy” — a vision shared in the Prime Minister’s promise to create a strong economy that works for everyone. This vision cannot be realized without unlocking the full potential of rural regions, treating rural communities as equal partners in growth and ensuring that national decisions reflect rural realities.

As the government prepares Budget 2025, we urge the federal government to adopt a practical, high-impact and low-cost initial commitment that aligns with its top priorities:

Apply a rural lens to all future policy, program and regulatory decisions, and trade negotiations and agreements: Ensure that no future federal regulation, program or policy — domestic or international — harms rural Canada. This requires the institutional and consistent application of a rural lens at all stages of federal decision-making, ensuring that new programs or initiatives account for rural needs, challenges and opportunities.
Review existing policies through a rural lens to unleash growth and resilience: Launch an early and comprehensive review of existing policies and regulations to determine how they impact rural communities today — and how they can be retooled on a priority basis to support rural economic success and thriving communities.

Proven and nimble avenues already exist to support this requirement, such as the inclusion of a rural-specific component in for-decision memorandums, Treasury Board’s impact analysis, and even adapting other existing impact assessments.

Analysis is required at the beginning of decision-making, not as an afterthought. Evaluative considerations could include:

How will rural residents access this policy, program, or service?
What tangible benefits will this deliver to rural communities?
Does the policy assume an urban delivery model that may not work in rural settings?
Are supply chain or ecosystem capacities being considered?
Are the rural assets being maximized, with their prospects realized?
If structural challenges cannot be addressed, how will rural Canada be supported through innovative, alternative measures?
Are rural communities well-prepared and well-supported to achieve a successful transition?
Does this genuinely reflect rural needs, or is it a top-down solution that won’t work locally?
Were unintended impacts evaluated?
Were rural-specific metrics applied in planning?

This commitment will yield a significant return on investment. It ensures every dollar the government spends — from infrastructure to innovation and more — works for all Canadians, regardless of postal code.

Download the PBS in PDF

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Rural Roundup July 2025: Your story helps shape real change: Rural communities vital to building one Canadian economy

RPG NEWS

Have your say - submissions accepted until September 5

Whether you're a business owner, community leader, or someone who cares deeply about where you live, your voice on rural Canada opportunities matters. As governments grapple with what’s needed to strengthen Canada’s economy - and our communities and lives - help us understand what keeps you up at night, whether it’s something that worries you or something you’re excited about.

We will be taking your input and writing a report about what we heard this fall. We look forward to sharing this report with you.

It only takes a few minutes — but your input could help shape real change.

Help us build stronger rural communities. Take the survey today and please share it widely within your networks.

Have your say!

CDNPOLI NEWS

OP-ED

Time to complete the national dream of one Canadian economy

By JACQUIE LAROCQUE & KEN POLK

Lisa Raitt, Scott Brison and Frank McKenna sit in their Bay Street investment banker offices, and they have rural Canada on their minds. We’d say “finally,” but these three grew up in those communities. To many, though, especially those living in urban centres, we are entering a new era. Lisa, Scott and Frank know that to build and do big things, and to get to “one Canadian economy,” it will be rural communities — their way of life, their people and their riches — that transform a slogan into a reality for every single Canadian.

If we were to bet, the former bankers inside the government know this too.

The rural economy and the way of life that drives it must not only thrive but also be central to every decision Ottawa makes. From business taxes collected because of entrepreneurs, to health care. From procurement of digital services to moving Canadian goods from point A to B in volumes that the world needs and that we have, and doing so on time (or better). From agile regulations that get things done and reward risk-taking rather than hindering it to physical and human infrastructure that supports exports. It all starts in rural Canada.

Canada Day 2025 comes in the wake of the passage of the Building Canada Act in the Canadian Parliament. It hammers in a plank of the Liberals’ Canada Strong platform, which was premised during the campaign on the paramount need to build Canadian economic resilience at a time when our economic and security relationships are fracturing under varying and disruptive pressures.

If it works as Prime Minister Mark Carney is betting it will (and over 70 per cent of Canadians are hoping it will, according to a recent Angus Reid poll), this should help set better rules so the government can invest wisely. It will encourage businesses to put in more money too, helping build important roads, railways and trade routes that grow our economy and connect the country and us to the world.

What rural Canadians — and by extension all of us — are looking for as these projects move ahead is evidence, at long last, that federal government, in its full institutional strength, truly understands the as yet unrealized potential rural Canada holds. It’s essential that the Prime Minister and the government, from top to bottom, treat rural Canadians as vital partners in building one Canadian economy.

To achieve one Canadian economy, Liberals must think beyond where they elect MPs

Rural Canadians are the unsung heroes of Canada’s extraordinary success story. Rural Canada already accounts for 30 per cent of our national output. Additionally, we depend on exports from rural Canada to fuel our growth — Canada’s natural resource exports were valued at $422 billion in 2022, comprising 58 per cent of the value of Canada's total merchandise exports.

Everything from the critical minerals that will power electric vehicles and clean energy and cell phones; to the sheer open spaces needed to accommodate the spine of our national wireless digital networks to solar and wind energy; from the potash that helps the world grow more food, including what our Canadian farmers export globally, the lumber that will build the homes we need to end the housing crisis, to the oil, gas and electricity that will drive high powered new AI data centres — all of this comes from rural Canada. Let’s not forget the agricultural and financial and other cooperatives that are the heart of their communities, or the tech companies that power virtual healthcare and more in remote areas. They also start in rural Canada.

This has been all too easily forgotten over time as Canada has rapidly urbanized, and governments, especially Liberal ones, have increasingly won elections based on urban and suburban votes with an implicit urban/suburban lens on budgetary and policy making.

As we move into this next phase of Canadian nation-building, the Liberals must not only transform our economy, they must also widen their focus beyond where they get MPs elected. It will require that an explicit rural lens be applied to all cabinet and departmental decisions. That means proactively benchmarking all government decision-making against how they meet rural needs, address rural challenges and create rural opportunity.

It means ending our economic overdependence on the U.S. by working with provinces and territories to grow our economy without compromising the goals of sustainability and Indigenous reconciliation. It means a serious effort to reduce the red tape, overzealous regulation, interminable licensing and other hurdles that repeatedly get in the way. And it will mean fortifying, hardening and even future-proofing our supply chains and human and physical export infrastructure. The tone set by the Prime Minister and the Premiers, like Doug Ford, tells us we can and we will.

Let us all resolve to fulfill our national dream

Canada has arrived at one of those rare historical watersheds where there is broad political consensus on how to meet our continental and global economic challenges. There is tentative hope in rural Canada that the Carney government is adopting the driving aspiration that has been dear to the hearts of rural Canadians since Confederation. For them, “one Canadian economy” has always been the dream. For generations, they have understood that there can only be one Canadian economy, not separate rural and urban ones. And for sure, across generations, they’ve helped shape outcomes meant to serve all Canadians. They will judge the Prime Minister by the extent to which he delivers a “Canada Strong” that is, at heart, “Rural Strong,” not as a slogan, but as an imperative.

This Canada Day, these Bay Street bankers know that two critical constituents are watching: those “back home” living in rural Canada, and the world. They need to see evidence that we’re really serious about achieving our full national economic promise, and that as a country, we can do anything if we would just get out of our own way.

But they won't wait long.

Jacqueline (Jacquie) LaRocque is founder and CEO of public affairs firm Compass Rose Group in Ottawa and has worked in public service, politics and business. Born and raised in Espanola, Ont., in a francophone minority setting, she witnessed firsthand how government policies ripple through small towns. Ken Polk is a public affairs counsellor at Compass Rose Group who has spent decades in service of Canadians in policy, regulatory and government.

This op-ed was first published by Means & Ways.

Cobb: Local economies key to Canada’s post-global trade future

Canada must focus on building resilient local economies instead of relying on global trade and large corporations, says Zita Cobb, founder and CEO of Shorefast and the Fogo Island Inn.

“We need to create the enabling conditions for communities to be in the economy. What we're missing more than anything is the collaborative musculature to work together,” Cobb said on episode 3 of How Do We Not Go Broke, a podcast hosted by Canadian author Stephen Marche.

“You need to do it from the ground up. That's the key.”

Cobb, a former tech executive who returned home to Newfoundland after working in the U.S., founded the Shorefast foundation to help rebuild the economy of Fogo Island after the collapse of the inshore fishery. The goal, she said, was to “connect economics to place” — making local knowledge, traditions, and identity central to development.

“What is the economy for exactly?” she asked. “I think it’s for the people. We're embodied creatures. We're social creatures. We're meaning-seeking creatures. All those things are satisfied in a place. And without place, we won't be able to hold on to intergenerational knowledge.”

Her model, known as asset-based community development (ABCD), flips traditional economic planning. Instead of focusing on what’s missing, it starts by identifying what communities already have: skills, history, relationships and natural resources.

On Fogo Island, that meant investing in traditional crafts, hospitality and small businesses. A renewed focus on woodworking and textiles gave rise to furniture makers and design shops. Even an ice cream business emerged, built around the island’s 26 varieties of edible berries.

She believes the model can work in communities across the country — but only if it’s locally driven. One barrier, she said, is that many Canadians “don’t know each other well enough” to work together effectively.

Despite Canada’s vast resources, Cobb noted that just 500 of the country’s 4,434 incorporated communities have access to commercial banking. That lack of financial infrastructure, she said, means “you can’t get a loan for small business if you’re outside of the top 500 cities in Canada.”

She also flagged regional air access as a critical but overlooked issue. Without it, rural trade and tourism falter.

Cobb pointed to the Faroe Islands’ public investments — including building undersea tunnels and launching a national airline — as a model for government-led development.

“Trade follows tourism,” she said. “The government has a role to play in this; communities have a role to play in this.”

Marche linked Cobb’s ideas to a broader rethinking of trade. “There’s a sense that sovereignty is intimately tied up with trade,” he said, noting that Canadians are beginning to reject American products.

John Shell, chair of Social Capital Partners, echoed the urgency, calling for a “third pole” of middle-power nations like Canada, Japan, and Germany to build independent supply chains.

Cobb’s message: local resilience isn’t just nice to have — it’s essential.

“As a child, I was told to figure out how this money thing works, because otherwise it’s going to eat everything we love,” she said.

Gallant: Space sector is one solution for Arctic sovereignty

The Canadian space sector has immense economic potential, and in addition, offers a potential solution to the challenges of maintaining Arctic sovereignty and could also help the country meet its NATO spending targets, says Brian Gallant, CEO of Space Canada.

To “stand on our own,” Canada should pursue Prime Minister Mark Carney’s commitment to hit the NATO defense spending target of two per cent of the national GDP, Gallant said last week on former Conservative cabinet minister Lisa Raitt’s podcast, The Raitt Stuff. Space Canada, which represents more than 90 “space innovators” including companies and academic institutions, can “help immensely” by improving Arctic protection, in which space-based capabilities would be “pivotal.”

Exploration is a big part of what gives the space sector its cache, but there are many other exciting, commercially viable aspects, including earth observation, which aids in the protection of our oceans and coastlines, and helps first responders deal with natural disasters, Gallant said. It’s also about protecting the Arctic, and about space mining eventually, “which will be a huge economic driver.”

Gallant says the lessons learned delivering health care in space can be applied to taking care of people in remote regions not only in Canada but around the world. The space sector can also help develop telecommunications solutions for remote areas and Indigenous communities.

Supply management ‘off the table’ in Canada-U.S. trade negotiations: Champagne

In the ever-evolving arena of global trade, few issues have sparked as much domestic debate — or international friction — as Canada’s supply management system. Once again at the centre of policy discussions and trade negotiations, supply management is being described not merely as an economic mechanism but as a symbol of national resilience. Former trade minister Ed Fast, reflecting on its enduring role in the Globe and Mail, likens it to a “Gordian Knot” — complex, often misjudged and politically charged. But, as Fast cautions, Canada’s response must not be to hastily sever the knot under pressure. Instead, he argues, we must grasp its deeper strategic value in a world where “free markets” are too often anything but fair.

The system ensures stable incomes for farmers and consistent prices for consumers by regulating food staples such as dairy, chicken, turkey and eggs. According to a recent report from RBC, these managed sectors contribute more than $30-billion to Canada’s GDP, and support 339,000 full-time jobs from the farm, to processing to distributing; and nearly 15,000 farms.

“At its core, the system provides a stable price that fairly compensates farmers for producing high-quality food. The system’s advocates say it boosts food security, supports domestic producers, and ensures consistency of quality and supply for consumers,” the RBC report, Supply Management Explained, says.

To protect domestic production, Canadian processors implement tariff rate quotas (TRQ) to limit imports within their supply-managed industries. Until 2017, foreign access to the TRQ was limited to commitments under the World Trade Organization. However, recent trade negotiations, such as CPTPP, CUSMA, and CETA, have gradually opened the door to greater foreign market access.

While these concessions aim to ease diplomatic tensions, they have created new friction by eroding domestic market shares. For instance, though concessions with the CPTPP were intended to provide an estimated 3.25% access to Canada’s dairy market, imports now represent roughly 4% of Canada’s dairy market. To offset lost profits, the federal government paid farmers and processors $4.8 billion.

Protecting farmers, preserving trade leverage

As Fast argues, supply management is one of the few economic tools Canada can leverage in an increasingly volatile trade environment. Following the re-election of U.S. President Donald Trump, and the return of his “America First, everyone else last” policy, it’s even more important now than ever.

According to Fast, Ottawa’s passage of Bill C-202, which prohibits the government from offering increased TRQ access in future trade negotiations, reflects Canada’s commitment to supply chain management — a “protective stance” which could present an opportunity.

“Dismantling supply management in this moment of geopolitical uncertainty and rising economic nationalism would miss a unique opportunity: the chance to leverage a persistent bilateral irritant to Canada’s advantage,” wrote Fast.

Should Canada remove TRQ on U.S. imports, the domestic market would likely flooded with heavily subsidized U.S. imports, leaving Canadian farmers struggling to compete. Instead, Fast argues supply management should be incorporated into wider strategic negotiations of a “grander bargain” with the U.S., encompassing agriculture, culture, and telecoms, and advancing new national priorities.

Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne has said Canada’s supply management system will not be part of ongoing trade negotiations with the U.S. “This is off the table,” Champagne told Bloomberg News.

Canadian innovation

Supply management can also offer pathways to Canadian innovation, with the example of dairy producer Agropur offering a “road map,” according to CEO Émile Cordeau. The company successfully modernized and expanded its operations by growing its business in Canada’s protected market, before expanding to competitive and open markets in the U.S.

Benefitting from the stability of a closed, supply-managed market allowed it to have the flexibility to balance risk with reward. During a time of heightened volatility of the U.S. market, Agropur’s model suggests Canada’s supply management system could offer investors a mix of risk and stability when used strategically.

“We’re going to protect supply management and we’re going to make sure it remains intact,” said Cordeau.”That is key for us to be able to invest in our assets, in our innovation, in our growth road map.”

Showcase your leadership and get your message out

Reach out today to partner with us through content contributions or advertising in The Rural Roundup and more. Email us at info@ruralprosperity.ca to set up a time to chat.

FCC and RDAR partner to expand AI tool ‘Root’ to deliver real-time farm support across Canada

In an age where modern farming requires producers to make fast, informed decisions, a new AI-powered assistant is stepping in to fill a gap that’s quietly widened across Canada’s agricultural landscape.

Root, a free generative AI tool developed by Farm Credit Canada (FCC), is designed to offer farmers real-time support by transforming decades of research and field knowledge into actionable insights. Now, FCC is partnering with Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) to make Root even smarter—and more accessible.

“Root is more than a technology solution, it’s part of a broader effort to bring back something Canadian agriculture has lost: accessible, trusted and timely insight,” said Justine Hendricks, FCC president and CEO, in a press release.

