April 23, 2004 For Immediate Release

Revitalizing rural regions across Canada is the objective of a national think-tank that will be held on Prince George next Wednesday.

Organized by the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation (CRRF), the Prince George event will attract 50 people from almost every Canadian province who will discuss local governance and interaction between urban and rural communities. Sessions will include municipal government issues, education and health care, and technology support in rural areas. The think tank will take place in the College of New Caledonia cafeteria from 9am - 5pm on Wednesday, April 28th. It will be followed by a reception at UNBC's upper cafeteria that evening starting at 7pm.

"We'll be discussing fundamental issues related to the future of communities nationwide," says Rob Greenwood from Newfoundland, President of CRRF. "The Prime Minister's community agenda is sometimes interpreted as a "big city" project, but all communities across Canada have important issues that need to be addressed and a major one concerns the interaction between urban and rural areas."

UNBC Geography professor Greg Halseth, a Canada Research Chair in Rural and Small Town Studies, is part of CRRF's national research program focusing on the New Rural Economy. "In northern BC, we've seen how Prince George's growth as a retail, education, and health care centre has affected its relationships with outlying communities. This experience is not unique to our region and the interaction is essential for the long-term benefit of both the urban and rural areas."

As part of the Prince George event, CRRF is signing an agreement with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to jointly explore opportunities for rural Canada to enhance its economic, social, and environmental sustainability. The signing of the agreement will take place during the reception at UNBC.

Over the past 16 years, CRRF has brought together researchers from more than 20 universities and institutes across Canada, and published more than 150 papers on rural community issues. Workshops such as the one in Prince George have been hosted in nearly 30 locations across Canada.