Rural Spark Rural Spark

Rural communities are benefitting from a new wave of urban-to-rural migration during the pandemic. Especially in coastal communities of Atlantic Canada and B.C., new families are providing a much needed boost to school populations and local economies. But are able to keep them? In this episode we explore the challenge of rural retention with Dr.  Wayne Caldwell from the University of Guelph, an expert in issues of change in rural communities. 

The recent federal election result builds on a trend in the rural-urban vote split in Canada. At what point is that cause for concern? Should our electoral system and political parties take any steps to address potential negative impacts of the divide? We talk with political science professors Zach Taylor and Jack Lucas about their research in this area and what the future may hold. 

A group of medical students from Ontario medical schools are reaching out to those in urban schools to extoll the benefits of small town practice. Their efforts could be one part of the puzzle in solving Canada's rural doctor shortage. Current resident Kathleen Walsh joined us to share the story. 

Scotland is about to host its first seaweed festival -- an artistic, culinary and environmental event on Isle Martin. Festival curator and environmental photographer Julia Barton shares the story and rolls out the welcome mat. 

Test driving new, innovative ideas for rural communities makes sense. It's a low-risk, low-cost way of seeing what might work, what doesn't and what could be a success with a little adaption. That's the kind of work Mary Doyle does in her enterprise, Rural on Purpose. She joined us to share the Rural on Purpose story. 

Young people from countries bordering the North Atlantic recently spent a weekend working in teams to tackle some of the urgent challenges facing our rural communities. We talked with Paula Haapanen with the Canadian partner organization -- the Cooperation Council of Ontario -- to find out how it went and what new ideas rose to the top.