‘Visit, listen, learn’: Rural Canada to decision makers

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Rural voices are rarely heard in provincial or national decision-making and it’s important for decision makers to spend time in rural communities, engage directly with local leaders and residents, and design solutions grounded in lived rural experience rather than urban assumptions.

That’s what rural leaders and stakeholders told us in our survey, which we reiterated in our submission to the government’s consultation on its Rural Canada Action Plan. 

When asked what the top three actions governments can take to help rural communities thrive, in addition to investing in transportation, education and skills training and reliable digital infrastructure, respondents said “visit, listen, learn.”

One respondent said that there needs to be increased “opportunities for federal employees outside of Ottawa to increase perspective within the government and better represent Canadians.”

Notably, many respondents stressed that effective policy begins with presence. 

“The only time I see rural representatives with an active voice in the room (at conferences, for example) are at events designed FOR rural communities, almost never at conferences and events that concern national issues,” one respondent said. 

Two-thirds agreed that urban–rural economic connections are often more symbolic than substantive, and that meaningful progress requires sustained follow-through, rural-specific metrics and accountability for outcomes.

This reinforces the need for structural change in how decisions are made — not just what decisions are made.

When asked whether a rural lens should be applied to all federal policies, 100 per cent of respondents said yes. Respondents pointed to repeated experiences where policies designed for urban density fail to translate to rural settings — whether in health care delivery, infrastructure funding thresholds, workforce programs, procurement rules or regulatory compliance. These gaps not only limit effectiveness but actively deter investment and participation in federal initiatives.

In addition to reiterating the concerns of rural leaders, in our submission, the Rural Prosperity Group emphasized several key issues, including the need for improved access to health care, better transportation and infrastructure, and reduced regulatory burdens that disproportionately affect small and rural operators. Taken together, these concerns underscore the importance of applying a rural lens to all public policies to ensure that no future federal regulation, program, or policy — domestic or international — harms rural Canada.

We look forward to working with the federal government on the Rural Canada Action Plan.