RPLC Launches New Rural Policy Networks

Now in the fourth year, the Rural Policy Learning Commons (RPLC) is launching seven (7) new networks focusing on issues and policies affecting rural communities. Each network of students and faculty, along with policy makers and practitioners are committed to:

  • Promote rural related issues relevant to policy makers, practitioners, community members, and RPLC members,
  • Demonstrate involvement of stakeholders in two of the three regions: Canada, Europe, Mexico, and United States – including cross theme collaboration,
  • Create opportunities for student engagement/early career professionals in all aspects of their activities,
  • Mobilize research and knowledge drawing on academic, practitioner and policy perspectives, expertise and connections,
  • Facilitate comparative (intra-national and international) approaches with cross–theme engagement when appropriate, and
  • Prepare policy briefs targeted to policy makers and/or practitioners, a webinar, and report on activities and achievements.

RPLC Rural Policy Networks and contacts:
Migration in Remote and Rural Areas
Ray Silvius, University of Winnipeg, r.silvius@uwinnipeg.ca

Natural Resources Development Network

Terri MacDonald, Selkirk College, tmacdonald@selkirk.ca

Network for Rural Governance

Kathleen Kevany, Dalhousie University, kkevany@dal.ca
Rural Research Centres Network
Kathleen Kevany, Dalhousie University, kkevany@dal.ca

Rural Renewable Energy

Philip Loring, University of Saskatchewan, phil.loring@usask.ca
RPLC-CRRF Alliance Network
Valencia Gaspard, University of Guelph, gaspardv@uguelph.ca

Transformations in Indigenous Communities

Elizabeth Fast, Concordia University, elizabeth.fast@concordia.ca
The RPLC is a $2.5M partnership grant funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) with the Rural Development Institute (RDI) and Brandon University. RPLC is also benefiting from contributions of over 20 partners that collectively contribute another $3M over the seven years of this partnership project. Major objectives of the RPLC are to build rural capacity and strengthen relationships to inform rural research and policy. Some networks and members focus on provincial and regional level research while others concentrate on international comparative analysis through working relationships among institutions and individual partners.
Contact:
Bill Ashton, MCIP, PhD Project Director
204 571-8513
ashtonw@brandonu.ca

Wayne Kelly, Project Coordinator
204-872-0269
kellyw@brandonu.ca
 
Media Release (PDF) – RPLC New Networks Announcement Sept 26, 2017

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