The sentiment echoes a growing concern among Canadian farmers: as traditional, community-based advisory networks decline, many producers are left to navigate increasingly complex challenges alone.

“With the decline of local advisory networks [extension services], too many farmers and ranchers have had to rely on fragmented information or go at it alone,” Hendricks said. “By partnering with RDAR, we’re helping producers access the kind of expertise that once came from decades of community-based knowledge sharing — and we’re doing it in real time, at the pace of modern farming with trusted advisors.”

Root was launched earlier this year as a mobile-friendly, bilingual tool with voice-to-text and image recognition capabilities. Since then, it has supported more than 2,900 user conversations and analyzed nearly 400 images submitted by producers—helping with everything from identifying parts to troubleshooting equipment issues.

What sets Root apart is its ease of use. There's no login, no registration, and it doesn’t collect personal information — features that prioritize trust and simplicity for users in the field.

Through their new memorandum of understanding, RDAR and FCC plan to enhance Root’s functionality even further. RDAR will contribute key data sources and support testing to ensure the tool keeps pace with the real-world needs of Canadian producers.

“We are especially keen on incorporating RDAR materials into Root, FCC’s AI / Large Language Model Pilot and making our materials accessible to producers and ranchers,” said Dr. Mark Redmond, CEO of RDAR.

While FCC and RDAR have previously worked in parallel on agricultural innovation, this agreement formalizes their collaboration and sharpens their shared focus on bringing research to life in the hands of farmers.

“We are pleased to formalize our partnership with FCC; in the past, we have worked on initiatives concurrently, but now we will collaborate more closely,” Redmond said. “This alliance aims to foster innovative solutions for the agricultural sector.”

Root’s mission is clear: empower producers with timely, relevant information so they can make better decisions, faster, with fewer risks. And it’s resonating—91% of users say the tool has provided helpful support, FCC says..

As Hendricks explained, “By simplifying decision-making and increasing confidence on the farm, Root helps accelerate productivity, reduce trial-and-error and empower Canadian producers to adopt better practices with less risk, right from their phones.”

Looking ahead, FCC and RDAR envision even more capabilities for Root, including broader support for agrifood and agribusiness operators. But at its core, Root remains rooted in a simple yet powerful goal: bringing trustworthy agricultural advice back into the hands of those who need it most.

Remote work opportunities rebound in rural Canada, Statistics Canada reports

Remote work opportunities in rural Canada are on the rise again, following a year of decline, according to new data released by Statistics Canada. The report, based on the Canadian Survey on Business Conditions and analyzed using small area estimation methods, highlights significant growth in the potential for remote work among services-producing industries across rural labour markets from the fourth quarter of 2024 to the second quarter of 2025.

In its key finding, Statistics Canada reports “just over one-quarter (27.6 per cent) of businesses in services-producing industries in rural labour markets anticipated offering remote work arrangements for their employees."

Urban labour markets mirrored this trend, StatsCan said, with Ontario showing the strongest growth.

The report offers a detailed picture of how remote work opportunities are changing across Canada’s diverse rural and urban labour markets, pointing to a potential long-term shift in employment practices beyond metropolitan areas.

ICYMI

Investing in the Future: DLL Financial Services joins forces with Careers in Ag

Growing up in Quebec City, Nicolas Foisy had no connection to agriculture. It was playing junior hockey in Russell, Manitoba, where Foisy met his wife, a second-generation farmer and started hat he calls his "farm journey." He was introduced to her family's organic grain and cattle operation and the rest, as they say, is history.

Today, still based in Russell, Foisy is a strong champion of promoting careers in agriculture and is a program manager within DLL's Agriculture sector. DLL, a global asset finance provider for equipment and technology, is the news sponsor of the Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada's (AMC) Careers in Ag initiative.

"Just like it did for me, agriculture offers something for everyone," says Foisy, who began his career in agriculture as a commercial lender and has worked with DLL for the last 10 years. "This partnership presents an exciting opportunity for both organizations to combine their expertise and resources to promote and support careers in the agricultural industry.

AMC's Careers in Ag initiative is designed to connect talented individuals with rewarding careers in agriculture, offering extensive resources, training programs and job placement services to support hte growth and development of agricultural professionals.

Partnering to promote Careers in Agriculture

"As a key supporter of Careers in Ag, DLL is committed to attracting the best talent to the agricultural sector," says AMC President Donna Boyd. Initiatives like this not only align with our values but also showcase the diverse and rewarding career paths available within the industry.

While DLL, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rabobank, has participated in agriculture and career fairs on its own, this is the company's first partnership to promote the importance of careers in agriculture. Foisy says collaborating with AMC is a great opportunity to bring together finance and industry expertise in a way that directly benefits young professionals.

"DLL brings a deep understanding of agricultural financing and equipment lifecycle management, while AMC brings the pulse of the manufacturing and technology side of the industry," he says. "Through our partnership with Careers in Ag, we aim to support the development of future agricultural leaders who understand both the economic and environmental responsibilities of modern farming."

With new technologies like precision farming, an increase in agri-tech start-ups and a growing demand for sustainable supply chains, Foisy says agriculture is shifting rapidly and the convergence of technology, sustainability and global food security creates a dynamic and exciting environment for new talent.

Growing for the future

"Agirculture is a field where people can truly make a difference - solving real-world problems while working with cutting-edge innovations, says Foisy. "For young people, agriculture offers both purpose and opportunity in a way few other sectors can match."

Foisy says the Careers in Ag initiative's Mobile Skills Lab, which features virtual reality technology and educational tools to engage with schools, career fairs, trade shows, and communities across Saskatchewan, is a brilliant way to bring learning directly to communities with a hands-on immersive experience.

"Our team members will have the chance to interact with students in the lab - sharing real-world perspectives on careers in finance, ag lending and equipment leasing," he says. "It's not just about telling students what's possible, but showing them, up close, what a career in ag can look like from different angles."

DLL aims to empower future generations, drive sustainable practices and build a more inclusive and future-ready agriculture industry.

"By investing in education and career development today, we're planting the seeds for a more sustainable and innovative industry tomorrow,' says Foisy.

This story was first published in AMC’s Implement Success magazine.

Mass college layoffs devastate rural Ontario as over 10,000 jobs cut, 600 programs cancelled

Rural communities across Canada are facing a deepening crisis as more than 10,000 faculty and staff have been laid off and over 600 college programs suspended or cancelled across Ontario’s 24 public colleges.

“For this to happen on this scale, this isn’t just about the immediate loss of good jobs in those communities, this is also about the future of local, rural and northern economies,” OPSEU/SEFPO president JP Hornick told The Toronto Star. The mass layoffs, described by Hornick as “one of the largest mass layoffs in Ontario’s history,” stem from a financial crisis caused by plummeting international student enrolment and what the union calls “a system that has deliberately been starved of funding.”

College Employer Council CEO Graham Lloyd pushed back, saying, “any suggestion that OPSEU has not been made aware and regularly updated... is inaccurate,” while the Ministry of Colleges and Universities insisted the province has provided “over $2 billion in new funding” in the past 14 months.

Despite this, Hornick warned of “increased hopelessness” on campuses and said communities are mobilizing to “fight back” against further closures and potential privatization.

Frequent rural ER closures highlight gaps in Canada’s emergency care system

In rural Canada, hospitals are experiencing frequent and prolonged emergency room closures—many so often that they are “closed more often than they are open,” exposing a national healthcare crisis.

In an op-ed for The Globe and Mail, André Picard highlights the findings of an investigative effort by Globe journalists showing that “Canadian ERs closed their doors for at least 1.14 million hours since 2019.” Despite this staggering figure, “most provinces and territories don’t collect this crucial information in any systemic fashion,” revealing a dangerous lack of transparency and accountability.

Picard argues that the root cause is a staffing shortage, especially of nurses, and challenges the notion that all small-town hospitals should maintain ERs that function in name only: “If an ER is closed 80 per cent of the time, is it really an ER?” He calls for a bold reimagining of emergency care: strengthening primary care, creating regional urgent care centres, and deploying advanced paramedics to bridge the rural-urban gap.

“The numbers we have about ER closures tell us that the current situation is untenable. We need a better approach, no matter how politically unpalatable it may seem on the surface,” Picard writes.

In response, the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada wrote: “Canada needs to build a robust system in which physicians and teams are supported to provide high quality care that is locally and regionally accessible. We need both a Canadian rural health strategy and a rural health workforce strategy that includes doctors, nurses, paramedics and others in order to provide the high quality care in a reliable system that all Canadians – including those who live in rural and remote settings – deserve. We at SRPC are engaged in just this work and look forward to the time when we can present our findings and help to lead the way in high quality care for all Canadians that is close to home and cost-effective.”

Rural and Ready bridges the urban-rural gap with an innovative student program in Oxford County

**Savrup Saran, Conservative MP Arpan Khanna, Kayla Han and Shehryar Manzar. / RURAL AND READY PHOTO**

A growing Southwestern Ontario initiative is working to close the widening education and opportunity gap between urban and rural communities. Rural and Ready, a federally registered non-profit, was founded to address the stark disparities in secondary school experiences across Canada — a country with one of the highest urban-rural divides in workforce education among OECD nations.

Rural students often face limited access to extracurricular and leadership opportunities due to geo-demographic factors and lower local demand, leaving them at higher risk of social isolation, lower income levels and fewer post-secondary or career options. In response, Rural and Ready launched the People in Motion Case Competition, the first high school case competition in Oxford County, during the 2024–2025 academic year.

The competition, modelled after a hackathon, challenges students to tackle real-world community issues by developing strategic, practical solutions. Nearly 30 students took part in the inaugural event, gaining experience in public speaking, collaboration, communication and entrepreneurship. Participants presented their proposals to a panel of local leaders, including a deputy mayor, a student entrepreneur and a school board trustee.

Town of Ingersoll Deputy Mayor Lindsay Wilson expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, noting, “I look forward to seeing the case competition grow in the coming years, including the opportunity to adopt solutions presented as part of the program. Thanks to Rural & Ready’s leadership, Oxford now has a much-needed student engagement tool that I know the community will support in the coming years.”

Earlier in 2024, Rural and Ready representatives met with Member of Parliament Arpan Khanna, who expressed strong support for the organization’s focus on empowering local youth.

The organization has also been invited to partner with the Ontario Ministry of Education’s Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program in the Non-Profit, Education, and Childcare stream. This collaboration will allow high school students to develop sector-specific skills before pursuing post-secondary education, training or employment.

Student submissions in the case competition have included proposals such as youth-centred financial literacy programs tailored to rural communities and community recreation initiatives designed to incentivize youth engagement.

As it looks ahead, Rural and Ready aims to expand the People in Motion program throughout Southwestern Ontario, continuing its mission to foster a growth mindset and encourage rural students to become proactive problem-solvers in their communities.

We want to hear from you

Do you have news, analysis or upcoming events related to rural Canada to share? Are you doing interesting and noteworthy things to unleash rural Canada’s potential? We’d be happy to showcase you or your organization. Please get in touch: info@ruralprosperity.ca.

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Rural Roundup June 2025: Rural Canada has what the world needs, let’s embrace it

RPG NEWS

Happy Canada Day, from the Rural Prosperity Group

For Rural Prosperity Group honorary chair Candice Bergen, rural life has always meant more than just geography — it’s a way of being, a community spirit that shapes identity and purpose.

“The rural way of life means knowing your neighbours — not just their names, but who they are. It means feeling safe, feeling like you belong,” she says. “There’s a connection and trust that you don’t always find elsewhere. Sure, sometimes you feel like you’re missing out on the excitement of the city, but that sense of belonging? You can’t put a price on it.”

That foundation, she says, is critical to Canada’s strength today. “Rural Canada is where it all begins — our natural resources, our agriculture, even our national security. It’s the base that supports everything we build as a country. And now, more than ever, we need to understand that the success of rural Canada drives the success of the whole nation.”

Natural resources, in particular, are central to that vision. “Our oil, gas, and other resources don’t just fuel our economy — they give us the chance to help power the world,” she said.

On trade, Bergen points out the direct impact on rural families. Trade decisions don’t just happen in boardrooms — they land in our fields, in our barns, on our kitchen tables, she says. “Most Canadians understand that what happens in trade directly affects our farmers, our producers, our communities.”

Looking ahead to Canada Day, she reflects on what makes the country unique. “Canada is incredible because of our freedom — the freedom to live as we choose,” she says. “Canada Day isn’t just a celebration; it’s a reminder to protect those freedoms and to make sure everyone, no matter where they live, has the opportunity to thrive.”

Her vision for rural Canada is one of pride and optimism. “I’m excited for what’s ahead — to see rural Canada recognized as a champion of natural resources, as a leader in energy, agriculture and innovative industries, as a partner in building a stronger Canada,” she says. “We have what the world needs, and it starts right here at home.”

CDNPOLI NEWS

A rural voice in Ottawa: Senator Todd Lewis on why Canada needs a rural lens on policy

**‘I think the future looks pretty good for rural Canada,’ says Saskatchewan Senator Todd Lewis. / RURAL ROUNDUP PHOTO**

From his family farm in Gray, Sask., to the halls of Parliament, newly appointed Senator Todd Lewis is bringing a rural perspective he says is urgently needed at the national level. His message is clear: to build a stronger, more united Canada, policies must be shaped with rural communities in mind.

“Oh I think very much so,” Lewis told The Rural Roundup, when asked if a rural lens is necessary on public policies.

Lewis, a fourth-generation farmer who was appointed to the Senate on the recommendation of former prime minister Justin Trudeau in February, sees rural Canada as not just a region, but the foundation of the country’s economy and identity. “When you look at Canada, our large urban areas are important, of course … but when people think about Canada, they think about mountains and prairies and forests and those kinds of things, and that’s rural Canada. So it really is the fabric of our country.”

He added, “So much of the country is rural Canada, and we really in a lot of ways are what tie the country together.”

That connection between rural and urban Canada, Lewis believes, is too often overlooked in policy decisions. He pointed to the carbon tax as an example of something that could’ve been prevented from doing detrimental harm to farmers had there been a rural lens put on it. “At the end of the day, the carbon tax took money out of farmer’s pockets and really made it more difficult to invest and reinvest your money,” he said. “That money would have been better spent in buying new technology on farms and so on and actually improving the farmer's carbon footprint. When a farmer is able to buy a new piece of equipment, I pretty well guarantee it's going to be more carbon friendly than the piece of equipment it's going to replace.”

Transportation policies in Western Canada are another example.

“It's such a huge part of what we have to do with exporting our product. We have one of the areas in the world that is the farthest from tidewater, and so transportation policy is really important in Western Canada,” he said.

Earlier this month Lewis asked the government in the Senate about the Liberal party’s commitment to extending the Extended Railway Interswitching pilot. “Competitive shipping rates are important, not only for the agricultural sector but for all commodities, many of which are facing uncertainty because of trade and tariffs. I’d like to see the government go further and make the pilot permanent,” he said.

He told The Rural Roundup this is important because it affects multiple industries and allows supply chains to run smoothly. Interswitching allows for more competition, and “good competition is always good for the economy.”

“We have a duopoly of class one railroads,” he said, adding that there are no alternatives to ship products overseas, from lumber, to mining, potash and more. “They need to use the railroad.”

According to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the agriculture and agri-food sector supplies approximately 2.3 million jobs and contributes $143.8 billion (7.4 per cent) to Canada’s GDP. It’s an industry that can lead our economy, said Lewis. “When we look at wanting to increase our GDP, agriculture would be a big part of it.”

His advocacy extends beyond farming. From his years as a local councillor, Lewis has seen firsthand the gaps in services that rural communities face. He noted particular concerns with infrastructure, veterinary services, emergency care, and attracting health and mental health professionals to rural areas. “It’s not an easy fix,” he said, “but I think if we shed light on them … there’s genuine interest in seeing those services improve.”

