Rural challenges, national opportunity

Published: May 2018 - PDF (4.2 MB)

Rural challenges, national opportunities

Shaping the future of rural Canada

Small-town friendliness. Vast landscapes. A quieter way of life. These are some of the reasons that people are drawn to smaller communities. And as online connectivity expands, rural Canada is becoming more appealing to businesses. 

In our report, Rural challenges, national opportunity: shaping the future of rural Canadawe showcase the successes and potential of Canada's smaller communities.

Rural communities help drive Canada's economy, but they also face unique challenges that need tailor-made policy and resource solutions. Our report shows how tackling these local challenges, from coast to coast to coast, is how we'll build this country. Throughout, we profile rural communities that are already showing tremendous resilience and ingenuity in leading the way.

The future of Canada will only get brighter if the federal government empowers rural municipalities with transformative tools that are adaptable to local needs. This will help build Canada, impacting people living in communities of all sizes.

FCM: rural advocates

FCM's Rural Forum continues to set an ambitious agenda for our federal advocacy. And in recent years, FCM has delivered unprecedented gains - including major rural-specific federal funding for infrastructure and other major projects. But there is more work to be done.

That's why FCM continues to work with the federal government to champion rural issues. We are working to build a "rural lens" into all federal policies and programs, to ensure we have the tools to build more sustainable and prosperous rural communities nationwide.

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