“Rural Canada makes an essential contribution to our economy and culture, but rural communities are struggling to secure a future for themselves in the country they helped to build.

Today´s report shines a light on the growing crisis in rural Canada and its implications for our national economy. It asks what role the federal government should play in rural communities and provides a road map for effective action in Ottawa.

Industries rooted in rural Canada—agriculture and agribusiness, forestry, fishing and natural resources—account for over 50 per cent of our national exports, and they provide the energy, food and raw materials to fuel growth in the rest of the country.

And in the future, rural communities will play a leading role in developing further wind, hydro, solar and biofuel technologies and building a greener economy for Canada.

But despite its importance to the country, much of rural Canada is missing out on the growth and prosperity it helps to create.

The 2006 Census showed that rural Canada´s share of the national population fell below 20 per cent for the first time in history, and rural communities are attracting less than five per cent of the country´s new immigrants. In rural Canada, household incomes are lower than the national average, and chronic poverty and health problems are more common.

As their tax base shrinks, rural communities are struggling to provide basic infrastructure and services. 

This crisis has been quietly growing for decades, but the global recession is now threatening to push many rural communities past the tipping point.

The current government´s economic stimulus plan includes billions of dollars in short-term funding assistance for rural communities. But as we emerge from the global economic crisis, the country needs a long-term vision for rural Canada, and long-term federal funding commitments to support that vision. 

We need a national plan to help rural communities diversify their local economies so they are less vulnerable to the boom and bust cycles of global markets. We need a plan that delivers sustained funding support so rural communities can provide the public services and infrastructure they need to attract and retain new residents and businesses.

Rural Canada is well-represented in the House of Commons, and the Government of Canada has never abandoned rural Canada to market forces. Individual federal policies and programs deliver clear benefits

But successive federal governments have been unable to turn these policies into a sustained and integrated plan to strengthen rural communities. The government has struggled to keep rural issues on the political agenda, and to implement strategies effectively over time and across federal departments.

The government´s Rural Secretariat was designed to cut across departments and support horizontal policies that help build strong, dynamic rural communities. But to be effective , the Secretariat needs more resources and a stronger link to the federal cabinet.

Today´s report, launched by FCM´s Rural Forum and developed with contributions by Dr. Donald Savoie of the Université de Moncton and Dr. Bill Reimer of Concordia University, confronts these problems head on and identifies key principles for effective action in Ottawa.

The report is a wake-up call.

Today, we are calling on all parties in the House of Commons to commit to doing the following:

• Protecting and expanding federal investments in rural communities as we emerge from the global economic crisis;
• Working with other orders of government to build a long-term plan—with long-term funding—for the future of rural Canada;
• Appointing a rural champion within cabinet to keep that plan on the political agenda and on track within the government; and
• Provide the Rural Secretariat with adequate resources and more influence on government priorities. .

Rural Canada is fighting for its future. It´s a fight that should matter to all Canadians.

With vision and leadership, the actions we´ve outlined today can help rural Canada succeed, and lay the foundation for strong and prosperous communities in a strong and prosperous Canada.”

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