Lewis is also optimistic about the potential of rural Canada to attract newcomers and fuel economic growth. “I think a lot of urban Canadians would be surprised at the opportunities that exist in rural Canada,” he said, including good jobs, safe communities and enjoying nature among others.

As Lewis settles into his Senate role, he said his goal is to ensure that the concerns and contributions of rural Canadians are not forgotten. For Lewis, rural Canada is more than a place. It’s a way of life that deserves a central place in the national conversation.

“I think the future looks pretty good for rural Canada,” he said. “And I think the more we can talk about that... and show the opportunities in rural Canada, I think the better understanding will happen from urban counterparts.”

‘Rural communities form the beating heart of Canada’ : FCM

Rural Canada plays a vital role in the nation’s success, offering rich resources, innovation and untapped economic opportunities. This all needs to be harnessed as key drivers of national prosperity, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities says in a new report

“Rural communities form the beating heart of Canada, covering 95 per cent of our country’s landmass and home to a growing population of 6.3 million people,” says the report, which outlines measures to strengthen rural communities and, by extension, the country as a whole.

The Future of Rural Canada, a plan to harness rural communities' full potential, comes at what FCM describes as “a pivotal moment for Canada’s economy and communities.”

Among the key recommendations in the report are expanding broadband and cellular services to support a 21st-century rural economy, growing the rural housing supply through stronger federal-municipal collaboration and advancing climate resilience by partnering with rural municipalities on infrastructure and sustainability initiatives.

The report also emphasizes the need for federal infrastructure programs that reflect rural realities, reforms to the bail system and enhanced rural policing through intergovernmental collaboration.

“Rural communities are essential to the fabric of Canada and contribute to Canada’s prosperity in countless ways,” the report says. “From agriculture and natural resources to environmental conservation, rural communities play a critical role in shaping Canada’s identity and future. With dynamic local economies, a key role in infrastructure, and unique identities and cultures, rural Canada is already foundational to the success and growth of our Canada.”

FCM’s spotlight on rural innovations: Community-based solutions to connectivity

Investments in broadband must grow beyond simply funding infrastructure. The maintenance of infrastructure must also be considered. Policy development must recognize and respond to the unique needs of different communities. For example, CityWest is a locally owned company in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, that provides high-speed internet services through partnerships with municipalities.

These partnerships include a board of directors, and a portion of the profits are reinvested back into the community. By partnering with CityWest, municipalities have improved service quality and availability according to one interviewee.

CityWest has also partnered with various First Nations to deliver services and create new companies, like Snutl’yalh Communications and Tahltan CityWest Communications Corp.

As it expands, CityWest continues to “improve connectivity to more underserved communities across the province… bringing residents and businesses urban-class connectivity.” — Stefan Woloszyn, CEO of CityWest

Economic growth needs to be tangible in all communities: Abacus Data poll

A new survey by Abacus Data shows that while most Canadians are open to the idea that stronger economic growth could improve their standard of living, many — including in rural and smaller communities — remain skeptical that those benefits will reach them.

Across the country, the poll of over 2,500 Canadians reveals a trust gap in how people view economic growth strategies. Just 47 per cent agree that “when governments talk about growth, they believe it’s about things that will help them personally.” More than half — 52 per cent — agree with the statement: “Even if the economy grows, I don’t trust that the benefits will reach people like me.”

For rural Canadians, that distrust is often tied to feelings of exclusion and concern that national growth strategies focus on big cities while leaving smaller communities behind. Among those who don’t think growth will help them personally, 17 per cent cite being on a fixed income or retired, while 12 per cent say growth hasn’t improved affordability so far. Another 12 per cent point to general pessimism, believing that future growth will simply create more inequality, and six per cent say they don’t believe policymakers will implement growth strategies fairly.

"People need to believe that growth will be fair. That it won’t just benefit the rich. That it won’t leave rural communities, younger workers, or vulnerable sectors behind," Abacus Data CEO David Coletto said.

Regionally, Canadians outside major urban centres were among the least likely to see themselves reflected in pro-growth messaging. In Saskatchewan and Manitoba, for example, just 34 per cent agree that government growth plans are about helping people like them — the lowest among regions measured. In Atlantic Canada, only 44 per cent feel included, while 27 per cent outright disagree that government growth strategies are designed to help them.

While the Carney government’s ambition of “building the strongest economy in the G7” resonates nationally — with 53 per cent saying that would mean good things for them — that optimism is not universal. In Quebec, where many smaller communities face unique economic pressures, only 47 per cent see that goal as positive, and 33 per cent are neutral. Support is highest in Alberta (63 per cent) and British Columbia (61 per cent), but the poll highlights the need for regionally tailored messaging that connects national economic goals with local realities.

"Talking about GDP or competitiveness isn’t enough. Canadians want to see how those ideas translate into wages, housing, healthcare, and job security. They are open to growth but not abstract growth," Colletto said. "If you’re building a pro-growth campaign, start with the tangible. Explain how boosting productivity or attracting investment leads to better schools, lower grocery prices, or more doctors in rural communities."

Abacus Data’s findings show Canadians prefer growth policies that feel tangible and tied to fairness and opportunity. Sixty-six percent say “increasing productivity” would mean good things for them, 63 per cent feel positively about expanding post-secondary programs for in-demand jobs, and 63 per cent support Buy Canadian policies. But policies like attracting more skilled immigrants (net +11 good) and public-private partnerships (net +21) draw less enthusiasm, and only 17% believe unleashing AI’s full potential will be good for them, with 30% saying it would be bad.

The poll underscores a key challenge for policymakers: bridging the gap between national economic plans and the lived experiences of rural and small-town Canadians. As Abacus Data puts it, Canadians “are cautious. They want to know: will this help me? Will it make my life easier? Can I trust you to deliver?”

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Rural Canada is growing: StatsCan

Canada’s rural communities grew between 2021 and 2024, according to new data from Statistics Canada. The population of Canada's rural and small towns increased in 10 of the 13 provinces and territories.

“From mid-2023 to mid-2024, Ontario and Quebec had the highest net number of people who moved from cities to rural and small towns within the province, while Alberta had the highest net gains from people moving from other parts of Canada to its rural and small towns,” StatsCan reported.

It also found that the top industries in rural and small town Canada included: construction (14.7 per cent), agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (14.4 per cent) and retail trade (10.6 per cent).

Meanwhile, two in five households in rural Canada had access to basic services (eg: employment, grocery stores, health care facilities) within 15 km of their home but were least likely to have access to libraries, pharmacies and high schools within this radius.

Rural Canada hit hard as food insecurity reaches unprecedented levels, RBC warns

Canada’s rural and remote communities are facing deepening economic and social challenges as food insecurity reaches record levels across the country, according to a new report from RBC. The report, Feeding the crisis: The tariff toll on food insecurity, highlights that “Canada’s rural and remote areas account for 25 per cent of Canada’s GDP but are grossly underserviced when it comes to health care, housing, and other basic needs, including access to healthy food.”

The report points to soaring food insecurity in northern regions, noting that “food insecurity is high across Canada but is highest in northern and remote areas. More than 58 per cent of people in Nunavut experience food insecurity.” RBC stresses that without targeted investment, rural and remote communities will continue to struggle to attract and retain the workforce necessary to support Canada’s major infrastructure ambitions.

“Much of Canada’s plans to build its economic security and sovereignty hinges on having a productive workforce in rural and remote Canada,” the report says. “But getting people to stay in rural and remote areas or relocate for these projects is a tough sell if they can’t access resources needed for their families to lead a healthy life. Canada can help flip the trend of urban areas growing 15 times faster than rural by mitigating brain and resource drain through investments in community resources including access to healthcare, food and housing that match the ambitions of major infrastructure projects.”

The economic pressures driving this crisis are complex and mounting. The RBC report cites the U.S. trade war, inflation, and supply-chain upheaval as major contributors to rising costs. “China’s tariffs on agri-food products including canola oil and seafood have recently taken a toll on Canada’s rural economy. Nova Scotia is thought to be the hardest hit by China’s 25 per cent duties on aquatic products, which represented 9.2 per cent of the province’s total export value in 2024,” the report says.

Canada’s farmers and fishers, already accustomed to market volatility, are feeling the squeeze. “Farmers are often price receivers — unable to pass rising costs onto buyers and consumers,” RBC notes. The disruptions are “erod[ing] stability in rural and remote regions that are already at a disadvantage in accessing economic opportunities and services.”

Across Canada, food insecurity now affects “one in four Canadians” — or 10 million people — “a level never seen before in this country.”

RBC emphasizes that “ultimately, it’s an issue of affordability. There is an abundance of food available. But for an increasing number, it’s out of reach.”

The report highlights the sharp rise in food bank use: “In March 2024, more than two million visits were recorded at Canadian food banks. That’s a 90 per cent increase in just five years.”

The bank underscores that solutions must go beyond emergency measures. “Properly supporting and resourcing food banks is critical. However, addressing food insecurity longer term relies on building a stronger Canadian economy. This includes addressing the affordability crisis, improving productivity and advancing durable economic development in Canada’s rural and remote areas.”

RBC recommends aligning food security initiatives with Canada’s broader growth strategies. The report calls for the federal government to “expedite the development of rural and remote community and health services alongside efforts to expedite Canada’s major infrastructure projects.”

The report concludes with a call for a national food security target as part of Canada’s pro-growth agenda. “A food security target may be the catalyst needed to pull these solutions together to drive action across Canada and track progress. Now is the time to implement a bold vision for food security in Canada as the country sets out to build back a better economy.”

ICYMI

‘If we're going to move faster, there is a real opportunity for Indigenous communities to start to be in that conversation at the very beginning,’ says Canadian Council for Indigenous Business President and CEO Tabatha Bull. / CCIB PHOTO

Economic partnerships and consultation with Indigenous communities essential for growth

Indigenous business in Canada is experiencing a period of significant growth, despite initial economic exclusion and the continued impacts of significant barriers, said Tabatha Bull, President and CEO of the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business.

Indigenous businesses are being created at five to nine times the rate of non-Indigenous businesses across every sector, said Bull, who appeared on the Institute for Research on Public Policy’s (IRPP) podcast Futureproofing Canada, hosted by IRPP president and CEO Jennifer Ditchburn.

Bull suggested that resilience and determination to face barriers has inspired Indigenous entrepreneurs to push for inclusion. Additionally, the global turn to sustainability — which has been at the “core value” of Indigenous communities — has benefited Indigenous businesses by increasing consumer and investor interest.

Bull said that the understanding that economic partnerships and consultation with Indigenous groups and businesses are essential for progress on major projects and economic growth is also benefiting Indigenous businesses. She also notes that she has seen more corporations set out frameworks to ensure Indigenous partnerships, advance Indigenous procurement and hire Indigenous employees, which is also "spurring growth.”

However, tariffs on exports to the U.S. and China have created uncertainty, as “very high concentrations” of Indigenous businesses are involved in high export sectors, including oil, gas, forestry and seafood. If the government launches any support programs for affected sectors, Bull urged for Indigenous business leaders to be included in those discussions to ensure that programs are being developed to ensure they meet their needs.

Though Bull said she thinks major projects will help grow the economy in Canada, she emphasized the importance of consulting with Indigenous communities, and that “community equity participation” will be a requirement.

“If we're going to move faster, there is a real opportunity for Indigenous communities to start to be in that conversation at the very beginning,” she said. “And we've seen in the past that that's when projects actually move faster — when the Indigenous community is actually a partner in the project.”

Local production key to building B.C.’s economic resilience: report

Continuing not to address the lack of industrial land development in the Greater Vancouver area means lost economic activity, undermined regional competitiveness and limited opportunities for job creation with negative impacts to British Columbia’s economic growth, according to a new report.

“Industrial production in the province is declining, and our overall exports are less than 10 per cent of Canadian exports, meaning we punch below our weight,” says The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade’s new report Building B.C.'s Economy: Fostering More Local Production.

The report outlines that the province’s manufacturing investment per worker is below the national average and, compared to the United States, is only a quarter. “However, B.C. is the most diverse agricultural landscape in Canada, with over 200 primary agricultural products and 100 fish, shellfish and marine plant species. We are a market full of opportunity with natural advantages, abundant natural resources, and Canada’s pre-eminent port, which should mean B.C. punches above our weight for local production and exports,” the report says.

“Unfortunately, despite their significant economic contribution, Greater Vancouver’s industrial lands face chronic shortages and development roadblocks that stifle economic growth.”

The report offers five recommendations:

Legislate clear timelines for provincial permitting decisions affecting local development.
Work collaboratively with municipalities to make more industrial and trade-enabling land available for development.
Eliminate the 50/50 rule to enable scalable, year-round agricultural processing, increase food security, and attract investment.
Continue to preserve and protect quality farmland, while working collaboratively to rapidly and flexibly designate industrial areas that support investment and jobs.
Review the impact of amenity cost charges (ACCs) and development cost charges (DCCs) on industrial lands

“By removing longstanding barriers and re-aligning land use policy with economic priorities, we can advance our shared goal of achieving three per cent annual GDP growth and secure a more resilient, self-sufficient, and prosperous future for British Columbia,” the report says.

Investments in broadband infrastructure to have ‘profound impact’ for rural, remote and Indigenous communities: CRTC vice-chair

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) says it remains focused on closing Canada’s digital divide, particularly in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.

“Meeting this challenge when it comes to Internet coverage has been the focus of the CRTC’s Broadband Fund,” Adam Scott, CRTC Vice-Chairperson, Telecommunications, told the Canadian Telecom Summit earlier this month. “The Broadband Fund team works with partners across the industry, governments and municipalities to connect communities that have previously lacked adequate or sufficient access.”

Since 2017, rural and Indigenous access to high-speed Internet has grown from 37 per cent to 78 per cent in rural areas and about 60 per cent in the Territories and on Reserves. The national goal is full coverage by 2030. “There is little, if any, low-hanging fruit remaining. The last steps to the finish line are often the hardest,” Scott noted.

So far, the Broadband Fund has helped connect over 270 communities. Recent projects have supported improvements across seven provinces and territories, including 100 kilometres of road coverage and 2,700 kilometres of new transport fibre.

“These investments will make a profound impact by improving access to health care, education, and creating opportunities for local businesses,” Scott said.

The CRTC has also launched a review of the Fund to improve funding allocation, speed up applications, support Indigenous applicants and better identify underserved areas. “We are continuing to review other aspects of the Fund so it can help us close the coverage gaps that remain across the country,” Scott said.

Scott said the CRTC is on track to meet its goal of 100 per cent of the country having internet access by 2030.

SRPC urges rural focus in physician licensure evaluation

Though the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC) saw the Federal Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada’s (FMRAC) evaluation as a positive step towards reducing barriers to multi-jurisdictional licensure for physicians in Atlantic Canada, the SRPC offered clarifications to the evaluation framework as it applies to rural areas. The SRPC emphasized the unique barriers and challenges faced in rural communities, including greater recruitment and retention challenges, licensure barriers, and coverage gaps.

The SRPC suggested improvements for future evaluations:

Include measures showing how the Atlantic Registry prevents service gaps and supports system resiliency (e.g., enabling physician time off), rather than relying on billing data.
Engage rural partners directly and analyze rural-urban data separately to clarify the registry’s impact.
Assess longer timeframes to better capture benefits that short-term measures may miss.

While the SRPC recognized the Atlantic Registry as a meaningful step towards improvements in reducing barriers to health care access, it suggests that the report underscores the need for a “truly national” approach to physician licensure. The SRPC specifically highlighted rural communities as needing a flexible and responsive physician workforce.

Climate change hits crops, but Canadian farmers see hope

Climate change could significantly cut production of six staple food crops globally, including Canadian wheat production, leading to higher prices, with certain crops in higher income regions possibly experiencing bigger losses than crops in developing countries, according to a study published in Nature on June 18.

Incorporating adaptation strategies, including growing different crop varieties and adjusting fertilizer use, could also help offset losses.

