Rural communities in Canada are facing a new reality where traditional economic bases such as agriculture, forestry, and manufacturing have eroded. The digital divide, whereby rural Canada lags in access to broadband, has created further barriers to participating in the emerging knowledge economy. Revitalizing Rural Economies offers practical tools for developers, business people, and community leaders. The result of a partnership between the Monieson Centre at Queen's School of Business and entrepreneurs, policy makers, economic development officials, and elected representatives from rural communities across southern Ontario, Revitalizing Rural Economies draws on four years of community-based research to provide strategies for economic revitalization. Integrating case studies and community development guidelines, the authors explore themes such as the building blocks for community economic development (CED), innovation, community assets, vibrant downtowns, social capital accumulation through collaboration and inclusion, and new opportunities for rural economies through creative and value-added businesses. Designed as a practical guide, this book serves as a primer to CED, while also allowing those familiar with the field to delve deeper. Case studies ground the discussion in the challenges and opportunities facing communities. The book provides ideas and resources to foster the long-term resilience of rural regions.

This book discusses the contribution of collaborative rural community efforts to the challenge of responding to change in the late 20th century advanced capitalist economy of the U.S. Rural society is being transformed by having to adapt to a new international order, a changing role for government, the accepted interdependence of community and economic development and the strong relationship between community and place. The participation of rural people in thinking more about their own future and putting into practice their ideas for securing it demands a central position on the policy agenda. It is within this context that the authors review recent progress on the rural development front and provide a critical study of associated processes and achievements. This book offers an in-depth discussion on rural community change and development and combines a critical review of shifting public policy.

This book highlights the challenges and opportunities of (re)constructing a sustainable rural community on the outskirts of the urban community. Based on knowledge and experience accumulated through implementing a rural revitalisation project in Hong Kong since 2013, the book provides an in-depth analysis of a case study along with related concepts from the literature. In particular, the concept of rural resilience is broken down and used to examine how communities at the urban-rural interface can leverage their position and connections to (re)create vibrant sustainable communities. The revitalisation project was showcased in the databases of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s Equator Initiative and the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI) as well as achieving Special Recognition for Sustainable Development in the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2020. This book teases out the key issues in the process of revitalising a rural community in the peri-urban context and examines the complexities embedded in each issue and how they can be addressed in the quest for rural sustainability.