Still, even with adaptation, the study projected 25 per cent productivity losses by 2100 among some of the studied crops, which is the equivalent of the amount of calories people eat for breakfast. The fallout could lead to higher prices in higher-income countries, and social and political instability in poorer countries.

However, Canada does have “some options” and may fare better with the changes, compared to other countries. Canadian farmer and president of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association Gunter Jochum told CBC he and other farmers are constantly improving their practices, technology and changing their crops and varieties to adapt to changing conditions in the climate and market. He thinks that, though it poses risks, Canadian farmers could adapt well to changing climates if given the proper support. His group is advocating for higher government investment in new varieties of crops and policies that incentivize the private sector to develop new varieties.

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Rural Prosperity Group 2025-05-29 Rural Prosperity Group 2025-05-29

Rural Roundup May 2025: Canada’s to choose: Growth or broken promises in rural communities?

RPG NEWS

Rural Canada cannot be an afterthought in the country’s grand vision for economic growth

Last month, Canadians elected a new federal government with an ambitious mandate: to build “a strong economy that works for everyone.” In his mandate letter to ministers, Prime Minister Mark Carney outlines sweeping plans to redefine Canada’s place in a changing world, addressing everything from geopolitical instability to AI-driven productivity gains and massive infrastructure investments.

And yet, in this bold reimagining of Canada's future, there is one glaring omission: rural Canada.

Nowhere in the list of seven core priorities — ranging from trade diversification to housing affordability and immigration — is rural Canada directly acknowledged. It was also not mentioned in the Throne Speech delivered by King Charles earlier this week. This absence is troubling, not only because rural communities are essential to our national identity, but because they are central to solving precisely the challenges this government has set out to address.

As the Coalition for a Better Future’s 2025 Scorecard Report makes clear, rural Canada is foundational to our economic and social resilience. It “provides vital food, energy and critical minerals needed here and around the world.” These aren't peripheral concerns, they are at the heart of national security, climate policy, and global competitiveness.

Rural Canada is also where much of the infrastructure the government plans to build must happen: energy corridors, critical mineral supply chains, and sustainable housing solutions. It is where immigration strategies must land in real communities, not just urban centres. It is where skilled trades need to be nurtured, and where AI-powered efficiencies could be deployed to enhance service delivery across vast geographies.

The Rural Prosperity Group has urged policymakers and the private sector alike to adopt a rural lens across all decisions. Not as an afterthought or a regional checkbox, but as a strategic imperative. Whether you work on Bay Street or in broadband connectivity, you have a stake in rural success.

The government states that “Canada’s challenges are not small, but we can more than meet them with vigour and a constructive approach.” That must include recognizing rural communities not just as beneficiaries of policy, but as active builders of the country’s future.

The opportunity to connect rural priorities to national ones is not just good politics—it’s good policy. If Canada is to build “a strong economy that works for everyone,” it must start where that economy is rooted: in rural Canada.

CDNPOLI NEWS

Will the Carney government deliver on election promises to rural and remote communities?

**Prime Minister Mark Carney rises in the House of Commons for the first time as an MP. CPAC SCREENSHOT**

Residents of rural and remote communities will be adopting a very cautious wait and see attitude as Prime Minister Mark Carney puts his stamp on the federal government and fleshes out how he intends to fulfill his goal of unleashing a new era of economic growth for Canadians.

During the election campaign, Carney issued hundreds of millions of dollars worth of promises aimed at revitalizing economic and social conditions in the country’s small communities and rural areas.

He describes himself as a pragmatic, results-oriented leader and has shown a willingness to depart from Trudeau government policies. The Liberals’ signature consumer carbon tax was dropped, saving farmers more than $100 million a year, and Carney has expressed an openness to an energy corridor and conventional oil and gas development. He has nixed former finance minister Chrystia Freeland’s planned increase in the amount of capital gains subject to income tax and made a middle-class tax cut his first order of business.

And the prime minister has also expressed a willingness to listen more carefully to voices from outside the country’s large urban centres. He appointed newly elected Saskatchewan MP Buckley Belanger as secretary of state for rural development and for the first time arranged for a First Ministers’ meeting in Saskatchewan on June 2.

The challenges and issues confronting rural and remote Canada should get a hearing in the cabinet Carney announced May 13. Besides Belanger, the Liberal front bench includes Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald, Emergency Management and Community Resilience Minister Eleanor Olszewski, Northern and Arctic Affairs Minister Rebecca Chartrand and Transport and Internal Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland.

One economy

An early test for the new government will be its ability to achieve one of Carney’s highly-promoted promises–quickly reducing the interprovincial trade barriers that have historically distorted and weakened the national economy.

With the cost of these impediments estimated to be as high as $1.7 billion annually for the agricultural sector, farmers are among those with the most to gain if this promised restructuring of interprovincial trade is successful.

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture’s Policy Advisory Council has identified three trade barriers of most urgent concern:

Trucking and transport regulations
Limitations on the sale of provincially inspected meat
Lack of cross-province mobility of skilled workers and licensed professionals

Beyond the high-priority issue of trying to create one Canadian economy, the Liberals’ election campaign also recognized rural Canada with detailed platform offerings on a wide range of initiatives and support programs. The pledges involve significant spending commitments and significant changes in the federal government’s approach.

Carney has also pledged to provide financial support for businesses damaged by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs while working out a new economic and security relationship with the U.S. At the same time, his government aims to bring about a major shift in Canadian exporters’ reliance on the American market by diversifying trade to Europe and the Pacific.

Cautiously hopeful

Whether the new government will deliver on these pledges is the overriding question. The Carney is up against massive demands–from increased defence spending to bailouts for tariff-stricken industries to much-needed national infrastructure projects–and a $46.8-billion deficit. But some Canadians appear cautiously hopeful about the prospects for improvements under the new federal government.

A recent poll by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business said small business confidence is slowly regaining lost ground after crashing to historic lows in March. “Now that the federal election is over, there may be clearer guidance and renewed leadership on tariffs and other federal matters, and this and a somewhat de-escalating trade war may explain in part why small business sentiment is trending in the right direction again,” said Simon Gaudreault, CFIB’s chief economist and vice-president of research. “However, these are just timid beginnings of a rebound.”

Coalition for a Better Future co-chair Anne McLellan holds up the Coalition’s Scorecard, left. Coalition co-chair Lisa Raitt, pictured with advisory council members Paul Genest and Carolyn Wilkins. COALITION FOR A BETTER FUTURE PHOTO

Canada’s rural communities are key to building economic resilience: Coalition for a Better Future event panellists

BY CLARA SILCOFF

Canada’s economy is “off target,” and “developing Canada's rural communities is key to building our resilience,” says the latest Scorecard Report from the Coalition for a Better Future.

Rural communities “provide vital food, energy and critical minerals needed here and around the world. The message is clear. Canada needs to change course,” participants at the Scorecard Reporting Event on May 22 heard.

Carolyn Wilkins, external member of Bank of England’s financial policy committee and senior research scholar at Princeton, said investment is key for rural connectivity and the development of an end-to-end supply chain.

“We know that investment is really the engine of growth, and it’s the engine to our future. It’s what gives us the kind of connectivity that people in rural areas are looking for. It gives us our end-to-end supply chain and infrastructure enablers that allow projects to proceed,” she said.

Anne McLellan, co-chair of the Coalition, identified integration as key to Canadian economic growth. “If you’re going to build one Canadian economy, you really do have to engage all the key parts and get them all pulling in the same direction,” she said.

McLellan said projects should focus on being viable financially and socially accepted in communities, be they Indigenous or rural.

Alex Ciappara, head economist at the Canadian Bankers Association, said he thinks creating new growth in Canada means “building big infrastructure enabling projects to get our good services and people to markets for the 21st century.” He related this to building “dependable broadband for individuals in rural areas and semi-rural areas.”

Ciappara also suggested improving conventional energy security while growing renewable capacity, and supporting critical mineral projects.

Lisa Stilborn, vice president of public affairs at the Canadian Fuels Association, emphasized the importance of collaboration.

“The only way to unlock the inclusive investment that we’re talking about to meet the challenges we’re facing at the moment is to bring the east and the west together, rural and urban communities, governments, industries, and indigenous communities together,” she said.

Stilborn said the energy sector was a “natural partner” to agricultural and forestry businesses. “We work together,” she said.

Stilborn added the Canadian Fuels Association created 10,000 jobs across Canada, most of which are in rural communities. “With the right policy framework, I really think we can unlock many, many more jobs,” she said.

Todd Klink, executive vice-president of marketing and public affairs at Farm Credit Canada, said the agricultural industry, which connects with many sectors, has a generational opportunity to address ongoing challenges.

“We’re across the country—urban, rural, east, west—its everywhere. It's about collaboration. It's about coming together and thinking about some of the foundational industries like agriculture, like food, that employs a lot of Canadians,” he said.

THE Q&A

Grain farmers urge action on trade, infrastructure and innovation to secure rural prosperity

**Grain Growers of Canada executive director Kyle Larkin.**

As Canada navigates growing global demand for sustainable food and agricultural exports, the challenges and opportunities facing the grain sector are more urgent than ever.

“Grain farmers are the backbone of rural Canada,” says Kyle Larkin, executive director of Grain Growers of Canada. “When grain farmers are profitable and when grain farmers are successful, rural communities are successful.”

Canada’s 70,000 grain farmers play a critical role in both the national economy and rural communities, Larkin says, but Canada is falling behind in global competitiveness. In this Q&A with The Rural Roundup, Larkin shares insights on trade uncertainty, infrastructure gaps, and the need for targeted policy support to ensure the sector, and rural Canada, thrives.

The Q&A was edited for length and clarity.

RR: What are your biggest challenges right now?

KL: Canada is falling behind in terms of our position as an agrifood exporter on the global stage. Other countries are catching up and there's several reasons for this. I break it down to three silos.

The first one is our research and development and innovation here in Canada. Previously, we used to invest a lot more publicly and privately into plant breeding innovation — where crops are developed with better traits for a variety of different reasons, be they drought resistance or increasing yield. Research and development is hugely important for the grain sector and grain farmers alike. What we've seen on the public side, for example, is a decrease in investment dollars from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. And so we need that to come back up. We've also seen a decrease in private sector investment because of a lag in public sector investment. There's an opportunity for the public sector, for the government to incentivize and attract these private sector investments into Canada.

The second one is infrastructure and transportation. On the transportation side, we have two major railways, CN and CP, who very much act in a monopolistic way. This is very challenging for our supply chains. So, for example, grain farmers who live out west in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta rely over 90 per cent on rail transportation to get their grain from their farm to market — and market could be in Canada or could be globally.

So they're very much tied to these two railway companies. Their service delivery has been challenging year-over-year and it's certainly been challenging since January of this year. On top of that is our infrastructure challenges. Over 50 per cent of the grain that we produce in Canada goes through the Port of Vancouver. Most of the infrastructure was built in the ’40s, ‘50s and ‘60s. It is in need of a dire renewal. The Port of Vancouver would say the same thing. So that's another silo, that needs attention.

And then the third piece is trade — that's both growing the markets we currently have, but also looking at trade diversification. Two of our most primary markets, are the U.S. and China. So we've obviously had recent challenges with both of those countries. China currently has a 100 per cent tariffs on canola meal, canola oil and peas where we usually export over $8 billion worth of grain and grain products.

For the U.S. we export over $17 billion of grain and grain products. They are by far our largest trading partner. They're more than double our second largest trade partner in China and the uncertainty we've seen there has had a pretty large impact on the commodity prices that farmers get for their crops. So when they sell their wheat or their canola, or their barley, whatever it is, we've seen those prices go down. The margins have squeezed farmers.

The second piece of that is trade diversification. The Asia-Pacific and Indo-Pacific is huge for the sector. We have advocated for years for the government to open an office in the Asia-Pacific, like the US Department of Agriculture has. About three or four years ago, they opened the Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agrifood Office (IPAAO) in Manila, Philippines. So now, there's a dedicated staff on the ground staff whose main role is to grow these markets and grow trade within Asia Pacific. The challenge is we have one office, and the USDA has had offices in all these countries for decades. The Indo-Pacific is a huge growth market. There's a big opportunity there.

RR: And what are the short-term challenges?

KL: For the short-term, it's three things: Restarting trade relationships with the U.S. and China. A permanent legislative solution to the carbon tax for on-farm activities. A permanent reversal of the capital gains tax increase. Those are the three things we're looking for in the first weeks of Parliament.

RR: How have grain farmers been affected by the Canada-U.S. trade war?

KL: A farmer in Manitoba will grow oats, and those oats will go down to the U.S. to about four or five states and go to a company like Quaker Oats, then transformed into Cheerios, and shipped back to Canada. The integrated supply chains are highly important. But the massive uncertainty from tariffs has had a big impact on commodity prices. Farmers are seeing input costs go up — fertilizers, seeds, pesticides — while prices for their crops have gone down. Their margins are being severely tightened. Over 90 per cent of farms in Canada are family-owned. When you have too many bad years, that's when you start losing farms.

RR: How does this affect rural Canada?

KL: Grain farms are the backbone of Rural Canada. You drive through any rural community, you’ll see plots of wheat, soybeans, corn. Farmers invest heavily in their communities — through equipment purchases, local agribusinesses, creating jobs and they're involved politically. They're not only there economically benefiting real communities, but they're also there politically benefiting communities and the last piece I would say they benefit their communities culturally. A lot of these farmers are the sixth or seventh generation farmers who have been in their community since the start of their rural townships.

RR: What policies can and should be in place to ensure a thriving sector?

KL: One tool that was helpful was ‘extended interswitching,’ which forced CN and CP to compete. That pilot expired in March 2025. The Liberal platform committed to a three-year extension—we’d like to see that implemented. We also need to look at increasing research dollars and incentivizing private investment from global players.

RR: What are some of the opportunities you see for grain farmers in terms of economic growth and prosperity?

KL: When grain farmers are successful, rural communities are successful. We need the government to implement a rural lens or grain farmer lens in all decisions. An example of where that didn’t happen was the carbon tax.

So if you filled up your combine, for example with diesel, you weren't charged the carbon tax. That was good, but they still charge the carbon tax for natural gas and propane, which is used in grain drying, which is an essential process. After you've harvested your grain, you need to make sure that you dry it so the moisture level is not too high because you'll risk spoilage. Grain dryers use propane or natural gas. That's the only thing people can use, and so they were being charged the carbon tax, because that rural lens wasn’t applied there unfortunately.

We had to fight for years to get natural gas and propane exempted for on farm activity, so that's an example of where there needs to be a lens implemented to some of these challenges, but again, there's massive opportunities. There's huge opportunities in terms of not only grain farmers to be more profitable, but also growing Canada’s economy.

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PROFILE

Ag Minister Heath MacDonald stresses importance of consulting, keeping an agricultural lens on all government decisions

**Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald pictured with staff from** **La Ferme Gillette Inc.in Embrun** **and newly elected Liberal MP Giovanna Mingarelli. FACEBOOK PHOTO**

P.E.I. MP Heath MacDonald, the surprise choice as the new Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister, says he understands the importance of putting a rural lens on every decision made by the federal government.

"You have to work closely with the other departments and those ministers and ensure that they fully understand that the decisions that they're making could have an impact on agriculture right across the country," he told CBC TV after Prime Minister Mark Carney named his cabinet on May 13. “That’s my job, to ensure that we’re heard at the cabinet table, and that’s what I intend to do.”

MacDonald, 59, whose favourite word in Parliament is “farmer,” is also signalling he recognizes the importance of reducing the regulatory burden and red tape on agricultural producers and helping find new markets for their products.

Responding to longstanding complaints from farmers, the Liberals have made clear they want the Pest Management Regulatory Agency and Canadian Food Inspection Agency to expand their criteria to balance health and safety concerns with the importance of food security and the cost of food. “Currently, these important agencies only look at their respective mandates through a health and safety lens,” the Liberal election platform said pointedly.

The government has to quickly address these regulatory issues, MacDonald says: "The bureaucracy is the bureaucracy, but we need to expedite it. We are in a time in this country that we've never seen before, so we all need to be shoulder to shoulder and working in the same direction."

MacDonald, who has a seat in the important Build Canada cabinet committee, also said it’s critical for the government to make good on its promise to achieve more independence from the U.S. by helping to expand other foreign markets for Canada’s agricultural and food exports, which now total nearly $100 billion annually. And he said the government must follow through on its pledge to reduce interprovincial trade barriers, which would be a major benefit to farmers.

Summing up these goals, MacDonald says: "We need to diversify our trade as quickly as possible. We need to remove our regulatory burdens on the industries and sectors that we're dealing with and we need to continue to invest in innovation and technology. We need to work on those as promptly and quickly as possible to ensure that we are competitive in a global market."

In keeping with the Carney Liberals’ vow to do a better job listening to all Canadians – a goal embodied in the prime minister’s arranging for a First Ministers meeting in Saskatchewan on June 2 – MacDonald says he is determined to spend more time outside Ottawa to consult with those in the ag sector.

“I could sit here and read binders all day, but boots on the ground, I can’t wait to get out of Ottawa, to be quite honest with you, and meet some of these farmers and these provincial ministers as well, to ensure that they understand who I am and what I’m made of, and what I can try to contribute to their success,” he says.

The new minister acknowledged he was surprised to be appointed to cabinet. “In this business, you just never know … where you’re going to land,” he says. Many in the farm sector had expected the job to go to Kody Blois, the well-liked Nova Scotia MP who had previously been agriculture minister. Some expressed disappointment that Blois was passed by, but it was generally felt that the choice reflected Carney’s need to have every province represented at the cabinet table.

MacDonald, who was re-elected in the riding of Malpeque, is the lone voice for the province of Prince Edward Island on Carney’s front bench. The agriculture portfolio was previously held by former P.E.I. MP Lawrence MacAulay, first from 2015 to 2019, and then again from 2023 until March this year.

Before being elected as an MP in 2021, MacDonald held the post of finance minister in the P.E.I. legislature. He suggested that experience could help him in his new role. “It allows me to have a better understanding of the financial resources required to progress the farming community and allows me to speak freely on certain things that maybe some others might not be aware of,” he says.

OP-ED

Reducing trade barriers in Atlantic Canada

BY SENATOR PERCY DOWNE

At long last, outrageously high interprovincial bridge and ferry tolls will be reduced in Atlantic Canada, and especially in Prince Edward Island, greatly assisting our ability to grow our regional economy.

Ten years after Justin Trudeau announced that he would remove the tolls on the Champlain Bridge in Montreal, completely reversing the national user-pay policy for federally owned infrastructure, and eight years after he promised—in response to a direct question about the toll on Confederation Bridge to Prince Edward Island — that he would “look at what can be done to make sure people are able to travel freely, travel efficiently and openly across this country at modest costs”, Prince Edward Islanders and Atlantic Canadians are catching a financial break.

Prime Minister Mark Carney immediately recognized the regional unfairness of high tolls in Atlantic Canada, as did Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre. In their respective platforms, both addressed the burden that represents the $50.25 toll on Confederation Bridge. Prime Minister Carney also committed to reducing “by more than half” the fares for passengers using the Wood Islands Ferry (currently $91 for a passenger vehicle), the Marine Atlantic service connecting Cape Breton to Newfoundland and Labrador (which can run up to almost $500 for a round trip), and the ferry service between Souris and the Magdalen Islands (again, $220 for a round trip by passenger car).

Unfortunately, for the last decade, Prince Edward Islanders have collectively paid millions in unfair tolls. Many Islanders have spoken to me about the impact tolls have had on their family finances, in particular those who had to travel out-of-province for medical treatment, such as parents of sick children, where one parent would stay with their child while the other would travel back and forth, incurring several hundred dollars in tolls.

I also heard many times about the toll driving up prices for consumers and Prince Edward Island businesses. For instance, in 2018, one exporter spent $66,000 on bridge tolls getting his produce to market; expenses his New Brunswick counterpart—and competitor—did not have to pay.

This reduction will help alleviate the cost of living for all Prince Edward Islanders and reduce expenses for our summer visitors. Atlantic Canadians will all benefit from the reduced cost of moving people and goods in the region.

Prince Edward Islanders are not getting any special treatment, only long overdue results. The reduction in tolls for both the year-round Confederation Bridge and the seasonal Wood Islands Ferry in eastern Prince Edward Island still means that the annual federal subsidy to support these vital infrastructures will remain less than federal government support for the Champlain Bridge in Montreal.

Given that both the Champlain Bridge—which cost over $4 billion to build—and Confederation Bridge—which cost $1 billion—are owned by the Government of Canada, Prince Edward Islanders have long wondered why this double standard where some Canadians benefitted from a toll-free bridge, while others were stuck paying $50.25 to cross, was not being corrected.

For one, when the issue was first raised, too many people sat on their hands rather than join the fight. Compare the Prince Edward Island response to what happened in Quebec: the provincial government requested that the federal government replace the aging Champlain Bridge in Montreal and they agreed that tolls were necessary to pay for the new bridge. With the understanding—and only with that understanding—was the new Champlain Bridge to be built.

Both the Governments of Canada and Quebec agreed on the need for a toll to cover the cost of construction, as was the case with the original Champlain Bridge, which had a toll from its opening in 1962 until 1990, when it was ultimately paid off.

This user-pay policy for federal transportation infrastructure was the standard for Canada.

Then the Government of Quebec switched its position and requested that no toll be charged on the bridge. The mayor of Montreal joined the chorus, along with many other individuals and groups. And in the middle of the 2015 election campaign, Justin Trudeau announced that he would make an exception for Montreal and eliminate the toll.

Quebec spoke with one voice and got the result it wanted.

Now in Prince Edward Island, where although there was widespread acknowledgement among Islanders that we were being gouged and treated like second-class Canadians, too many were silent. The defeatist attitude of a small minority was succinctly summarized in a Letter to the Editor in the Guardian newspaper in 2017 which stated, “forget the tolls fight . . . Concentrate on the possible, not the impossible.”

That lack of unity, compared to Quebec, slowed progress on reducing the tolls. But even slow progress is progress. The first success was the freezing of bridge tolls in 2020, eliminating yearly increases based on inflation. The second is the upcoming reduction of bridge and ferry tolls—to $20 for the Confederation Bridge and “by at least half” for the Wood Islands Ferry (currently $91 for a passenger vehicle)—but that amount is not carved in stone; after all, the federal government is still subsidizing the Champlain Bridge to a much higher degree. Which leaves the third step: efforts to further reduce the toll in the future.

As it stands now, Islanders have achieved a double victory, benefitting Islanders east and west. Because as important as the reduction of tolls on Confederation Bridge, the commitment to maintain the Wood Islands Ferry is equally important. The seasonal ferry service is vital to the economy of Eastern Prince Edward Island, providing direct access to Nova Scotia for commerce and tourism between the two provinces. Furthermore, it provides an important fallback in case Confederation Bridge ever becomes inoperable.

Prince Edward Islanders are finally getting the result they have been advocating for. The ultimate lesson of the past decade is in the value of unity when pursuing our provincial and regional objectives.

Percy Downe is a Senator from Charlottetown.

ICYMI

Conservative Party of Canada Leader Pierre Poilievre. / FACEBOOK PHOTO

Poilievre sets up Economic Growth Council to recommend a new economic strategy

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre announced the creation of a Leader’s Economic Growth Council to study the economy and prepare a report on how the government can unleash the country’s full potential.

The Council will be chaired by MP Greg McLean and co-chaired by MP Gaétan Malette and former MP Rick Perkins.

Maclean, a former investment manager who has represented Calgary Centre since 2019, welcomed the appointment. “Canada has experienced weak economic growth, declining productivity, a rising cost of living, and lower real incomes for workers. People are paying the price, as wages fail to keep up with expenses, leaving an entire generation unable to afford homes or even basic necessities like food,” he wrote on Facebook. “This is an opportunity for me to outline a plan for a better approach.”

Perkins, a business executive and Conservative insider, was considered part of Poilievre’s brain trust. The leader named him the party’s critic for Innovation, Science and Industry in 2022. Perkins lost his Nova Scotia seat in the election.

Malette is the first MP elected in Kapuskasing-Timmins-Mushkegowuk, a new riding that is an expanded version of Timmins-James Bay, which was held for two decades by the NDP’s Charlie Angus, who left politics last year. Malette will draw on 45 years’ experience in forestry, agriculture, and mining in his role on the council.

The Council will consult widely and gather data, feedback and insight from businesses, labour organizations, non-profits, policy analysts, knowledge workers, innovators, and other stakeholders, the Conservatives said.

Members of the Council will be selected from all sectors and regions, and will include entrepreneurs, business leaders, labour leaders, innovators, inventors, knowledge leaders, Indigenous leaders and leaders who work in non-profit industries.

The goals are to study how to create:

Greater buying power with earnings that rise faster than prices so Canadians get better living standards.
More growth to fund stronger defence and borders and better social programs.

The Council will prepare a comprehensive report presenting findings and policy recommendations for Poilievre. The report will also be discussed in Parliament and may be tabled. A presentation of its key findings is planned for the 2026 Conservative National Convention, the party said.

Effective rural policy is critical to Canada’s security, stability and sovereignty

Canada must urgently address rural underinvestment to safeguard national security, social cohesion, and economic resilience amid overlapping crises, writes S. Ashleigh Weeden in Policy Options.

The op-ed highlights that “many of the biggest threats to — and opportunities for supporting — our sovereignty, security and stability can be found in rural and remote places.” Yet rural infrastructure remains neglected, and communities are often treated as “resource banks,” with benefits flowing elsewhere. Internet access, healthcare, and clean water remain spotty, despite long-standing policy promises. Recent tensions with the U.S. and threats like potential misuse of Canadian health and agricultural data underscore the need for stronger rural protections.

Weeden warns: “Your postal code should not determine your quality of life.” Rural decline, Weeden argues, results not from globalization but from political neglect. Canada needs a serious national strategy that empowers rural regions, counters “rural resentment,” and recognizes the interdependence between urban and rural populations to protect the country’s future.

Agri-food workforce strategic plan under development

Canada’s agriculture and food manufacturing sectors are critical to the economy but face mounting challenges, including labour shortages, aging workforces, and global disruptions. To address these issues, the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council and partners are developing a National Workforce Strategic Plan (NWSP) aimed at building sector resilience through technology, inclusive HR practices, and collaborative workforce planning. While each province has unique labour challenges, the NWSP is fostering nationwide collaboration to secure the long-term sustainability of the agri-food sector.

Half of Quebecers don't have first responder services in their communities: report

Half of Quebec’s population lives in communities with no first responder service, according to a new auditor general report, The Canadian Press reported. The findings follow longstanding numerous calls to improve access to potentially life-saving first aid.

Recommendations made by a government-mandated committee in 2014 called for the province to take steps to ensure first responders were available across the province. As of September 2024, 70 per cent of communities were without such service.

Rural communities are in greatest need of first responders, Interim Quebec auditor general Alain Fortin said, because there are fewer ambulances compared to urban centres, and the size of the territory can delay response times.

The government’s pre-hospital care plan includes the goal of increasing the percentage of the population who have access to first responders from 50 to 80 per cent by 2028. But agreements have not been made on how to finance these services.

Opposition parties accused Premier François Legault's government of failing to act to improve care. Québec solidaire member Vincent Marissal said the issue is a "failure all down the line."

"If you get sick … good luck. That's what we're telling people," he said.

Rural Ontario MPP opposes landfill expansion amid backlash in Dresden

A Progressive Conservative MPP from rural southwestern Ontario is speaking out against his own government’s plan to cancel an environmental assessment for a controversial landfill expansion near Dresden.

Steve Pinsonneault, who represents Lambton-Kent-Middlesex, said he is "angry" over the move, which is part of an omnibus bill that would also let cabinet override laws for “special economic zones” and weaken endangered species protections.

The proposed 30-fold expansion of a dormant site near the rural community has sparked fears of contamination and ecological damage. Local waterways flow into the Sydenham River, home to endangered species like the spiny softshell turtle.

Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff warned the landfill would devastate Dresden: “You’re basically signing a death certificate... you might as well just put up the closed for business sign.”

Walpole Island First Nation has called for a moratorium, citing threats to ecosystems, sovereignty, and public health.

Premier Doug Ford argues the change is necessary to shore up Ontario’s waste capacity, as the province currently sends 40 per cent of its waste to the U.S.

'Under a microscope': Cottagers call for wildfire management plans after fatal fires

Cottage owners and disaster prevention experts in Manitoba are calling for governments to develop wildfire management plans following devastating wildfires, The Canadian Press reported.

Almost 1,000 people near the Rural Municipality of Lac du Bonnet were forced from their homes as a wildfire, which started on May 13, burned nearby.

The fire destroyed 28 homes and cottages and caused two fatalities.

"I've never seen fire devastation at that level," said Brad Wood, a Winnipeg firefighter whose cottage was destroyed.

Wood is calling on all levels of government to work with local cottage owners to create or update emergency responses to wildfire dangers. He said emergency plans for every municipality should be “under a microscope review”

Gordon Campbell, president of the Lester Beach Association in the Rural Municipality of Alexander, said he and other members went to officials asking for a wildfire management plan. He said progress has been slow and that municipalities are being reactive instead of proactive.

According to Manitoba’s fire map, which was accessed on May 26, the fire is under control.

Ontario adding 2,600 teacher candidate spaces amid shortage in northern and rural areas

Ontario is adding 2,600 spaces to teacher colleges across the province in the face of a worsening teacher shortage, The Canadian Press reported.

Colleges and Universities Minister Nolan Quinn said the money will go towards adding new spaces at all schools offering a bachelor of education program, and will start being available as early as this September.

There is a particular focus on northern and rural areas, technological education and French, which Quinn said are areas in heightened need.

There is a shortage of teachers that is predicted to worsen starting in 2027.

Steve Orsini, the president and CEO of the Council of Ontario Universities, said though universities welcome funding, the government is not providing needed amounts of operating funding.

Ontario colleges and universities are increasingly struggling with finances in the face of low provincial funding, and say the additional $1.3 billion in funding over three years announced last year by the province does not come close to sustaining the sector.

G7 expected to boost economy and fill hotels in Calgary and mountain towns

The upcoming G7 summit in Kananaskis is expected to deliver a major economic boost to the Calgary region, with local leaders anticipating hundreds of millions in benefits.

"This is a huge lift to the Calgary region," Deborah Yedlin, president and CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce told CBC. She estimates the summit will generate $190 million for Calgary’s economy and $240 million for Alberta overall.

Although the summit will take place in Kananaskis from June 15–17, much of the support infrastructure will be based in Calgary. Sol Zia, executive director of the Calgary Hotel Association, said 10,000 hotel room bookings are expected in the region, with an estimated 45,000 hotel room nights and $13 million in accommodation revenue.

“We’re expecting about 2,500 various levels of services … that will be staying in Calgary and region for [an] extended period,” said Zia, noting security services arriving are 2½ times higher than initially planned.

The pressure on hotel availability is heightened by other major events in June, including the Global Energy Show and the Rotary International Convention. As a result, universities like Mount Royal and the University of Calgary are housing visiting personnel.

Meanwhile, Canmore and Kananaskis hotels are fully booked, and local restaurants are seeing increased demand. “We’re hearing many positive anecdotal reports from local businesses,” said Rachel Ludwig, CEO of Tourism Canmore Kananaskis. “Hotels are at full capacity and restaurants are seeing higher-than-usual bookings.”

Leaders from the G7 countries and the European Union are expected to attend the summit.

We want to hear from you

Rural Prosperity Group 2025-04-16 Rural Prosperity Group 2025-04-16

Rural Roundup April 2025: Are we listening? Canada’s go-forward strategy is rural communities

RPG NEWS

Political parties must recognize Rural Canada is essential to economic growth, expanding trade

Rural Canadians are on the front lines in the growing global trade war touched off by the U.S. use of sweeping import tariffs against friend and foe alike across the globe.

With the exception of the recent pandemic, today’s threat to the livelihoods of Canada’s fishers, farmers, foresters, and others in rural and remote communities is more pronounced than anything seen in Canada in many decades.

Adding to the anxiety is the fact that Canadians are immersed in a federal election campaign with only a caretaker government in place as the mounting impact of the unpredictable, onrushing trade war plays out in the economy.

Rural issues under radar in #elxn45

As the 2025 federal election campaign unfolds, rural issues are not taking centre stage in the national conversation. While debates continue to focus heavily on economic prosperity as it relates to the trade war with the U.S. — too often through an urban lens — the unique challenges and opportunities facing rural Canada remain largely under the radar. This is a concern because rural Canada is critical to driving Canada’s strategy going forward. This only makes our efforts that much more important.

That said, there have been moments of recognition. Some party leaders have acknowledged the importance of rural communities in their remarks, pointing to agriculture, resource development, and rural infrastructure as critical components of Canada’s future.

Speaking in Newfoundland during his first campaign stop, Liberal Leader Mark Carney acknowledged the need to harness “all parts of this country … including the outports and rural Canada” and to ensure “changes benefit the rural economy.”

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has said recently that “expanding our energy production and exports is the single most powerful thing we can do to break our dependence on the Americans.”

Canada cannot succeed without a thriving rural economy

These acknowledgments are welcome, but they must be matched with meaningful commitments and detailed policies. As authors of the analysis, In Canada’s 2025 federal election, is anyone paying attention to rural communities?, note: “Rural Canada is vital to the future of Canada. It is critical that all political parties campaigning for the federal election have a platform that meaningfully includes rural Canada — and refrain from focusing only on sectors that operate in rural Canada.”

Rural Canada is home to industries that drive national prosperity and communities that exemplify resilience and innovation — industries that are key to navigating the trade war and creating future prosperity for all. Yet, persistent gaps in broadband access, labour force development, transportation and healthcare services continue to limit economic growth and quality of life in rural areas.

That’s why the Rural Prosperity Group is asking for commitments that ensure no future regulations or policy initiatives that harm rural Canada, even inadvertently, will be implemented, and that any existing policies and regulations be urgently reviewed through a rural lens, so that they truly support the rural way of life and create real opportunities.

We will continue to monitor party platforms and campaign commitments closely and will advocate for public policy that supports rural economic prosperity. Our message is simple: Canada cannot succeed without a thriving rural economy. It’s time for rural voices to be heard — and for leaders to act accordingly.

Honorary chair, vice-chair continue to engage with private sector leaders

Rural Prosperity Group Honorary Chair Candice Bergen and Vice-chair Dennis Dawson continue to hear from private sector stakeholders and industry leaders as part of ongoing efforts to educate on key issues facing rural communities. These conversations aim to gather valuable insights, foster collaboration and explore innovative solutions to support rural development.

Your engagement and input are greatly appreciated. If you would like to join the conversation, set up a time to chat or propose an event, please reach out to us at info@ruralprosperity.ca

TRADE NEWS

Stumpage stunner: U.S. slaps 34 per cent duty on Canadian wood

The U.S. will hike duties on Canadian softwood lumber to 34.45 per cent, from 14.4 per cent currently, Bloomberg News reported, citing a Department of Commerce memo.

Trump has threatened further import taxes on lumber as he awaits a national security investigation into U.S. imports of wood. The U.S. alleges Canadian sawmills are subsidized, known as “stumpage” rates, to undercut the market.

British Columbia Premier David Eby said the increased tariffs are “an attack on forest workers” and spoke to Prime Minister Mark Carney about the issue in Victoria on April 7.

Eby told reporters his government will provide support for the lumber sector and help forestry companies diversify their trade away from the U.S.

“To every forestry worker in British Columbia hearing the news of this impending increase to softwood lumber duties, know this: We have got your back and your government will fight for you,” Eby said adding his government will continue to work with business, labour and First Nations leaders “to seek approaches to defend the hard-working forestry workers of B.C., their families and the industry as a whole from the increasingly hostile actions of our largest trading partner.”

U.S., Chinese tariffs having severe impacts on canola growers

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says China’s 100 per cent import tax on canola is the “most urgent and most significant” impacting Saskatchewan’s economy.

Additionally, for Canada’s 40,000 canola growers, considered most at risk from U.S. tariffs among this country’s farm sectors, the lack of new U.S. trade barriers was considered an important — although possibly temporary — development.

“While the threat of immediate tariffs has been reduced, the risk and uncertainty of tariffs has not been eliminated,” said Rick White, President and CEO of the Canadian Canola Growers Association. “Concerns over U.S. tariffs add considerable uncertainty for farmers preparing to plant the 2025 canola crop.”

Canola is the single largest contributor to Canada’s farm crop cash receipts, and the U.S. is Canada’s number one market for canola exports, which totaled $7.7 billion in 2024.

Tariffs causing ‘heck of a hit’ for farmers, ag equipment makers

Trump’s April 2 decision not to hike import levies against Canada as part of his “reciprocal” tariffs was also a relief to Saskatchewan’s potash producers, whose $4.2 billion in exports to the U.S. account for the vast majority of the potash used by American farmers. Most potash exports to the U.S. are eligible for zero tariffs under CUSMA, the industry says.

U.S. farmers are feeling the hit, however.

A prime example of the damaging uncertainty from the U.S.’s trade war is the farm equipment manufacturing business. Farmers' appetite for new combines, tractors and other farm equipment has slumped, and manufacturers are pulling back, Reuters reported.

The tariffs on all goods and the specific additional tariffs on steel and aluminum will trigger severe disruptions in our integrated supply chains, inflate costs for U.S. farmers who depend on Canadian-made equipment and raise food costs for families across North America, jeopardizing thousands of good jobs in Canada, Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada (AMC) said in a statement.

“Tariffs directly threaten jobs, businesses and families across Canada,” AMC President Donna Boyd said. “We have built one of the largest bilateral partnerships and must continue to take decisive action to protect it. The risks to our communities, both economically and ensuring there is adequate food on the table, are too high.”

Doug Sombke, president of the South Dakota Farmers Union, told CBC the U.S. tariffs are a “horrible idea” that make purchases of necessary farm equipment much more expensive.

For example, Canada makes high-quality, no-till drills — specialized equipment that plants seeds without disturbing the soil — but their $1 million price tag would cost a U.S. farmer $250,000 more with the tariff, Sombke told CBC.

"That's a heck of a hit," he said.

$2.2M daily loss: Growers reel from brief tariff hit

The $7.4 billion fruit and vegetable producing sector, which sends 48 per cent of its products to the U.S., remains at risk should Trump re-impose across-the-board 25 per cent import taxes on Canadian exports.

During the brief window of March 4-7, when the Trump tariffs were in full effect, greenhouse growers in Ontario alone reported losses of $2.2 million a day in sales, according to analysis by the Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC).

FVGC has recommended the creation of a dedicated emergency fund to provide direct compensation for greenhouse operators and other fruit and vegetable growers, domestic price supports to prevent market collapse during harvest periods and regional support packages addressing unique provincial conditions.

Manitoba facing trade war on two fronts: Kinew

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says manufacturers or oil producers who are “outside CUSMA” will be “sorting this out in real time” to determine what the impact of Trump’s tariffs are.

The 25 per cent border tariff on Canadian goods that are non-compliant with CUSMA, and a 10 per cent levy on oil and potash, all affect Manitoba producers, he said.

Kinew reminded everyone that his province faces a trade war “on two fronts” — not just Trump’s tariffs, but also import taxes from China on pork, canola meal, seafood and other products that Beijing has tariffed in response to Canada’s 100-per cent levy on Chinese EV exports.

The new Chinese tariffs on $2.6 billion worth of Canadian agricultural and food products are deepening the problems dogging many producers.

“These Chinese tariffs could not have come at a worse time as Canadian producers already combat unfair and unjustified trade actions from the United States,” said Keith Currie, President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.

Among those facing new challenges from Beijing’s trade backlash are Canada’s pork producers. China remains Canada’s third-largest pork export destination, behind the U.S. and Japan, with exports valued at roughly $500 million annually.

‘Buy Indigenous’ campaign launched against levies

The Canadian Council for Indigenous Business responded to U.S. tariffs, saying they were unjustified and threaten to undermine Canadian and Indigenous economic growth and the principles of fair and equitable trade.

The group is launching several initiatives, including a ‘Buy Indigenous’ campaign to encourage consumers, corporations and governments to prioritize Indigenous products and services.

“As Indigenous people, we have a long and proud history of trade that predates any border on Turtle Island. We understand very well how to adapt, advocate, and support one another through challenges. This moment is no different,” CCIB said in a press release.

Showcase your leadership and get your message out

If you have a policy issue that requires a comprehensive deep dive, we would love to hear about it and showcase it to our broader communication audience. Reach out today to partner with us through content contributions or advertising in The Rural Roundup and more. Email us at info@ruralprosperity.ca to set up a time to chat.

ELECTION NEWS

Poilievre vows to build ‘economic fortress’ by unleashing energy sector

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre unveiled a strategy April 2 to protect Canada’s economy from potential U.S. trade action, promising to build what he called an “economic fortress” in response to U.S. tariffs.

He announced a three-part plan involving short-term retaliation, renegotiation of the Canada-U.S. trade agreement, and long-term economic reform. The immediate response would include “reciprocal tariffs” and a “Keep Canadians Working Fund” to support impacted industries.

A central theme of his remarks was bolstering domestic production, particularly in the energy sector. “We will remove gatekeepers and green light Canadian energy,” he said, adding that his government would “approve and allow the rapid construction of new LNG export terminals and pipelines” and remove anti-energy laws.

"Expanding our energy production and exports is the single most powerful thing we can do to break our dependence on the Americans," he said.

Poilievre spoke in Saint John, N.B., during a campaign stop and responded to a question on the impact of tariffs on rural communities in N.B.

“We will make sure that businesses have the support they need to keep their workers in their jobs through the dispute,” he said, repeating that it’s time to put Canada first, axe taxes and green light resource projects.

He announced a planned national energy corridor backstopped with regulations to expedite the approval of transmission lines, railways, pipelines and other critical infrastructure.

Canada needs big projects that link its regions east to west as Trump threatens Canada with tariffs, Poilievre said.

The Conservative leader has also noted that his government would “protect our border, our security, our resources, our farmers, including our supply-managed farmers, our fresh water, and our automotive workers.”

Liberals to work with oil and gas sector to reduce emissions’

Meanwhile, Liberal Leader Mark Carney also outlined a plan he says will strengthen Canada’s energy sector as global trade tensions, including U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs, continue to disrupt markets. Carney emphasized that Canada’s energy industry, which supports over 700,000 jobs, is central to the nation’s economic resilience.

The plan focuses on three key areas: energy security, trade diversification, and long-term competitiveness.

Key promises include investing in critical minerals, accelerating exploration with tax credits, and fast-tracking national projects with Indigenous and provincial support. Plans also include streamlining approvals via a new federal office, building an East-West clean energy grid, and boosting both clean and conventional energy to reduce U.S. reliance and expand trade.

“We will work with the oil and gas sector to reduce emissions efficiently while maintaining competitiveness,” a press release noted.

Bloc Québécois promises to reintroduce Bill C-282 as first act when parliament returns

Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-François Blanchet. / FACEBOOK PHOTO

The Bloc Québécois released its platform, announcing a trade policy focused on ensuring Quebec’s representation in trade negotiations, countering U.S. protectionism, and strengthening the province’s economy.

It proposes aid for companies hit by the trade war, funded by counter-tariff revenues.

As soon as Parliament returns, the party is committed to reintroducing Bill C-282, Protecting Supply Management in Trade Negotiations. This will “ensure that our farmers and processors are not sacrificed yet again by Ottawa in the CUSMA.”

The Bloc said it wants the government to prioritize the bill so that it receives Royal Assent before the summer of 2025. Additionally, the Bloc will push for parliamentary approval of free trade agreements before ratification.

"This is not a rural issue. The quality of milk and the predictability of prices are guaranteed by supply management,” Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet said. “Supply management, through legislative avenues, must be irrevocably and concretely protected before the start of any formal negotiations with the Americans.”

Other platform promises include:

Promote Quebec wood use in construction via a federal wood charter.
Request Ottawa transfer cell coverage funds to Quebec, as with high-speed Internet.
Push for a cap on oil and gas sector GHG emissions to ensure yearly reductions through 2030.
Call for an end to all fossil fuel subsidies and public support.
Support carbon pricing nationwide.
Oppose greenwashing in all forms.
Ban thermal coal exports.
Tax oil and gas windfall profits, reinvesting revenues in climate adaptation.

Election news in brief

NDP aims to bring more docs, cheaper food and better roads to region, Sudbury Star, April 14

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh unveiled a Northern Ontario plan focused on improving health care access, lowering grocery costs, upgrading roads, and supporting French-language services. Promises include targeted investments in local doctors, food affordability, infrastructure, and bilingual programs to ensure no Northern community is left behind.

In Manitoba’s Wheat City, uncertainty over tariffs is causing frustration for everyone, The Globe and Mail, April 4

With the local economy tightly tied to U.S. trade, the evolving political landscape leaves residents and businesses anxious, adjusting to a future that feels increasingly unpredictable.

Voters in Osoyoos, B.C., divided over political leadership as federal election nears, The Globe and Mail, March 30

Amid trade tensions, a health care crisis, and climate woes, locals debate whether change or continuity will better secure their future.

Canada’s ‘most notorious city’ weighs in on the federal election, CTV News, April 1

Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, known for its rich history, murals, and the famous underground tunnels tied to Al Capone, thrives on tourism, especially from the U.S. and across Canada. Amid curling excitement and historic charm, locals voice concerns over trade tensions, health care, and political division ahead of the federal election.

Liberals unveil agriculture plan focused on protection and investment, Means & Ways, April 4

Liberal Leader Mark Carney pledged to keep supply management out of U.S. trade talks, calling it “part of our economic sovereignty.”

Industrial carbon pricing would kill Canadian steel industry, Poilievre claims, The Canadian Press, April 9

Poilievre argued that many of Canada’s steel producers would “shut down and go south,” and that “there will be no steel industry left in Canada” if the industrial carbon pricing law remains in place.

Federal election 2025: What’s at stake for immigration policy?, iPolitics, April 4

“It’s unclear what Carney or Poilievre would prioritize when setting their respective immigration policies, but, … it is something the next government must address, as the public’s consensus in favour of immigration is largely dependent on welcoming skilled professionals to Canada,” iPolitics reports.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Agnico’s $600K golden ticket to lure docs to northern town

Toronto-based gold mining company Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. is contributing $600,000 to a $1.8 million fund dedicated to bringing more physicians to Timmins, according to a report in Northern Ontario Business. The fund offers $60,000 “start-up grants” and $150,000 interest-free loans to doctors who are willing to relocate to the resource-rich city in northeastern Ontario. Agnico Eagle VP of Ontario Andrew Leite says he hopes other companies in the area will follow suit.

Ottawa targets health gaps with wider loan program

The federal government is also making moves to lure doctors and nurses to rural and remote parts of the country by expanding its student loan forgiveness program. Employment Minister Steven MacKinnon, speaking in Hawkesbury, Ont., said recent changes to the program will make more than 200 additional communities eligible and bring more than 900 more doctors and nurses to under-served areas over the next decade. This expansion builds on existing support, which offers up to $60,000 in loan forgiveness for family doctors and $30,000 for nurses working in eligible communities over five years.

**Murad Al-Katib, CEO of AGT Foods and Ingredients** / UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN PHOTO

From zero to $3.5B: AGT's Al-Katib on surviving trade shocks

Murad Al-Katib, CEO of AGT Foods and Ingredients and widely known as the “Lentil King of Saskatchewan,” says he’s not panicking about the global trade uncertainty because he’s seen it before.

“Protectionism of U.S. domestic agriculture as a policy has been present and prevalent in successive U.S. administrations, no matter the political stripe,” Al-Katib told the Globe and Mail.

He sees tariff threats ultimately being scaled back because food inflation is the primary consideration in the U.S. affordability agenda. “Food and energy security, in my mind, will be the two areas where we’ll have breaks quickest, if not a complete resolution.”

Al-Katib, who led his business from a basement start-up in 2001 to a global company with $3.5 billion in revenue and 3,600 employees, said if he were prime minister for one day, “I would invest $100 billion in trade infrastructure.”

“I’m talking about the linkage of roads, rail and port infrastructure. Canada’s reputation has been that we produce among the highest-quality food in the world, but we are not as reliable in getting it to market,” he said.

Canadian policy has lagged behind the changing dynamics of global trade, he says, because we’ve been caught in “the commodity ghetto for too long.” In 2017, with no warning, India imposed massive tariffs on lentils, chick peas and peas, forcing AGT to adapt. The company shifted focus to other regions, especially North Africa and the Middle East. “We’ve put in a lot of effort to continue to develop those market outlets,” Al-Katib said. “We need to be nimble and able to pivot.”

That also means investing in the future of farming: “Saskatchewan will produce 10 million tonnes of additional agricultural products in the next eight years. So you can’t just have a digital economy in Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary and Montreal. You also need it in rural areas where we have production.”

Rural Canada listens

Wheat Pete’s Word is a high-energy, weekly podcast hosted by agronomy expert Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson. Known for his no-nonsense advice and infectious enthusiasm, Pete digs into listener questions and explores everything from soil health and cover crops to crop management strategies that boost yield and resilience.

In the latest episode, he blends wisdom and wit as he tackles the difference between positive and negative reinforcement, shares a powerful story from his ag extension days, and draws unexpected connections between theatre, mental health, and soil testing. His message? Self-care matters just as much as your soil test results — if you want to thrive, not just survive.

We want to hear from you

Rural Prosperity Group 2025-03-11 Rural Prosperity Group 2025-03-11

Input to Budget 2025 consultations — The promise of rural Canada for growth and prosperity for all

It is an extraordinary time in our country’s history and one that further highlights the critical importance of rural communities to Canada’s economic growth and the prosperity of Canadians from coast to coast. Since our launch last September, we have witnessed the resilience and ingenuity of rural communities, which is being tested through the trade uncertainty our country is currently facing. While all sectors of our economy are affected, rural Canada and the rural way of life are more affected than anyone.

There is ample such evidence but as a recent State of Rural Canada 2024 report by the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation highlights, rural, remote and northern communities face population decline, climate risks, aging infrastructure and limited services to transportation, education, health care and more. Yet, these communities are the jewels of our nation, integral to the well-being of our entire country.

The rural opportunity for all

Economic growth and prosperity, especially in light of trade threats from the U.S. and elsewhere during this tumultuous time, lie in unlocking rural Canada’s potential.

We are fortunate: Canada has no greater competitive advantage than its natural resources, including agriculture, mining, energy, and forestry — all found in rural Canada — as well as innovative sectors like telecommunications, digital technologies and farming delivering essential services to these communities. Any increase in tariffs or trade restrictions will certainly result in reduced market access, lower prices for Canadian products and job losses in rural industries and the local and urban communities they serve. This will directly impact farm incomes, disrupt supply chains across every sector nationally and hurt small businesses that rely on exports to sustain their operations.

That’s why, in Budget 2025, we’re asking for commitments that ensure no future regulations or policy initiatives that harm rural Canada, even inadvertently, will be implemented; and that any existing policies and regulations be urgently reviewed through a rural lens so that they truly support the rural way of life and create real opportunities.

This is a zero-cost commitment that will ensure Canada remains strong and our economy thrives.

As the government looks to address housing, labour and employment challenges as well as rising crime and drug addiction issues facing our country, it must appreciate the economic and social benefits of the rural way of life. Empowering rural prosperity is key to making our economy strong. It is incumbent upon all of us to bridge urban and rural voices to ensure our country remains the best in the world in the face of ongoing threats and challenges.

Rural Prosperity Group 2025-03-03 Rural Prosperity Group 2025-03-03

The Rural Roundup - March 2025

Spotlight on rural Canada: Resilience being tested again

Now more than ever, after hearing directly from stakeholders and Canadians through conversations and submissions, it’s essential for us to take a moment to reflect on our shared vision for rural Canada’s economic prosperity.

Every day, we are reminded that rural Canadians are looking, both personally and through their organizations, for more focus and action on their concerns. These include everything from immigration and workforce integration to connectivity and taxation policies, especially regarding the climate impact on rural communities. One stakeholder summed it up well, saying, “We need a new approach to economic development in Canada.”

Since the launch of the Rural Prosperity Group, we have witnessed the resilience and ingenuity of rural communities. With great uncertainty on the North American trade front, that resilience will again be tested.

Our mission is to highlight the critical importance of rural Canada and the rural way of life to our country’s economic growth and prosperity. We are doing this by:

Bringing together diverse voices to deepen ties and foster dialogue on the unique considerations for rural communities. Our reach currently spans Canadians living in rural Canada and public policy stakeholders at urban and rural boardroom tables. We are meeting Canadians where they are, whether that’s at a Royal Canadian Legion on Fogo Island, Nfld., at a Cercle des fermières in Québec, at a dairy farm in Steinbach, Man., or at a small business in downtown Vancouver, as well as online.
Sharing rural Canadian stories and successes and promoting your initiatives through diverse and effective communication channels.
Asking for commitments that ensure no future regulations or policy initiatives that harm rural Canada, even inadvertently, will be implemented, and that any existing policies and regulations be urgently reviewed through a rural lens, so that they truly support the rural way of life and create real opportunities.

Currently we are focused on reaching out, through our lobbyist, to political parties and transition teams, ahead of the upcoming election to raise awareness about the need to include a focus on rural in their platforms. With Finance Canada Budget 2025 consultations underway, we’re also finalizing a submission and will engage further.

In the coming weeks, you’ll also see more from Rural Prosperity Group as we implement a digital campaign to hear from Canadians and meet them where they are online. Expect our evolved communication to reflect a natural shift post-diagnostique phase of focusing on challenges and gaps, to an equal amount of shedding light on the promise of rural Canada. We will engage Canadians on those opportunities, including sharing the input received to date.

Additionally, as things unfold, and keeping in mind the intricacies of our North American markets, we remain vigilant about any engagement outside Canada. We welcome any thoughts on this at any time: info@ruralprosperity.ca.

This Rural Roundup will keep you and all stakeholders informed of our activities and highlight rural communities' needs and contributions. We would love to hear from you so that we can share your story and the stories of your neighbours. Please send your ideas to us.

You are central to these efforts and we look forward to collaborating!

**Honorary vice-chair Dennis Dawson pictured with honorary chair Candice Bergen at the NAC just after launching the Rural Prosperity Group.**

Honorary chair meets with stakeholders

The Hon. Candice Bergen, honorary chair of the Rural Prosperity Group, met with agriculture stakeholders in Ottawa last month to outline the group’s work and promote rural Canada, which she said is “the jewel of our nation.”

She celebrated the dairy sector’s leadership on rural prosperity, innovation and job creation, and discussed the need to both protect the “rural way of life” and educate urban Canadians about the value rural prosperity brings to not only their own lives but the success of organizations as well.

Separately, in a widely-attended Forest Products Association of Canada event in the fall, Bergen was awarded the Jim Carr Forest Community Champion Award for her commitment to Canada's natural resources and rural way of life over the course of her career.

“It was a privilege to work for Canadians from coast to coast and see the important work they were doing to help make our country a better place. This was especially true in our rural and remote communities, where our forestry sector is often the key driver of economic growth,” she said.

During a panel discussion that she moderated at the same event, Bergen said, “There's a real lack of services that has a direct effect on rural Canadians and how we can operate our businesses and grow.”

She and honorary vice-chair Dennis Dawson are committed to bringing urgency to the issues through public communication.

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Primer on way forward on looming U.S. tariffs: ‘Quite simply, bad business’

As of Monday morning, Donald Trump's tariff plans remain unpredictable.

An executive order issued today lays the groundwork to remove the rule that allows certain low-value shipments from Canada to enter the U.S. without paying tariffs.

On March 4, he has threatened a 25 per cent tariff on most Canadian goods, though delays are possible, and experts expect either another postponement or a smaller tariff.

On March 12, a 25 per cent tariff on steel and aluminum is likely, impacting Canada significantly. The scope remains unclear, and enforcement could extend to car parts and construction materials. A delay is also possible.

By April 1, the U.S. will review trade measures, potentially leading to global minimum tariffs or targeted retaliatory tariffs against certain countries, including Canada.

On April 2, Trump has threatened 25 per cent tariffs on auto, semiconductor, pharmaceutical, and possibly lumber imports, which could harm Canada’s economy.

Later in spring 2025, Trump may use these tariffs as leverage to renegotiate CUSMA, demanding more access to Canada’s dairy market, changes to digital trade policies, and auto trade restrictions. If Canada resists, Trump could threaten to withdraw from the agreement.

The U.S. has justified these measures as necessary to combat illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

In response, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pledged to implement “dollar-for-dollar, matching tariffs” on $155 billion worth of U.S. goods if the U.S. tariffs proceed. The initial phase imposes 25 per cent tariffs on $30 billion of American imports, with plans to extend these tariffs to the remaining $125 billion within three weeks. This stance reflects Canada's commitment to defending its economic interests amid the escalating trade dispute.

While many others are, the rural agricultural sector is particularly vulnerable. Canadian farmers export approximately 60 per cent of their products to the U.S., and industry leaders are concerned about the potential impact of tariffs on cash flow and profitability.

Chris Davison, president of the Canola Council of Canada, noted that farmers are likely to be affected across all aspects of their operations. “Certainly, farmers will unfortunately feel the impact,” he said. “We anticipate it will touch virtually all facets of their operations.”

Additionally, U.S. refiners are exploring alternatives to Canadian oil in anticipation of the tariffs, which could disrupt existing supply chains and impact operations.

The potential for a full-scale trade war looms, with significant implications for industries and consumers in both countries. Diplomatic efforts are ongoing to resolve the disputes and prevent even further escalation, however, the last thing our rural innovators need is continued uncertainty.

Keith Currie, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, says the tariffs will have negative consequences on both sides of the border. “Our agriculture sectors rely on each other, not just to sell products to one another but also to provide essential inputs to grow food such as fertilizer.”

Our competitors around the world are the only winners in a trade dispute between Canada and the U.S., Currie said, adding, “Tariffs are quite simply, bad business.”

In a joint-statement, the Canadian Cattle Association and the National Cattle Feeders' Association said the beef industry would seek an exemption from the blanket tariffs, and will be advocating for relief support for impacted producers.

Rural Canada is the backbone of our economy. It includes workers in the following industries:

Innovative sectors
Agriculture
Forestry
Natural resources
Telecommunications
Vital infrastructure and supply chains
Technology (delivering healthcare to rural and remote communities) and more!

Rural Canada is a key creator of wealth and opportunity for the entire country and its industries are major drivers of exports to the U.S. Any increase in tariffs or trade restrictions would almost certainly result in reduced market access, lower prices for Canadian products and job losses in rural industries. This will directly impact farm incomes, disrupt supply chains and hurt small businesses that rely on exports to sustain their operations.

POV: Forest group head champions made-in-Canada essentials

By Derek Nighbor
President and CEO, Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC)

While being immediately felt in rural and northern Canada, the current U.S. tariff threat facing Canada’s forest sector has serious implications for the rest of the country. It’s a wake-up call to urgently improve competitiveness and infrastructure, and to diversify export markets — in tandem with our efforts in this new world to evolve our shared economic and security partnership with our American neighbours.

Forestry has long been a cornerstone of the Canadian and North American economies. But it’s not the $87 billion-plus in revenue it generates annually that tells the story. Forestry’s economic, environmental and social benefits come from the more than 200,000 Canadians directly employed in the sector, living and working in hundreds of communities across the country.

In these uncertain times, it would serve us to remember the lessons we learned during the pandemic about the importance of domestic supply chains and the need to ensure we can provide essential products to all Canadians. We must prioritize growing our natural resource industries sustainably, so we are not depending on other countries for basic goods and supplies — and we can reliably generate economic wealth for Canadian families.

Canada’s forestry communities are on the front line providing innovative “made-in-Canada” essentials that can address our most basic needs, including affordable housing, biofuel, paper packaging, diapers and other hygiene products. It’s high time that we recognize these workers and the contributions they make to the rest of Canada by ensuring we have a clear national economic plan that reflects their unique local conditions.

Today, and throughout our history, forestry forms a backbone for Canada by keeping hundreds of communities alive and leading the world. Rural Canadians deserve a clear economic growth plan that can make a positive difference in the lives of the people who call these communities home.

Showcase your leadership and get your message out

Stability in #cdnpoli even more sorely needed today

This has been a tumultuous number of months for Canadian federal politics and the ground continues to shift rapidly. Former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor Mark Carney has taken the lead in the race to succeed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as Liberal Party leader, following Trudeau's resignation announcement earlier this year. Some would say Carney’s decision to enter the race has revived the outlook for the Liberals in the upcoming election, which could be announced as early as March.

Polls now show that the Liberals, who only weeks ago looked like no-hopers to retain power, have narrowed the once-massive gap with the Conservative Party of Canada to a thin single-digit advantage. Most observers believe this might not have happened without the sense of urgency created by U.S. President Donald Trump and his tariff plan — not to mention his casual comments about annexing Canada — however the picture in Canadian federal politics has changed completely, though it certainly remains chaotic.

As you know, Parliament is prorogued, with lawmakers not due to return until March 24 and as such the state of our government’s finances is in suspended animation. Lawmakers have been deprived of an opportunity to debate the government’s fiscal update which showed a $62 billion federal deficit. Leaders of all political parties, including Pierre Poilievre, are quickly recalibrating messages and platforms to respond to the hardball tactics coming out of Washington.

“Canada’s next Prime Minister must hit the ground running and be laser-focused on strengthening the Canada-U.S. trade relationship,” Canadian Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Candace Laing has said. “Any business owner knows the dangers of staying in the red year after year. Any homeowner knows that mortgages shouldn’t get bigger over time. The lack of fiscal accountability … combined with a government in total disarray, creates profound instability for Canadian businesses and families at a time when we need the opposite.”

For rural Canadians, there were several areas touched on in the FES that still need to be clarified. Prior to proroguing parliament, the Liberals promised to invest in the Local Food Infrastructure Fund, expand the Canada Carbon Rebate rural top-up, prioritize a new Community Banking Initiative and support the conversion of the Belledune Generating Station to biomass.

These demonstrate a clear recognition of the challenges faced by communities across Canada. The deficit will have a detrimental effect on rural Canada, particularly now that tensions with the U.S. may require a significant shift in how Canadian policymakers prioritize spending, for instance, toward meeting NATO targets or supporting workers whose jobs have been affected by any trade war.

“Canada’s business community remains extremely worried about the government’s lack of a robust plan to tackle the expanding deficit and revive economic prosperity,” said Laing. “From manufacturers to farmers, a strained relationship with the U.S. will be felt across every sector.”

A former senior trade official said the timing of the tariff threat is “very unfortunate” for Canada as our own political landscape is unstable. “We're really not in the kind of position we would like to be in terms of having a clear, coherent strategy going forward, given all that uncertainty,” the official said at a recent conference. “All of these issues, whether it's the issues at the border, trade, deficit concerns, unfair trade practices, all of this is eventually going to turn into some kind of negotiation, and then it's a question of how we can best deal with that.”

The official emphasized the need to have a plan rather than starting off too early by making concessions. “Others have said we may need to make certain obligations with respect to our resources,” he said. “And I'm sure you've heard, as I have, as some have said, we need to put dairy on the table. I think that is completely misreading the situation with the U.S. It was very clear from the negotiation we had with the last Trump administration that resulted in the CUSMA that if you offer the U.S. concessions too early, they're not going to have much value at all. The U.S. is simply going to accept them.”

It is now vital that the government demonstrates the stability and commitment required to deliver tangible results for all Canadians.

**Liberal Party leadership candidates Karina Gould, Frank Baylis, Chrystia Freeland and Mark Carney, pictured in Montreal at the English debate on Feb. 25.**

Liberal leadership candidates give shout-out to rural Canada

Two Liberal leadership candidates raised the importance of rural Canada during the English debate on Feb. 25 in Montreal and another did so during their campaign launch.

In response to a question about productivity in the face of tariff threats from the U.S., Chrystia Freeland noted that rural Canada is a key piece of the puzzle.

“I do want to talk about a part of the economy where there have been huge leaps in productivity, which is central to Canada's resilience and economic strength, particularly as we face up to Donald Trump, and that is rural Canada,” she said. Having herself grown up on a farm in Alberta, she said she knows how farmers “are an important source of strength when it comes to this standoff with the U.S.”

Karina Gould said she supports rural Canada’s economies and as prime minister would revive Bill C-282 to protect supply management. “It was a piece of legislation that unfortunately died when we prorogued parliament, but I think it is imperative that we protect our supply-managed sectors,” she said. “One of the frustrations that [audience member] Roland had with us as a government is that we haven't spoken enough about sectors in rural Canada, whether that is mining, whether that is energy, whether that is agriculture, whether that is forestry.”

At Freeland’s campaign launch in Toronto, Liberal Quebec MP and caucus chair Stéphane Lauzon remarked that he’s worked with Freeland over the last nine years and knows she’s engaged with all Canadians “in big cities and small towns and rural regions.”

“We know rural regions are the heart of our economy and our identity,” he said, adding that Freeland understands that all regions in Canada need to be supported.

When she took the stage, Freeland spoke about growing up in rural Alberta. “While Toronto is now my home, I was born in Peace River, Alta., a place in the rural part of our country that Stéphane Lauzon spoke about so movingly. My dad's a farmer and a small-town lawyer and my mother was a Ukrainian immigrant who arrived here with her family as a child,” she said, noting she owes a lot to her parents’ hard work.

At his launch in Edmonton, Mark Carney spoke about some of the issues facing Canadians, including in rural Canada. “Our times are anything but ordinary. The system is not working as it should and it's not working as it could,” he said, adding many Canadians are falling behind, unable to find family doctors or afford their home. “We're living through the two biggest technological revolutions since they split the atom. Our climate is changing in ways that threaten livelihoods from Fort Mac to Fort Smith.”

Many hurdles, but rural and small-town businesses remain optimistic according to StatsCan survey

Businesses in Canada’s rural and small-town (RST) areas faced a complex economic landscape in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to a new analysis based on the Canadian Survey on Business Conditions. Key challenges included rising input costs, labour shortages and increasing debt burdens, which also impacted functional urban areas. Despite these hurdles, a majority of businesses expressed optimism about their 12-month prospects.

Report highlights divergence between rural and northern areas

The State of Rural Canada 2024 report by the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation highlights challenges and opportunities in rural, remote and northern communities. While some areas face population decline, others are growing through immigration and returning residents. Traditional industries are evolving, and new sectors like renewable energy and technology offer growth potential.

Rural areas face climate risks, aging infrastructure and limited services, but northern communities show resilience, according to the report, which pointed to partnerships with Indigenous communities, digital innovation, sustainable economies and local food systems. It calls for a National Rural Strategy, climate-resilient infrastructure, better healthcare and Indigenous-led initiatives to build a stronger, more prosperous rural Canada.

Despite challenges, there are opportunities to leverage digital technologies, create sustainable economic models and strengthen local food systems, the report says.

Immigration cuts mean rural communities will age faster

Canada's Immigration Levels Plan for 2025-2027, released in October 2024, forecasts a 0.2 per cent population decline in 2025 and 2026, followed by a return to 0.8 per cent growth in 2027. During this period, the population aged 65 and older is expected to increase by nearly three per cent annually.

The working-age population (ages 15-64) could shrink by over 450,000 between late 2024 and late 2026, the report said. In contrast, international immigration and non-permanent residents in this age group grew by more than one million in 2024 — about the size of the entire population of Nova Scotia.

Rural communities are aging faster than urban areas, as they lack the influx of new residents from immigration.

“The odds of immigrants moving into rural Canada have actually decreased over time rather than increased,” said Lindsay Finlay, a PhD candidate in sociology at Western University and the lead author of The Places We'll Go: Rural Migration in Canada. “It's the kind of things like a lack of transportation, a lack of employment, academic opportunities. There's also the risk of potential discrimination in these areas.”

Exploring ways to attract more immigrants, invest in workforce training and leverage technology to mitigate labour shortages and sustain economic growth need to be priorities.

Fitbits for cows? How technology can propel rural economies

Karen is a dairy farmer who uses cutting-edge technology, which she likens to a “Fitbit for cows,” to monitor their health and productivity. This technology allows her to track each cow’s activity, food intake and milk production, helping her make informed, data-driven decisions.

“I can honestly say I probably know more about my individual cows than my kids on some days,” she joked. “We track all the components in their milk, their feed intake. And we’re evaluating the data, asking are we doing the best job possible? Is there anything that stands out that we can tweak to make it that much better for the cows?”

A mother of four, she and her husband now run their 400-cow operation supported by eight employees. She fosters a compassionate workplace and takes pride in producing high-quality, nutritious food. “It’s amazing what is actually happening on dairy farms, using data-driven decisions and making the best animal care choices,” she said.

CGI’s AI innovations save lives in rural, remote communities

The inaugural podcast episode of I4 Insights explores how cutting-edge technology is transforming healthcare, particularly for rural and remote communities.

Joy Ardz from CGI highlighted an innovative project originally designed for astronauts that has direct applications for underserved populations: “We developed a smart container that had the ability to check in, guide the patient through this whole interactive experience of self-testing, telemedicine, medical education, and treatment.”

This technology could revolutionize healthcare access in isolated regions, including Indigenous communities.

Andrew Doner, CGI’s VP of AI and Analytics, discussed AI’s role in diagnostics and efficiency, citing a collaboration with Helsinki University that uses AI to detect brain hemorrhages days or weeks before they become critical: “By having the AI solution complement the experts, we’re now able to diagnose and begin to treat those issues in advance.”

Joshua McCutcheon, a senior program consultant from Alberta Health Services asked: “I'm curious, what does this mean for Alberta? What are the next steps and how could we bring some of this work to start affecting our rural communities or individuals who are looking to access their information in a more meaningful way to them.”

Ardz highlighted the need for a human-centred, design-thinking approach in Alberta’s healthcare policy. She compared healthcare data flow to an angiogram, explaining that blockages in patient information and access can be just as harmful as physical health conditions.

Doner reinforced the urgency of adopting AI responsibly to handle growing healthcare demands, stating, “It’s time to be bold, be brave, be courageous and get after it with a bias to action.”

The episode also covered CGI’s work with Indigenous communities, using AI-powered risk assessments for fire safety and virtual assistants to improve healthcare accessibility. These initiatives demonstrate how technology can bridge gaps in rural healthcare, streamline operations, and improve patient outcomes. “These kinds of technologies allow us to bring world-class expertise into communities that otherwise wouldn’t have access,” Doner said.

Listen to the full podcast here.

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Bea Vongdouangchanh 2024-09-16 Bea Vongdouangchanh 2024-09-16

Open letter to party leaders

Today, the Rural Prosperity Group (RPG) released an open letter to party leaders urging them to consider the impact of their party policies and election platforms on rural Canada.

As policymakers prepare for the next general election, it is vital they apply a rural lens to their proposals. By valuing rural communities and their contributions, government policies can be designed with the flexibility and adaptability to benefit both urban and rural families. In the letter, the group underscores the necessity for policymakers to craft inclusive strategies that address the unique challenges and untapped opportunities of rural communities across the country.

Despite contributing 30 per cent to Canada’s GDP and hosting over a quarter of the population, rural communities are too often excluded from critical policy discussions.

The Rural Prosperity Group aims to change that by advocating for a more equitable approach to public policymaking that includes rural perspectives.

Read the letters here

Rural Prosperity Group 2024-08-19 Rural Prosperity Group 2024-08-19

2025 pre-budget submission to the House of Commons Finance Committee

Download the PBS in PDF

Introduction

Government decision-makers, both rural and urban, have a responsibility to prioritize the competitive advantage of Canada’s rural communities.

Rural areas are home to a quarter of Canada’s population and encompass key sectors that drive the country’s economic engine: from natural resources like forestry, energy, agriculture, and mining to innovative businesses in tourism, technology, health care, manufacturing, and more.

Rural communities contribute 30 per cent to Canada’s GDP, housing 315,221 small businesses that pay more than their fair share of taxes while generating well-paying jobs and investment opportunities that stimulate economic growth nationwide.

We must recognize the incredible benefits rural Canada brings to our nation, but we must also acknowledge the diverse challenges these communities face.

About the Rural Prosperity Group

Canada has no greater competitive advantage than its natural resources, including agriculture, mining, energy, forestry, and more. Yet, the voices of rural communities that power these sectors are often lost in the national conversation.

The Rural Prosperity Group aims to bridge this gap between rural communities and decision-makers. Together, we aim to deepen ties and foster dialogue with the federal government, businesses, and civil society to ensure rural perspectives inform public policymaking.

Applying a rural lens to all government initiatives

As the government looks to address the challenges faced by Canadian families, public servants and politicians in Ottawa often develop policies without fully understanding the unintended consequences. These policies often disproportionately support urban communities where resources are more accessible and inadvertently penalize rural areas, failing to meet the needs of rural and remote communities.

Where billion-dollar LRT investments in Vancouver, Toronto or Montreal may be available to local governments, the same opportunities must be made available to small communities to invest in regional bus transportation, road construction or access to trade-enabling services. Instead, political initiatives are often focused on vote-rich urban communities.

With the subsidization of costly services in urban communities, it is important for governments to provide targeted measures that make meaningful contributions to families outside of our city centres. Additionally, these programs must not come with cumbersome application processes and criteria that hinder the ability of small communities to effectively apply for funding.

It is further imperative that the government begin developing specific metrics and applying a rural lens or place-based approach to policy. By establishing criteria that appreciate and value the rural way of life, it can adapt policy approaches to ensure flexibility and adaptability that work for both urban and rural families. The government, through its open government initiatives, should ensure that these metrics and statistics are accessible to businesses and Canadians to evaluate.

We would further recommend that a whole of government effort be made to evaluate policies with a lens to improving productivity, connectivity (physical and digital) and equitable access to essential services such as health care and education.

Recommendation 1: That the government should establish and apply a rural lens to be applied to all government policy and budgeting initiatives and must ensure that programming does not inequitably benefit or negatively affect some communities at the expense of others.

Reducing the productivity gap for rural communities by improving access to essential services

Canadians living in rural areas often lack access to essential services that those living in urban areas take for granted. Specifically, these communities often must travel hours to see a family physician, move to urban centres to access training or educational opportunities or have unreliable access to trade-enabling infrastructure.

With large segments of rural Canada working in agriculture and natural resources, these services are fundamental to driving economic growth for their communities, but also for Canada. By underinvesting in essential services for rural Canadians, our national productivity is deeply impacted.

As the Coalition for a Better Future noted in its recent report Fragile Growth, “It’s more than just about fairness. Certainly, we believe rural Canadians have a right to critical services like internet connectivity, transportation, education, and health care. But the development of rural Canada is an economic imperative for all of us. This is especially true today when economic resiliency — from food security to supply chains — is becoming increasingly paramount.”

Lack of access to these core services means hours away from family and work, lost productivity, and a general inequity of opportunities to grow their businesses or incomes. The government should place an increased emphasis on supporting these core community-building services to support rural families.

Further complicating these challenges is connectivity — one of the most important drivers of economic and social development in increasingly digital world. Leaders across the world have recognized the need to develop opportunities to learn and engage with others through reliable broadband connections. Increased connectivity has been a core driver of development for emerging economies around the world - in many cases with the support of Canadian technology - yet domestically, we continue to have large portions of our country that lack access to high-speed broadband. Or just as unfairly, those in rural areas pay the same rates for services as their urban neighbours with a fraction of the service delivered.

Access to high-speed broadband in rural communities in Canada still only covers 62 percent compared to 91.4 percent in urban areas, and it's often sorely unreliable. Infrastructure and transportation systems are few, leaving millions in rural and remote areas without access to the services that urban Canadians take for granted.

It is critical that the government take immediate steps to address the disparity in access to broadband internet. This should include a whole of government review of past legislation and regulatory actions taken to evaluate their effectiveness in ensuring equitable access to high speed internet for all communities.

Recommendation 2: That the government and parliamentarians invest in or use all tools at their disposal to support initiatives that expand access to essential services in rural and remote communities, including access to reliable healthcare services, broadband internet, trade-enabling infrastructure services, and skills development programs.

Improving tax and regulatory fairness for rural communities and businesses

Canadians pay some of the highest taxes in the OECD, yet rural communities are often hit disproportionately hard by these high taxes while receiving less than their fair share of government expenditures. The impact of these taxation levels is a deep productivity and competitiveness gap for businesses in Canada, especially as it relates to our closest trading partners in the United States.

Recent taxation and regulatory changes, including increases to the capital gains inclusion rate, the carbon tax and the treatment of intergenerational farm transfers, among others, have had severe and negative impact on rural families. These are also clear examples of taxation policy that does not fully appreciate the contribution of rural and remote communities in Canada and their contribution to the national economic interests.

Similarly, the federal government has missed the opportunity to grow Canada’s rural and remote communities by supporting small and medium businesses that provide economic opportunity for local families.

With increasing frequency, Canadian towns are seeing major industry players close their businesses due to poorly developed government regulations. The result is a disturbing trend of depressed economic activities and increasing pressure to move to large metropolitan cities.

A Statistics Canada report in 2022 highlighted these challenges, noting that 73.7 per cent of Canadians lived in large urban centres, with large urban centres (with a population of greater than 100,000) accounting for the largest growth (5.2 per cent between 2016-2021), while rural population increased by 0.4 per cent during that same period.

As the government looks to address housing, transit and employment challenges facing Canada, it must appreciate the economic and social benefits of the rural way of life, by investing and supporting taxation and regulatory policies that encourage these communities to grow, rather than punish them because of where they live and work.

Recommendation 3: That the government work to eliminate or amend taxation and regulatory policies that negatively and disproportionately impact families and employers in rural communities.

Conclusion

Rural Canada is essential to creating the safe, healthy and prosperous nation we all desire. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize rural priorities, goals and needs in decision-making processes.

This effort goes beyond simply bridging gaps with federal policymakers or providing special treatment for rural Canadians. It involves fostering deeper connections with the business community, thought leaders, media, public servants, and academia. Implementing a rural perspective in policy-making ensures that policies do not inadvertently or disproportionately harm rural Canada. Instead, it focuses on making rural areas vibrant and thriving places to live and work, benefiting the entire country. It entails applying a rural filter and analysis to all public policies to ensure rural Canada is not overlooked. It means recognizing, appreciating, and protecting the unique way of life in rural Canada and its communities.